Best Way To Reheat Wings
If you read my blog often, you probably already know that I frequently experiment with new dishes in my kitchen. When we were out to lunch the other day, my good friend Amanda offered me the recipe for her well-known and adored chicken wings.
As soon as we had done eating, I went back home, lighted the stove, and began making her delectable dish.
My boys were just obsessed with the chicken wings, and they wanted me to make them again tomorrow!
So this time, I made a few extra wings just in case. Even though they were delicious, we weren’t able to finish the whole plate – and if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s throwing away good food!
I wasn’t sure how long they could last without going bad, so I put them in the fridge and reheated them the next day. Sadly, they lost quite a bit of taste and texture, so I set off on a quest to make sure that didn’t happen again. I decided to find the best way to reheat them and keep them delicious!
How to Reheat Wings Without Them Losing Their Taste and Color?
1. Oven Reheating
Nobody loves soggy and soft chicken wings. That’s why reheating them in the oven is the most effective way for chicken wings to stay golden and crispy even the next day.
It’s easy, doesn’t take that much time, and the taste is remarkable.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Aluminum foil
- A baking pan
- Oven (I’ve reviewed some of the finest countertop convection ovens recently, check them out)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Take the chicken wings out of the refrigerator and let them sit for 5-10 minutes until they get to room temperature.
- Line the baking pan with aluminum foil
- Place the baking pan with chicken wings into the oven. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the wings receive that crispy golden look, you can take them out of the oven.
- Let them cool off for 5 minutes.
- Serve them and enjoy it!
Pro Tip: You can spray the wings with a small amount of water to prevent them from drying out. Also, it’s essential to check on your chicken wings every few minutes. The speed of reheating also depends on the size of the wings. Smaller pieces tend to reheat faster than bigger ones. So, to prevent them from drying out or coming undone, check on them frequently.
2. Re-frying Them
Another great way to make wings golden crispy is to fry them again. This method is straightforward and takes just a few minutes while guaranteeing great results.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A frying pan
- Oil
Instructions:
- Take the chicken wings out of the refrigerator and let them sit for a few minutes until they reach room temperature.
- Heat the frying pan on the stove at a high temperature
- Add oil to the frying pan.
- Carefully add the wings to the frying pan.
- Fry the wings for 2-3 minutes while turning them over a few times
- Once the wings get that crispy golden look, remove them from the hot oil and place them on the plate.
- Let the wings cool off for a few minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Note: You can use tongs to prevent burns on your hands; Put a few layers of paper towel on the plate before placing wings on it. The paper towel will absorb the excess oil.
Also, See What Is The Perfect Way To Reheat Fried Chicken?
3. Microwave For Fast and Easy Reheating
Using only your microwave to reheat the wings will leave you with dry-out and soggy meat that no one wants to eat. There is a solution for reheating wings in the microwave without losing their crispy golden look and excellent taste.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A microwave-safe plate
- Paper towels
- Microwave
- Baking tray
- Oven
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (an oven thermometer would be a handy gadget here)
- Line the microwave-safe plate with damp paper towels, which will serve to absorb excess moisture and oil
- Put the wings on the microwave-safe plate.
- Put another layer of damp paper towels over the chicken.
- Set the microwave on medium heat
- Place the wings in the microwave and heat them for about 2 minutes until they become slightly warm(no longer than that!)
- Take out the wings from the microwave and put them on the baking tray.
- Put the wings in the oven and set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let them cook for about 1 minute.
- Take them out, flip them over, and place them back in the oven.
- Cook them for one more minute
- Take them out, serve, and enjoy!
4. Deep Frying the Wings to Revive Them
These days, it seems like people are deep frying anything and everything! I’m not a huge fan of that, but even I engage in it from time to time.
I can’t deny that deep-frying is one of the most delicious ways to reheat chicken wings that weren’t deep-fried in the first place, which is good because it’s certainly of the unhealthiest ways!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- One deep frying pan, a large pot, or a deep fryer
- Some cooking oil (sunflower or canola oil is good)
- A pair of tongs
- Some aluminum foil
Instructions:
- Take the chicken wings out of the fridge and let them naturally reach room temperature – dropping them into hot oil while they’re cold will ruin the skin.
- When they’re almost ready, pour the oil into the cookware of your choice (I prefer a pan myself) and start heating it up at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using the tongs, place the chicken wings into the oil – make sure there’s enough oil to cover the chicken wings completely
- Let the wings fry for two to three minutes, turning them over at the halfway point – this will ensure that they’re fried all the way through
- If you want the wings to be a bit crispier, fry them for a longer time but make sure it’s not too long, or the meat will dry out.
- Once you’re satisfied, remove the wings and place them on a plate or a wire rack to drain and cool off for one to two minutes.
- If you have a lot of wings that you need to reheat, cover the dried ones with aluminum foil, so they don’t get cold
- Serve as soon as possible and enjoy
Free tip: If you want the wings to be even more delicious, you can cover them with an additional layer of breading before deep frying them! Dip them in some eggs, then into a bit of flour and/or bread crumbs and deep fry them exactly as described above.
