Chicken cutlets are very popular between adults and children. They’re easy to make and taste divine, so they should never go to waste.
Can reheat chicken tenders and make them taste as good as they are fresh, as long as you follow the advice that we are going to explain below.
What is the best way to reheat chicken tenders? The air fryer is the best way to reheat chicken strips, as it keeps the crust crisp. Also you can use the oven or microwave If you are in a hurry.
The Best Ways to Reheat Chicken Strips
Chicken strips are made from a special meat attached to a muscle of the chicken breast. The meat is battered or breaded for frying. They taste absolutely heavenly when freshly cooked. But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them the next day or as a late-night snack.
As with many other fried foods, reheating chicken tenders can be challenging due to the breading, which can easily become soggy or fall apart. For the best results, it all starts with proper storage of chicken fillets. Before frying, no-cook breaded chicken claws can last up to 4 months in the freezer.
If you’ve made too many chicken tenders or have store-bought tenders that you couldn’t finish with last night’s dinner, properly storing leftovers is critical if you want to reheat them later.
In the refrigerator, chicken fillets can last up to 4 days, as the cold temperature slows down the bacteria growth. However, if you don’t plan to eat them within that time, it’s best to put them in the freezer, where they will last for about 3 months.
Storing chicken tenders while they are hot is not a good idea. Condensation from hot chicken tenders will create too much moisture that will ruin your favorite dish.
If you store leftover chicken tenders in the freezer, transfer them to the refrigerator before reheating. Leaving them in the fridge overnight will suffice, or you can activate the defrost option on your microwave.
Now that your chicken skewers are ready, it’s time to figure out the best way to reheat chicken skewers.
How to reheat chicken tenders in the air fryer
Reheating chicken tenders in the air fryer is one of the best methods, because the results make you enjoy tasty chicken leftovers that taste like new.
The trick is that the hot air from the air fryer heats up the fried chicken on all sides without leaving any cold spots. At the same time, it removes all the moisture, so the chicken doesn’t get soggy.
You should add a little oil when reheating the chicken strips, because it keeps the crust crisp. It’s also a better dietary option than using a deep fryer that adds too much fat to your precooked food.
For best results, you need to leave enough space between the chicken pieces when placing them in the basket to ensure they heat evenly. You also have to turn the pieces the other way to make sure they are hot and done.
Here are the steps to reheat chicken tenders in the air fryer:
- Take the chicken tenders out of the fridge or freezer. Make sure they are at room temperature.
- Use paper towels to absorb moisture.
- Place the chicken pieces in the basket leaving enough space between them.
- Brush the pieces with a little vegetable oil.
- Put the air fryer on medium heat or 350°F for 5 minutes.
- Check the chicken pieces and flip them the other side.
- Turn on the fryer for another 5 minutes.
- Remove them with tongs and serve hot.
Do not overfill the air fryer basket with too many chicken pieces or it will affect the final result. If there isn’t room for the hot air to circulate effectively, reheating the chicken tenders in the air fryer will take longer.
Don’t be discouraged by adding oil. The best thing about using an air fryer is that it delivers the results of deep frying with just a little bit of oil. The oil also prevents the chicken pieces from sticking together.
How to reheat chicken tenders in the oven
Don’t have an air fryer? No problem!
The hot air from the oven does the trick when you reheat the chicken tenders. It forces moisture out of the fried chicken, so your reheated chicken pieces won’t be soggy or chewy.
However, this process requires a bit of time. Unlike air frying, heating fried chicken in the oven requires more time to ensure that all the chicken pieces have reached the desired temperature.
This timing is crucial, because nothing tastes worse than chicken strips that are hot on the outside and still cold on the inside.
For best results, it is highly recommended to allow the chicken strips to cool down after taking them out of the fridge. If they haven’t reached room temperature, there is a risk that the chicken strips won’t get all the way through.
Here are the steps to reheat chicken tenders in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet or in an ovenproof dish.
- Brush a little oil on both sides before putting them in the oven.
- Let the pieces heat up for about 15 minutes.
- Once they’ve heated up, flip them over to the other side.
- Increase the temperature to 450°F.
- Reheat them for another 10 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and serve them hot.
As you can see, compared to air frying, it takes almost twice as long to reheat fried chicken tenders in the oven. However, if this is the only option, you have to do it right.
Preheating the oven before heating the chicken ensures that it will fill with hot air, which will circulate to increase the temperature of the evenly cooked chicken. A convection oven works best because it uses a fan to improve air circulation.
You can do without the oil if you think the chicken is too oily. However, adding just a little oil ensures the crunchiness of your leftover chicken strips.
Although this process requires some patience, it’s incredibly easy and will work if you have a little spare time before dinner.
How to reheat chicken strips in the microwave
Stuck at the office and craving those delicious leftover chicken strips? If you don’t have access to an air fryer or oven, your microwave will do the trick for effective reheating of chicken fingers.
The good thing is that microwaves already come with a reheat option that produces enough heat power to warm food without overcooking it.
Also, there is a defrost option that you can use ahead of time if you have frozen chicken fingers. This means you don’t have to defrost your precooked chicken fingers in the fridge overnight.
However, the microwave should be your last option. Depending on how a microwave works, it can easily make fried foods soggy and unpleasant to taste, which is the exact opposite of what you want for your lunch.
So you should be careful when using this method. The safest way to reheat breaded food with a microwave would be to use an inverted microwave, because it uses advanced technology to make sure you get the best out of the reheating process.
Here are the steps to reheat chicken tenders in the microwave:
- Place the chicken tenders on a microwave-safe plate.
- Program the microwave to reheat. If you don’t have this option, choose a low heat setting.
- Follow the recommended time for the reheat option or set the time to 5 minutes.
As you can see, there is nothing easier or faster. The results are good, especially when there is no other option. Also, you don’t have to add any oil.
Can chicken tenders be reheated?
Definitely. And the good news is that there are multiple satisfying ways that allow you to enjoy your tasty chicken fingers a few days or even months later.
The air fryer delivers exceptional results, especially since this is how chicken strips are cooked in the first place. Frying them would also work, but this means you’ll be using too much oil, and your chicken tenders can turn out to be greasy.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can use your old oven. The hot air from the oven is used to heat the chicken fillets without drying them out. At the same time, it keeps the crust crispy and flavorful.
Don’t have a deep fryer or oven? No problem. Your microwave will work just fine, especially if it has a reheat option made specifically for reheating leftover chicken.
In fact, you can also save time by turning on the defrost option, which defrosts chicken tenders before reheating. Enjoying reheated chicken tenders has never been easier.
Whatever your choice, don’t let your chicken skewers go to waste. You just have to come with a big appetite and follow our step-by-step guide.