The Simple Fix For Reheating Chicken Wings Without Drying Them Out

Chicken is hard enough to cook the first time, so it makes sense that some may struggle with reheating it. If you have some leftover wings after that Sunday night football party, you may be wondering how to reheat them properly. You want to make sure that you don't end up drying them out. Otherwise, those juicy tender morsels of meat will turn into the consistency of the underside of a shoe. Fortunately, if your oven keeps drying out your leftover chicken wings, then there's an easy fix. 

What you need to do is introduce moisture to those chicken wings. When reheating them for a post-game snack, consider spraying down your chicken with either water or chicken broth. You don't have to bathe your chicken in a pool of water, but adding moisture will prevent your chicken from drying out. Just get a food-safe spray bottle, fill it with water, and blast each chicken wing a couple of times. Not only will it make your chicken moist, but it can also make it extra crispy. The moisture will evaporate on the outside of the crust. When reheating chicken wings or reheating fried chicken in general, consider incorporating these other easy-to-follow recommendations.

When reheating chicken wings, you will want to set the oven around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It should take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to reheat the wings depending on how many you have. A general rule of thumb is that the fewer wings you are reheating, the less time it will take. You should also take into account if the wings were at room temperature or just came from the fridge. Allowing them to come to room temperature before reheating will have better results. For food safety reasons, you should still reheat your wings until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the oven may take longer, you should avoid throwing your chicken wings in the microwave. Microwaves change a chicken's texture, resulting in a tougher piece of meat as a result. You can also toss your chicken in an air fryer for similar results as an oven but quicker. Just be sure to spray them with water for the same reasons — to ensure enough moisture and get the crispy exterior back.

What can you do if you've already ruined your leftover wings by drying them out? While you may be tempted to toss them in the trash and start over, you can repurpose the dried out chicken for other dishes — waste not, want not. The best thing to do with overly-done chicken is to shred it and rehydrate it. While chicken wings don't have as much meat as say a chicken breast, if there is enough to pull off the bone, you can use it in another recipe. If you're working with breaded chicken wings, you may want to remove the breading and discard it.

The dry shredded chicken can be used in a delectable soup, where the broth will bring it back to life. Combine with chicken broth and vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots for a comforting rainy day special. By the same measure, your shredded chicken can be used in combination with peppers, onions, and cheesy sauce for a chicken casserole. Or, consider tossing your chicken with some penne noodles and some alfredo sauce.