Love chicken grilling? Found yourself with plenty of wings leftovers? Then you might be looking for the best way to reheat chicken wings to enjoy this delicacy the second time around. After all, you don’t want to make them soggy or chewy and rubbery, right?
Thus, to ensure that your food stays yummy and delicious as if you just cooked it, it’s useful to understand how to reheat wings. There are several methods, and today we’ll share the most effective and simple ones! Just consider which would be better for you, make sure to follow instructions, and you’ll have your wings juicy and flavorful as they were at first bite!
Why You Might Need To Reheat Chicken Wings?
Smoking chicken is much easier than, let’s say, brisket or ribs. That’s why you may want to smoke it the evening before the party, and then just have fun almost without cooking. Or you may want to freeze chicken wings leftover to have flavorful, delicious meat with no hassle the other day. Whatever the reasons, it’s quite easy to store and reheat chicken wings! So, let’s try it!
How Long Do Cooked Wings Last?
It depends on where and how you’ll store your grilled wings. Here’s what Shelf Life Guide tells us:
- Cooked chicken lasts not more than 2 hours if kept at room temperature.
- Chicken can sit in the fridge for up to 4 days if sealed properly in the airtight container or wrapped tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- Chicken can keep the best quality for up to 4 months in the freezer if stored in the covered airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag or wrapped tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Beyond the mentioned period, the taste will degrade the chicken yet will be safe to consume.
How Do You Know If Wings Haven’t Gone Bad?
Before reheating the wings, you should check them! Bad ribs have a slimy texture and sour smell. If you notice these symptoms, do not even taste the wings; throw them away immediately! It’s clichéd but true: “When in doubt, throw it out!”
Ways To Reheat Wings
When you need to reheat brisket, ribs, beef, or other types of meat, you should know the right reheating methods and unique tricks for each type. This way, you’ll make sure the meat remains juicy and delicious.
So, how to reheat wings properly? Let’s find out!
How To Reheat Wings In Microwave
Microwaving may not give you perfect results, but if you’re in a hurry, it’s the best way to reheat wings!
- Remove the wings from the fridge and let them sit for a few minutes.
- Put a paper towel on the microwave-safe plate; it’ll absorb excess moisture.
- Put the wings on top and cover them with a damp paper towel.
- Alternatively, sprinkle a few drops of water on the wings and cover them with a microwave-safe lid.
- Warm them up in 30-second bursts; don’t overheat, or the wings will dry out.
How To Reheat Wings In Oven
Reheating wings in oven is one of the best methods if you want them to be nice and crispy. Besides, an oven is a perfect way to reheat buffalo wings. So, here are steps to follow:
- Take the wings out of the fridge and let them reach room temperature.
- Set the oven to preheat to 350˚F.
- Sprinkle a baking sheet with cooking spray
- Place the wings on the baking sheet; make sure you give some space between them.
- Cook the wings for about 6 min, then flip them over and let them sit for another 6 min.
When you reheat chicken in the oven, you can be sure it’ll maintain its original flavor and texture. On the other hand, this method takes longer than the others.
How To Reheat Wings Using Microwave And Oven
How to heat up chicken wings with the oven result but much quicker? Here’s a good method:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Cook the wings like in the microwave method above, but make them just slightly warm.
- Put warm wings into the preheated oven.
- Heat them up for a minute, then flip and put them back for another minute.
How To Reheat Wings In Frying Pan
This method is not the easiest and requires you to stay close by, but it delivers incredible results – tender yet crispy wings.
- Remove the wings from the fridge, let them come to room temperature (10-15min.).
- Add a tbsp oil to the frying pan and warm it over medium-low heat.
- Put the wings in the frying pan, move and flip them occasionally, heat them for 5-10 minutes. If you cover the pan in between flips, the wings will get extra tender.
- Add some sauce at the end and toss the wings around to heat the sauce.
How To Reheat Wings In Air Fryer
If you need an easy, set-and-forget method, then reheat your wings in the air fryer.
- Set the air fryer to 350°F.
- Put the wings in the basket.
- Be sure not to overcrowd, or the wings won’t heat evenly.
- Warm them up for about 10min. until they are hot and crispy.
Useful Tips For Reheating Wings Right
- Make sure to store cooked wings properly, as we described above. When you leave the meat out or store it improperly, there is a risk that the bacteria will accumulate to unsafe levels.
- When you reheat any meat leftover, its internal temperature must reach 165° F (74° C); check it with your meat thermometer.
- It’s best to reheat chicken wings only once, but it is safe to warm them up several times for as long as they are stored and reheated properly.
- Remember that the quality of the wings will degrade every time you reheat them.
- Defrost and reheat only the amount of wings that you need.
Conclusion
How to reheat wings? Hopefully, you’ve found the answer here! All methods we’ve touched on above work great, so just pick the most suitable for you, and you will have some delicious food to try in no time!
So which reheating wings method do you like the most?