Reheating Leftovers: Air Fryer's Got Your Back

Air fryers are a great way to reheat your leftovers. They're especially good for crispy foods like pizza, chicken wings, and french fries, which can be revived to their former glory in just a few minutes. You can also use an air fryer to reheat chicken, steak, burgers, vegetables, and more. However, it's not ideal for reheating soups, stews, or dishes with creamy or cheesy sauces.

Reheating pizza in an air fryer

Yes, you can reheat leftovers in an air fryer! It's a great way to make them crispy again without the sogginess of microwave heating. Here's how you can reheat pizza in an air fryer:

First, preheat your air fryer. Different sources recommend preheating temperatures ranging from 325 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the majority of sources suggest preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Next, place your pizza slices in the air fryer basket or oven-style air fryer. Ensure that the slices are in a single layer and do not overlap. You can cook multiple slices at once, but avoid overcrowding the basket. If you're using an oven-style air fryer, you can place the slices on a baking tray, but make sure there's space between them.

Now, it's time to cook your pizza! The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your crust and the amount of toppings. For a thin crust, cook at up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 minutes. For a thicker crust, you may need to cook for an additional minute or two. As a general guideline, thinner crusts may take 3-4 minutes, while thicker crusts may need 5-6 minutes. It's important to keep an eye on your pizza to ensure it doesn't burn.

Finally, carefully remove the pizza from the air fryer using tongs to avoid burning your fingers. Enjoy your freshly reheated pizza!

Some additional tips:

• If you want extra crispy slices, you can spray them with a little olive oil before cooking.
• If you're concerned about cheese dripping into the basket, you can use aluminum foil or perforated parchment paper. If using foil, cut holes in it to allow for proper air circulation.
• Avoid storing reheated pizza. Instead, store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating chicken in an air fryer

Preparation

If your chicken is in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to remove some of the chill. This helps the chicken reheat more evenly.

Preheating the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F-360°F (175°C-182°C). Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Preparing the Chicken

Brush the chicken with a thin layer of olive oil or avocado oil. You can also add a little extra seasoning if desired.

Place the chicken pieces in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, ensuring enough space between them for optimal airflow. Avoid overcrowding the basket, as this can prevent proper air circulation and result in uneven reheating.

Reheating

Load the basket into the air fryer and reheat for 4-6 minutes initially. After this, turn the chicken pieces carefully with tongs and reheat for another 2-5 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Larger chicken pieces will take longer to reheat.

Checking for Doneness

Monitor the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer. It should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure it is thoroughly reheated and safe to eat, according to USDA guidelines.

Optional Crisping Step

If you prefer your chicken to be crispier, you can increase the temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the last minute of cooking time. However, be careful not to overcook the chicken.

Tips for Maintaining Crispiness

• Preheat the air fryer to create an ideal environment for crispiness.
• Avoid overcrowding the basket to ensure even air circulation.
• Lightly coat the chicken with oil to enhance crispiness.
• Monitor cooking time closely to prevent overcooking.
• If the chicken seems dry during reheating, add a small amount of liquid or sauce to the air fryer basket to retain moisture.
• Allow the reheated chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving to redistribute the juices.

Safety Precautions

• Always use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches the recommended internal temperature.
• Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw chicken separate from cooked chicken. Wash your hands, utensils, and countertops thoroughly after handling raw chicken.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly. If you have leftover reheated chicken, refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking.
• Avoid reheating leftovers multiple times, as this increases the risk of bacterial contamination.

Serving Suggestions

Reheated chicken is versatile and can be used in various dishes. Here are some ideas:

• Salads: Shred or dice the chicken and use it as a topping for a warm or room-temperature salad.
• Tacos: Wrap the chicken in a tortilla with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and your favourite sauces.
• Pasta: Slice or shred the chicken and toss it with cooked pasta, olive oil, and garlic.
• Sandwiches and wraps: Layer the chicken between slices of bread or in a wrap with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and condiments.
• Stir-fry: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir-fry with vegetables and your choice of seasoning.
• Soup or stew: Add the chicken to a pot of broth along with vegetables, noodles, and herbs.
• Quesadillas: Use the chicken as a filling for quesadillas, along with cheese, onions, peppers, and spices.
• Pizza: Top a pizza crust with marinara sauce, cheese, and slices of chicken, along with your favourite toppings.
• Fried rice: Chop the chicken into small pieces and stir-fry it with cooked rice, vegetables, eggs, and soy sauce.

