Air Fryer: Reheating Food, Is It Possible?

Air fryers are a great alternative to microwaves and ovens when it comes to reheating food. They can be used to reheat almost any type of food, including pizza, chicken, vegetables, burgers, and fries. The air fryer's hot air circulation ensures that food becomes crispy, without drying it out. However, it is not suitable for reheating certain foods such as soups, stews, leafy greens, large cuts of meat, and creamy or cheesy sauces.

Reheating pizza in an air fryer

Yes, an air fryer can be used to reheat food, including pizza.

First, it is important to note that the microwave is not your friend when it comes to reheating pizza. Microwaving will result in an unevenly heated pizza with a rubbery, stiff crust.

The air fryer, on the other hand, is a mini convection oven that can quickly reheat your pizza to its former glory.

• Preheat your air fryer to 350-375°F. Some sources suggest 325°F, especially for thinner crusts.
• Place your pizza slices flat in the middle of the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Make sure they do not overlap. Thicker crusts may need a little more time to warm up, so consider giving them an extra minute or two.
• For thin-crust pizza, you can increase the temperature to up to 400°F, but reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes.
• For deep-dish pizzas, lower the temperature to 330°F and cook for about 6 minutes to ensure the cheese doesn't burn.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes. Check your pizza after 1 minute to ensure it's not burning, and then regularly after that for optimal results. The amount of time needed will depend on the thickness of the pizza and the amount of toppings.
• If you notice the crust starting to brown, turn the heat down by 25-30°F.
• Once your pizza is warmed to your liking, carefully remove it from the air fryer and enjoy!

Tips:

• Preheating the air fryer is important for getting a nice, quick reheat and a crispy crust.
• Use parchment paper or a silicone liner for easy cleanup.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket or tray. The number of slices you can add will depend on the size of your air fryer.
• For extra crispy slices, spray them with a little olive oil or avocado oil before cooking.
• Be cautious with pizza preset buttons, as these are often calibrated for cooking frozen pizzas, so the temperature and time may be too high and long for reheating.
• Do not store reheated pizza. Instead, store your cooled leftover pizza slices in an airtight container.

Reheating chicken in an air fryer

Yes, you can use an air fryer to heat up food, including chicken. Here is a step-by-step guide to reheating chicken in an air fryer:

Preparation

Before you start, ensure your chicken has been cooked and cooled properly. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°Fahrenheit (74°Celsius) before eating or reheating. If you're planning to store leftover chicken, let it come down to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator.

• Preheat your air fryer: Set the temperature to between 350°F and 400°F (175°C to 204°C) and heat it up for a few minutes.
• Prepare the chicken: Brush the chicken pieces with a thin layer of olive oil or avocado oil. You can also add a little extra seasoning at this point if you wish.
• Place the chicken in the air fryer basket: Arrange the chicken in a single layer, ensuring there is enough space between each piece for optimal airflow. If you are reheating larger pieces, you may need to do this in batches.
• Reheat: Place the basket in the air fryer and reheat for 5-6 minutes initially.
• Turn the pieces: After the first heating phase, carefully turn the chicken pieces with tongs to ensure even cooking.
• Continue reheating: Return the basket to the air fryer and continue reheating for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly warmed through.
• Check for doneness: Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Tips for Maintaining Crispiness

• Preheat the air fryer: Preheating creates an ideal environment for crispiness.
• Avoid overcrowding: Place the chicken in a single layer to ensure even airflow.
• Use a light coating of oil: Coating the chicken lightly with oil can help restore crispiness.
• Monitor cooking time: Keep a close eye on the chicken to prevent overcooking.
• Add moisture if needed: If the chicken seems dry during reheating, you can add a small amount of liquid or sauce to the air fryer basket.
• Let it rest: Allow the reheated chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Safety Precautions

• Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to reheat it safely and prevent food poisoning.
• Avoid reheating chicken multiple times to mitigate the risk of contamination.
• Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature and ensure the chicken is thoroughly reheated.
• Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw chicken separate from cooked chicken. Wash your hands, utensils, and countertops thoroughly after handling raw chicken.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and store in shallow containers to allow for rapid cooling.

