Easy Method: Reheat Boneless Wings In Air Fryer

Want crispy outside and tender inside reheated boneless wings? An air fryer helps, but knowing the right method is key.

How do you reheat boneless chicken wings in an air fryer?

If you want to reheat boneless chicken wings in an air fryer, in my experience, temperature and time are crucial. Doing it this way can make the outer skin regain its crispness while keeping the inside moist, without the dry and tough texture.

First, preheat the air fryer to about 175 degrees for two or three minutes. If the chicken wings are taken out of the refrigerator, you can lightly spray a bit of oil on the surface to prevent too much moisture loss during heating.

When putting the wings into the air fryer basket, remember not to stack them. Try to spread them out in a single layer and leave some space for the hot air to circulate.

Generally, four to five minutes of heating is sufficient. Pull out the basket halfway and turn the wings over once. If the chicken wings originally come with sauce, such as Korean spicy sauce or honey garlic flavor, it's best to wrap them loosely with aluminum foil to avoid burning the sauce.

After the set time, cut one wing first to check if the inside is thoroughly heated. If not, add one or two more minutes. I've tried this method many times, and the result is much better than reheating in the microwave.

Should I bring refrigerated boneless wings to room temperature first?

There's no need to let the refrigerated boneless wings come to room temperature first. It's better to heat them directly. Putting the chicken wings taken out of the refrigerator directly into the air fryer can avoid the bacterial risks caused by long-term placement at room temperature. Also, the outer layer is less likely to overheat and become hard.

My common method:

After taking the chicken wings out of the refrigerator, first use kitchen paper to absorb the excess moisture on the surface (to prevent too much moisture in the air fryer from affecting the crispness).

When laying them flat, leave a little space between each piece and lightly brush or spray a layer of oil on the surface.

Set the temperature to 370°F (about 188°C). First, heat for 2 minutes, then turn them over and heat for another 2 - 3 minutes.

If the chicken wings are particularly thick or coated with a thick sauce, I will heat them for an additional 1 minute and turn them over once more in the middle. I've tried pre-warming them for half an hour before heating, but the result was that the outer layer was more likely to burn, and the internal temperature didn't rise evenly enough.

Should I flip boneless wings while reheating?

Flipping is indeed very important. It can make the boneless chicken wings heat more evenly and keep the outer skin crispy. The hot air in the air fryer blows from above. If you don't flip the wings, the bottom is likely to become soft and stick to the frying basket.

My experiential suggestions:

Flip the wings once when the heating is halfway through (for example, if the total heating time is 5 minutes, flip them at 2 - 3 minutes).

It is recommended to use high-temperature-resistant silicone tongs. They won't scratch the surface of the chicken wings and can also protect the coating of the air fryer.

Be especially careful when flipping chicken wings coated with sauce to avoid having the sauce stick to the frying basket.

If you heat the wings directly without flipping, it often happens that the bottom becomes soft and the top becomes overly charred. Flipping at the right time can restore the wings to the texture they had when they were just fried, and the edges will have an appealing charred aroma.

How to keep boneless wings crispy when reheating?

The key to keeping the boneless chicken wings crispy after reheating lies in the following steps:

Preparation before heating:

After taking them out of the refrigerator, carefully dry the surface moisture with kitchen paper, especially the parts with a crispy coating. For plain chicken wings, you can gently spray a layer of olive oil to make up for the moisture loss.

Adjusting the temperature in stages is very important:

First, heat at a low temperature of 150 degrees for 2 minutes to allow the inside to warm up evenly.

Then increase the temperature to 180 degrees and continue heating for 3 minutes.

Finally, turn up the temperature to 200 degrees for the last 30 seconds to help form a crispy crust on the surface.

If you notice that the crispy coating is loose when flipping the wings, you can add some oil appropriately.

Handling after taking them out of the air fryer:

While the wings are still hot, place them on a wire rack instead of stacking them on a plate. For the sauced version, it is recommended to heat the chicken wings first and then add the sauce at the end. This way, the crispness can last a bit longer.

What precautions should I take when reheating sauced boneless wings?

Focus on dealing with the sauce:

After taking out the refrigerated chicken wings, gently scrape off the clumped sauce on the outer layer with a fork, leaving only a thin layer. Sauces that are particularly sweet (such as honey barbecue sauce) are prone to caramelization. In this case, I would brush a tiny amount of cooking oil on the surface to isolate it.

Heating in stages is safer:

Preheat the air fryer to 360°F (about 182°C), which is 10°F lower than normal reheating temperature.

Line the air fryer basket with high-temperature-resistant baking paper. Place the chicken wings with gaps between them and heat for 2 minutes first.

Quickly turn them over and then heat for another 1.5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 seconds to allow the residual heat to penetrate.

If you find that the sauce has dried up after heating, take the wings out and quickly brush on a new layer of sauce. It is not recommended to use high heat for chicken wings coated with wet sauce, as this may result in a dry outer layer and an undercooked inner part. Remember to poke a few small holes in the baking paper in the air fryer basket to ensure that hot air can flow at the bottom as well.

How many boneless wings can I reheat at once?

Taking a common 3.5-liter air fryer as an example, it is usually best not to reheat more than 8 boneless chicken wings at once.

If the chicken wings are relatively large (for example, each one is about the size of a ping-pong ball), it is recommended to reduce the number to 6. For smaller ones (about the size of a quail egg), you can put up to 10. If you notice that the upper layer is heating faster than the lower layer during heating, place the larger chicken wings on the outer edge of the air fryer basket and the smaller ones in the middle.

In case you have to reheat a large quantity, it is better to do it in two batches. Take out the first batch after reheating it to 70% cooked. After the second batch is done, put all of them back in the air fryer for an additional 1 minute. Although it's a bit more trouble, it's better than having uneven heating caused by overfilling at one time. When testing, you can line the bottom with corn kernels to absorb moisture, which can indirectly enhance the crispness