Reheat Chicken in the Air Fryer
Reheated chicken is often dry and the coating soggy, but the air fryer brings it back to hot and crisp in about 6 minutes. To reheat chicken in the air fryer, use 375 °F for fried chicken, wings and tenders and a slightly lower 350 °F for rotisserie chicken, and heat until the center reaches 165 °F. Below are the times for each cut.
- Temperature
- 375°F190 °C
- Total time
- 9min
- Prep time
- 2min
- Servings
- 2
- Internal temp
- 165°F74 °C
- Per serving
- 380kcal
Why the air fryer works for reheating chicken
Cooked chicken has two problems the second time around. The skin or breading loses its crunch, and the meat has already given up some moisture, so it dries easily. The microwave worsens the first problem, because it heats the water inside the meat and steams the coating until it is soft. A conventional oven gets the crunch back but is slow, and the long time dries the meat.
The air fryer is a good compromise because its fast, dry hot air crisps the surface in a few minutes, while the short cooking time leaves the meat inside juicy. That is why people use it to reheat fried chicken, wings and tenders more than anything else. The important point is to stop as soon as the middle is 165 °F, so the meat does not keep drying.
How to reheat chicken in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Take the chill off Let the chicken sit on the counter for while the air fryer heats. Cold chicken heats unevenly, and the outside dries out before the middle is warm. Do not leave it out longer than .
- Preheat Heat the air fryer to 375 °F for . For unbreaded chicken, such as rotisserie, brush it with the oil first.
- Arrange Place the pieces in a single layer in the basket without touching, skin side up. Cook large bone-in pieces and small pieces in separate batches because they need different times.
- Reheat Cook for at 375 °F, turning once after . Wings and tenders need , and large fried chicken pieces need . Rotisserie chicken and sliced breast do better at 350 °F.
- Check the temperature Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part, away from the bone. Leftover chicken must reach 165 °F. If it is not there yet, add at a time.
Times and temperatures
| Reheat Chicken | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fried chicken, bone-inTurn once | 375 °F (190 °C) | 8–10 min |
| Chicken wings | 375 °F (190 °C) | 5–7 min |
| Chicken tenders or nuggets | 375 °F (190 °C) | 4–6 min |
| Rotisserie chicken piecesBrush with a little oil | 350 °F (180 °C) | 5–7 min |
| Sliced chicken breastSmall amounts only | 350 °F (180 °C) | 3–4 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. Done at 165 °F (74 °C) in the center. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Tips
- Reheat similar pieces together. Wings, tenders and thighs need different times. Group them by size, or add the thicker pieces first.
- Use less heat for lean meat. Chicken breast dries fastest. Use 350 °F and a short time, or slice it and add a spoonful of broth.
- Don't reheat twice. Reheat only what you plan to eat. Chicken that has been warmed once should not be cooled and warmed again.
Reheating by cut
Fried chicken, with its thick coating, needs the full 8–10 minutes and turns crisp again at 375 °F. Wings are smaller, with a lot of skin, and take 5–7 minutes. Tenders and nuggets are quickest, at 4–6 minutes. Rotisserie chicken has no coating, so use 350 °F for 5–7 minutes and brush the skin with a little oil. If you plan to cook any of these fresh instead, see chicken wings, chicken tenders or chicken thighs in the air fryer.
What to serve with reheated chicken
Reheated fried chicken pairs with classic Southern sides, such as coleslaw, mashed potatoes, biscuits, corn on the cob and mac and cheese. Rotisserie chicken goes into salads, wraps and quesadillas, or alongside baked potatoes and green beans for a quick weeknight dinner.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate cooked chicken within 2 hours of cooking in a sealed container, and eat it within 3–4 days. Leftover chicken can also be frozen for 2–3 months, then thawed in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Always bring leftovers to 165 °F in the center. If the chicken was a fresh whole bird, the whole chicken in the air fryer page covers how to cook it from raw.
Variations
- Crisper skin: Brush rotisserie chicken skin with a few drops of oil and reheat at 375 °F so the skin crackles.
- Saucy wings: Reheat the wings plain, then toss them in warm buffalo or BBQ sauce, so the coating stays crisp.
- Chicken sandwich: Reheat a breaded cutlet at 375 °F for 4–5 minutes, then build the sandwich on a toasted bun with pickles and mayo.
If it does not turn out right
- The chicken is dry
- It was reheated too long or too hot. Lower the heat to 350 °F, add a splash of broth on sliced rotisserie meat in a foil packet, or cut the time by a minute.
- The breading is soggy
- Moisture was trapped by overcrowding or a covered container. Spread the pieces apart, preheat and do not brush breaded pieces with oil.
- The edges are crisp but the center is cold
- The pieces were too thick or too cold. Let them warm for 10 minutes, use 350 °F and add 2–3 minutes. Always confirm 165 °F.
Questions and answers
How long do you reheat chicken in the air fryer?
5–8 minutes at 375 °F for most pieces. Wings and tenders take 5–6 minutes, bone-in fried chicken 8–10 minutes and sliced chicken breast 3–4 minutes at 350 °F.
What temperature should reheated chicken reach?
165 °F in the thickest part, per the USDA. This applies to all leftover chicken, no matter how it was cooked first.
Can I reheat fried chicken in the air fryer without drying it out?
Yes. Use 375 °F and check early. Do not add water, and do not cover the chicken, because the coating needs dry heat to re-crisp.
Is it better to reheat chicken in the air fryer or the microwave?
The air fryer, for anything with skin or breading. The microwave steams the coating soft. For sliced, unbreaded chicken, the microwave with a damp paper towel is fine if you are in a hurry.
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