Reheating steak in an air fryer

Yes, you can reheat steak in an air fryer! Here's a step-by-step guide:

Preparation:

Before you start, remove your steak from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for around 15-30 minutes. This will allow the meat to cook more evenly, preventing it from drying out.

Reheating:

• If desired, lightly spray or brush the steak with olive oil. This helps the steak reheat quickly and stay juicy, but it is optional. You can also add steak seasoning if you wish.
• Preheat your air fryer to a temperature of around 350°F/180°C.
• Place the steak in the air fryer basket. If you are reheating multiple steaks, arrange them in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap or touch.
• Reheat the steak for 2-3 minutes at 350°F/180°C. If your steak is not warm enough, you can add another 2-3 minutes at a slightly lower temperature of around 320°F.
• Check the internal temperature of the steak. It should reach at least 110°F/43°C in the centre of the thickest part.
• Remove the steak from the air fryer and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Tips:

• If you are reheating multiple batches of steak, cook them in batches, grouping steaks of similar thickness together. Thickness is the main factor affecting reheating time, so this will help ensure they all cook evenly.
• You can reheat any type of steak, but rare or medium-rare steaks tend to yield the best results, as they have more time to warm through without overcooking.
• If your steak feels a little dry, you can lightly coat it with a thin layer of olive oil or another oil of your choice before reheating. Alternatively, place a small pat of butter on top of the steak, so it melts as the heat rises, coating the meat and preventing dehydration.
• For added moisture protection, you can wrap the steak in tinfoil before placing it in the air fryer. This creates a physical barrier, preventing moisture loss and over-evaporation. It also helps the meat heat up more gradually, reducing the risk of overcooking.

Serving:

Serve your steak with garlic butter or your favourite steak sauce. For sides, consider baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or green beans. If you're reheating bite-sized pieces of steak, you can serve them over a salad, in a bun, or as a kabob with vegetables.

Reheating French fries in an air fryer

Yes, you can reheat French fries in an air fryer! In fact, it's one of the best ways to reheat fries, as it will make them crispy and fresh again without drying them out.

To reheat your French fries in an air fryer, first preheat the air fryer to a temperature of between 350°F and 400°F (or 175°C and 200°C). Place the fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. You can add a tiny bit of oil or spritz them with cooking spray to help them get crispy again, but this is optional.

Reheat the fries for 3 to 6 minutes, shaking them around once halfway through, until they are heated through and have reached your desired level of crispiness. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce!

Note that if you have a lot of leftover fries, you may need to work in batches, as air fryers tend to be small.

Reheating a burger in an air fryer

Step 1: Prepare the Burger

First, remove the burger from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If your burger has toppings like lettuce and tomato, remove them and set them aside—you can always add them back on later.

Step 2: Prepare the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. You want the air fryer to be nice and hot before adding the burger.

Step 3: Reheat the Burger

Place the burger in the air fryer basket or on a tray in a single layer. If you're reheating a cheeseburger, make sure the cheese is on the top side of the patty for maximum melting. Reheat for 2-3 minutes, or until the burger is heated through. You can use a digital meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the burger reaches 160°F.

Step 4: Serve

And that's it! You can serve your burger with a side of crispy, air-fried fries, tater tots, onion rings, or mozzarella sticks. Don't forget to add your favourite toppings and condiments, such as lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, mayo, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, or barbecue sauce.

Tips

• If you're reheating a fast-food burger, you may want to remove any toppings like lettuce and tomato before reheating, as they will get slightly cooked.
• If you're reheating multiple burgers, warm them up one at a time to maintain proper airflow.
• If you find any cold spots in your burger, pop it back into the air fryer for an additional minute or two.
• You can reheat the burger with or without the bun. Heating the bun will give it a light and crispy flavour.
• All air fryers cook a little differently, so you may need to adjust the cooking time depending on your specific model.

Frequently asked questions