Learn how to reheat leftover fried chicken drumsticks, wings, breasts and thighs to keep the skin crispy.
Freshly servedfried chickencan be a religious experience, but eating reheated leftovers?
We’ve all experienced biting into a crispy crust only to be met with totally dried-out meat.
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Or, the opposite scenariowe’ve settled for a soggy exterior for fear of dehydrating the inside.
Is reheated fried chicken always a compromise?
We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be!
Is It Safe to Reheat Fried Chicken?
Preheat the oven to 400F, and place room-temperature leftovers on a wire rack set on a baking sheet.
The wire rack helps hot air circulate to crisp up the underside of the chicken.
If you don’t have a rack, a foil-lined baking sheet will do.
The exact bake time will depend on the size of each piece.
Let the chicken cool for a few minutes before digging in.
Fill a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet with about 2 inches of a neutral oil, like canola.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 300F.
Carefully place a few pieces of room-temperature chicken into the oil.
ensure not to overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature of the oil.
Cook until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Set the chicken on a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before eating.
Unlike the stovetop method, an air fryer doesn’t require any extra oil.
Preheat the air fryer to 375F.
Place a single layer of room-temperature fried chicken in the basket.
Air-fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side.
Preheat the toaster oven to 400F.
Line the toaster oven’s tray with foil.
Cook room-temperature leftovers for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through to double-check all sides get crisp.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in the Microwave
We recommend avoiding the microwave if possible.
Microwaves reheat food unevenly and bring moisture to the surface.
In the case of fried chicken, this makes it almost impossible to bring the crisp factor back.
However, we totally get it if a microwave is the only or best option available to you.
Microwave in 30-second intervals, flipping each time until the chicken has warmed up.
The paper towel will help absorb some of the moisture that rises to the surface.
They said, “The No.
1 rule about frozen chicken: Don’t defrost it before heating.
The chicken will release moisture as it thaws and thus degrade the breading.”
Instead, they recommend two different methods.
This allows the chicken to reheat and defrost as quickly and safely as possible.
The second method skips the microwave and uses just an oven.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Place the leftovers on a foil-lined baking sheet and cover with more foil.
This will help the chicken defrost evenly and prevent any skin from burning.
Now that you know how to reheat fried chicken, it’s time to find the perfect recipe.