See Also: Most Recommended Air Fryers
5. Throwing Them on the grill
Grilling chicken wings is always a delight, and they always turn out to be delicious – so why not throw them on the grill to reheat them?
Yes, it takes a bit more work than other reheating methods since you need to fire up the grill, but it gives the wings a completely new taste and makes them better than new. Try it out sometimes, and you’ll see what I mean.
In need of a new grill? Take a look at our reviews for the top 5 tailgate grills you can find on the market! You’ll probably find at least one that you’ll love.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A grill
- Aluminum foil (if you want)
Instructions:
- Wrap the wings in aluminum foil – this is optional if you don’t want the skin to be too crispy. Otherwise, you can skip this step.
- Place the chicken wings on the top rack of your grill on low heat for a minute to a minute and a half.
- Turn them over and grill the other side for the same amount of time.
- If you want the skin to be extra crispy, this is the time to turn the heat up to maximum, take the wings out of the foil, and grill them for an additional 20 to 30 seconds.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Extra tip: If you want to make the wings even better, try reheating them while also grilling another type of meat (or some veggies) on the grill, so the flavors mix. That way, you’ll get chicken wings that taste unique! Doing this with sausages is what I like most.
6. Putting Them in a Broiler
Depending on who you ask, broiling chicken wings to reheat them might be the best option available, but for me, it’s just not the same as grilling them – but it is faster.
It’s also a versatile method since you can do it in a regular oven, a toaster oven, or most other types of countertop ovens.
Using a broiler pan for optimal results when broiling is something I recommend.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- An oven with a broiler function
- A baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- A cooling rack
Instructions:
- Position the rack around 10 inches from your oven’s heating element
- Put your oven on high broil and let it preheat for around 15 to 20 minutes.
- Line your baking sheet with some aluminum foil, then spread the chicken wings on it, ensuring they aren’t touching.
- Broil the wings in the baking sheet for around 5 minutes, turning it over at the halfway point
- Take the wings out and place them on the cooling rack, then broil them for another 5 minutes, again turning them over at the halfway point. This will make the meat less greasy while ensuring it stays juicy.
- Take them out and serve as soon as possible.
Pro tip: To make your wings extra juicy, try broiling them in your favorite sauce – you’ll give them a completely new flavor and revitalize them like never before! Also, even if you overcook them a bit, they won’t dry out completely. It’s a nice safety net.
Bonus: How to Reheat Buffalo Wild Wings?
Yes, I know – Buffalo wing leftovers? Does such a thing even exist?
Well, even though it’s unlikely – yes, it is possible, and reheating them to be just as perfect as they were when you got them can be pretty tricky. Luckily, I’ve figured out how to do it (after I failed a few times, but I’ll skip over that).
Here’s how to reheat Buffalo wings and have them taste as good as new.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Some homemade Buffalo sauce
Instructions:
- Before you start doing anything, take your Buffalo wild wings out of the fridge and let them reach room temperature.
- Now, make some homemade Buffalo sauce – don’t worry, it’s easy
- Take 1 cup of any hot sauce, 3/4 cup of butter, 1 3/4 tablespoon of vinegar, and a pinch of garlic powder
- Combine everything in a pot and place it over medium heat – stir it and wait for it to bubble on the sides, then remove it and stir it a bit more
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line the baking pan with aluminum foil
- Place your Buffalo wild wings on it, making sure they don’t touch
- Cover them in your homemade Buffalo sauce, but don’t use too much of it
- Put another sheet of aluminum foil over them
- Place them in the oven
- After 10 minutes pass, remove the top layer of aluminum foil and bake them until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove them, put some more Buffalo sauce over them as needed, and serve as soon as possible.
There you have it – the best method to reheat your Buffalo wild wings and make them taste almost as good as new. At least that’s the most superb method I found – feel free to pop into the comments and tell me if you have a better one – I’m all ears!
What Is The Optimum Time For Reheating Wings Again Before They Go Bad?
Like any other meat, chicken is also very delicate. Once you cook the wings, you can leave them sitting at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours before they start going bad.
There are many bacteria in the air like E. Coli that might get on the chicken if it’s out in the open for too long. Bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments, so it’s better to leave the wings in a dry and colder environment – that way, they might last up to 12 hours.
That’s why it’s better if you put the leftover wings in the refrigerator immediately. Placing them in the fridge will guarantee that they will stay good for about two days.
Further Reading: If Your Chicken Is Looking Suspicious – Learn How To Tell If It’s Steel Good.
In Conclusion
The solution for reheating wings without them losing their taste and color is oven reheating. It gives the wings that crispy golden look and helps them retain their fantastic taste.
The microwave tends to dry out the meat, leaving you with a tasteless mess that’s difficult to chew through. On the other hand, re-frying them in the frying pan can give you that crispy golden look, and it doesn’t take much time.
Still, it can also dry out the meat too much, which is why oven reheating is the best – it lets the meat soak in its own juices, so it stays tasty and savory!
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, as long as it gives you the desired result.
Just remember, if you are not sure how much time has passed since you’ve cooked the wings in the first place and you want to reheat them, it’s better if you throw them away and make new ones.
It’s better to be safe than sorry!
What’s your way of reheating wings? Let me know your opinion in the comment section below! 🙂