What to Serve with Reheated Chicken

Reheated chicken is versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. Try it in sandwiches, wraps, salads, tacos, pasta dishes, stir-fries, soups, stews, quesadillas, or on pizza.

Final Thoughts

Using an air fryer to reheat chicken is a quick, effective, and low-mess method that helps retain moisture and juiciness while warming it through. It is also a great way to restore crispiness to the chicken's outer texture.

Reheating steak in an air fryer

Air fryers can be used to reheat food, and they are particularly good for this because they stop food from drying out. They are also quick and convenient, taking only a few minutes to reheat food.

You can reheat any type of steak in an air fryer, but rare or medium-rare steak will give you the best results.

Preparation

Firstly, remove the steak from the refrigerator and pat it dry. It is best to get it out of the fridge around 20 minutes before reheating so it can start to come up to room temperature.

Cooking

• Preheat the air fryer to 380°F/190°C for 2-3 minutes.
• Place the steak in the air fryer basket. If you are reheating more than one steak, place them in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching so that the hot air can reach all sides of the steak.
• Reheat at 380°F/190°C for 2-3-minute intervals. After each interval, check the internal temperature, flip the steak, and continue reheating until the steak reaches at least 110°F/43°C in the centre of the thickest part.
• Top with garlic butter or your favourite steak sauce and serve.

Tips

• Oil is optional, but a quick spray or a light brush of oil will help get the best results when reheating steak in an air fryer.
• If you are reheating more than one batch of steaks, cook steaks of similar thickness together. Thickness is the main factor that affects how long steaks take to reheat.
• It is not recommended to reheat steak more than once, so only reheat what you are going to eat at one time.
• If you have just leftover chunks rather than a full steak, a good guide is 4 minutes on each side.

Reheating French fries in an air fryer

An air fryer can be used to reheat food. It is a great way to make leftovers crispy again without making them soggy.

Preparation

Before placing the French fries in the air fryer, you can spray the basket with a non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer at 350-400°F (175-204°C) for 4 to 5 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the preheating step.

Reheating

Place the French fries in the basket in a single layer. Make sure they are not crowded and that there is space for hot air to circulate. You can add a tiny bit of oil or spritz the fries with cooking spray to avoid drying them out.

Reheat for 3 to 6 minutes at 350-390°F (175-200°C), shaking them around once halfway through. The exact cooking time will depend on the quantity of fries and your air fryer model. Check if the fries are heated through and cook for longer if needed.

Tips

• You can use any type of French fry, from steak fries to sweet potato fries.
• Add seasonings before cooking to ensure they stick to the fries.
• Do not fill the air fryer basket all the way up.
• Adjust the cook time depending on the amount of fries you are reheating.
• For thicker fries, you may need to increase the cook time.

Reheating a burger in an air fryer

Yes, you can reheat a burger in an air fryer. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Unwrap your leftover burger and put the packaging, salad garnish, and burger bun to one side.
• If the burger comes in foil, you can reheat it in the foil to save on washing up and avoid a dirty air fryer.
• Place the burgers in the air fryer.
• Reheat for around 10 minutes at 160°C/320°F.
• If you want to add a layer of melted cheese, add a slice of cheese halfway through the cooking time.
• Serve your burger with the salad items, burger bun, and any extra sauces.

Note that the cooking time may vary depending on the size of your burgers and whether your air fryer is preheated. For example, if you are reheating multiple burgers, your air fryer may already be preheated, reducing the cooking time.

If you are reheating a double cheeseburger, separate the two burgers before placing them in the air fryer. Otherwise, the top burger will be overheated, and the other will be underheated.

If you are reheating a burger with bacon, you can place the bacon in the air fryer to reheat at the same time as the burger patty and cheese.

Frequently asked questions