Chicken wings are undeniably one of the most popular finger foods today. They’re the most popular choice for football parties, such as the Super Bowl. In fact, according to statistics proved by the National Chicken Council, 1.42 billion chicken wings were eaten during the last Super Bowl. That’s a lot of wings!
The popularity of chicken wings isn’t limited to sporting events. They’re also one of the top choices for parties, family gatherings, and family meals. Because of their popularity, you can enjoy some leftovers at another time more often than not.
But what’s the best way to reheat fried chicken wings? In my opinion, you can’t do better than the air fryer.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about reheating wings in your air fryer.
How to Reheat Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer
When you have leftover chicken wings from a meal and would like to enjoy them the next day or a few days later, they are delicious when reheated in an air fryer.
The best part is that using an air fryer is simple and only has three steps:
- First, ensure that your air fryer has been preheated for five minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then, place your leftover chicken wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to allow room around each piece.
- Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature of the wings reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer.
When warmed, remove the wings and enjoy!
The Benefits of Reheating Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer
There are several benefits that make reheating your leftover wings in an air fryer the best choice.
Saves time
It only takes 5-6 minutes to reheat the wings making the process super quick. An added advantage is that you will not have to turn on your oven and wait for it to preheat.
Less waste
By being able to utilize any leftovers, you will not only work towards reducing your food waste, but you will also decrease the overall cost of your grocery bill. Reheated chicken wings are great paired with different sides the second time around.
Taste
When reheating chicken wings, if done correctly, they will be just as tasty the next day as they were when originally made. Some individuals claim that they taste even better and are just as crispy when reheated.
How to Reheat Cauliflower Wings in an Air Fryer
Most commonly, cauliflower wings are prepared in a sauce, such as Buffalo sauce. Then reheating sauced wings, the steps are similar to those provided above, but a few tips to aid in preventing a mess.
When choosing to reheat sauced cauliflower wings, or any sauced wings for that matter, your best choice would be to make use of a small air fryer pan.
A small air fryer pan will go a long way in preventing the wings from losing their sauce and keeping them nice and juicy. If the wings are placed directly into the air fryer basket, they will run the risk of sticking and creating a significant mess.
If you don’t have a small air fryer pan, you can also place some tin foil or a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the air fryer basket to prevent any chance of the sauced wings sticking.
Otherwise, reheat the wings at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-6 minutes in a single layer with adequate room between each piece.
How to Properly Store Leftover Wings
Just as important as the method you choose to reheat your chicken wings is how you choose to store them as leftovers beforehand.
Leftover chicken wings are best stored in a resealable container in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking or reheating. If left out for too long, harmful bacteria will develop and have the opportunity to multiply.
When placing the wings in the refrigerator, you will need to leave the lid off the container until the wings have cooled down to where they are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooled down, place the lid on the container and eat them within four days.
If your cooked wings are exposed to the sun, such as at a tailgating party or a picnic, you will need to eat them within an hour. Essential to remember is that if they are left sitting out for more than an hour, be sure you place them in the refrigerator for the best chance of preventing harmful bacteria buildup.
If you would prefer to freeze your leftover chicken wing, you do have this option. A cooked and then frozen wing will last in the freezer for approximately six months. Freezing at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below serves to stunt any growth of harmful bacteria, meaning that frozen chicken wings have a significantly longer shelf life.
Chicken wings are still edible after being in the freezer for six months. However, the texture and the taste will probably have deteriorated, so many choose to avoid them after that long.
Can You Cook Wings From Scratch in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook your chicken wings from scratch in an air fryer-whether you start fresh or frozen.
There are a few tips to keep in mind that will ensure that your wings turn out delicious, crispy and golden.
First and foremost, do not overcrowd your air fryer basket. Air fryers work through convection heating, and they need sufficient space to circulate the air efficiently. The wings can be slightly touching one another, but do not overcrowd them or overfill the basket for the best results.
Although air fryers work via air circulation called convection cooking, you will still need to make sure to turn your at least every 4-6 minutes. By taking the time to turn your wings, you ensure that they are cooked evenly throughout.
Very important to remember is not to add any type of seasonings until AFTER the wings are fully cooked. By waiting, you will ensure you will enjoy the maximum amount of flavor your wings have to offer.
Essential to remember is that you will need to start with your air fryer clean. If the air fryer is not clean when you begin cooking your wings, it may begin to smoke during the process.
Steps For Cooking Chicken Wings from Scratch
The actual steps for making your chicken wings from scratch in an air fryer are pretty simple and straightforward.
- First, pat any moisture or water from your wings making sure you have thoroughly dried your chicken wings before starting to air-fry them.
- Next, place the wings in the air fryer in a single layer, allowing room between the pieces if possible.
- Place the basket in the air fryer and close it. Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the wings to air fry for 25-30 minutes, making sure that you remove the basket and shake it every 5-7 minutes.
- Allow the wings to air fry until they reach the desired coloring and crispiness or until the wings have reached the internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured on a meat thermometer.
- Once the wings have sufficiently cooked, remove them from the basket and place them in a large bowl. Now is when you can add your favorite seasoning, rub, or hot sauce.
- If choosing to flavor with a sauce, toss the wing thoroughly and place them back in the air fryer for approximately 2 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Finally, remove the wings and toss them in the sauce once more for perfect wings every time.
Other Methods to Reheat Wings
Even though the air fryer is the most efficient method of reheating chicken wings, there are other options, including the oven and the microwave. If you do not have access to an air fryer, either of these two options is equally effective.
In the Oven
The most widely used method for reheating chicken wings is in the oven. The reason is that an oven provides the gentle and even reheating of most types of food.
When reheating chicken wings, using the oven will ensure that the wings maintain both their original taste along with their crispiness. Also, if the wings are coated in a type of sauce, using an oven will prevent the sauce from drying out.
There is the chance if the wings are left in too long or the oven temperature is set too high, they could dry out. To avoid this, place your wings in aluminum foil when reheating.
Supplies You Will Need
For reheating your wings in the oven, you will need:
- A baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
Steps to Reheat Wings in The Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take your baking pan, line it with parchment paper, adding your chicken wings in a single layer.
- Then, cover the entire pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Make sure that you leave sufficient space between the wings and do not overcrowd them on the pan.
- Place the pan of wings in the oven and allow them time to reheat-approximately 10 minutes.
- After approximately 10 minutes, check to make sure the wings are crispy and thoroughly heated.
- Once you are happy, take the cooked chicken wings from the oven and allow them a few moments to cool for serving.
In the Microwave
For most of us, when considering reheating food, the convenience, and swiftness of using a microwave quickly come to mind. However, the major drawback in most cases is that a microwave doesn’t allow for even heating of the food as a rule. Microwaves will not provide the crispness that an oven offers, so it may be a more viable option when reheating wings that are sauced.
There are some tips for reheating your chicken wings in the microwave that will aid in them coming out as crispy as possible.
Supplies That You Will Need
- A microwave-safe container
- A microwave-safe lid
- Paper Towel
Steps to Reheat Wings in the Microwave
- Dampen your paper towel and place your wings on top of it inside your microwave-safe container.
- Take your microwave-safe lid and cover your wings to prevent the sauce from splattering all over the inside of the microwave and causing a mess.
- Proceed to heat the wings for two minutes.
- Taste one of the wings, checking to see if they are thoroughly heated through.
- If needed, heat the wings for an additional 30 seconds.