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Chicken legs reheating in an air fryer basket.
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5 from 4 votes

How to Reheat Chicken Legs in an Air Fryer

The air fryer is my favorite way to reheat Chicken Legs! Ready in 10 minutes, the skins crisps back up perfectly leaving the meat super juicy and moist. This method covers anything from air fryer chicken leg quarters and drumsticks to cold fried chicken from your favorite finger-licking good fast-food restaurant!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time12 minutes
Course: Air Fryer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken drumsticks, chicken legs, easy, quick, reheat chicken, reheat legs
Servings: 4 -6 Chicken Legs
Calories: 475kcal

Ingredients

  • 4-6 leftover chicken legs with dry rub or crispy fried
  • Parsley to garnish optional

Instructions

  • Take the chicken legs out of the fridge: You can skip this step, however (if you forget to take them out), and reheat them straight from the fridge but it may take a little longer.
  • Preheat your air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F, and set the timer to 20 minutes.
  • Heat the chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the air fryer basket in a single layer and heat them for 10 minutes.
    Chicken legs in an air fryer basket.
  • Check the temperature: After 10 minutes, check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. The best way to do this is by sticking the thermometer into the thickest chicken part. If it reads at least 71 degrees Celcius/160 degrees Fahrenheit, it is good to go! If you don't have a meat thermometer, just check that the inside of the thickest part of the chicken feels nice and hot.
    Thermometer reading 165°F.
  • If the chicken isn't hot enough: If my chicken is almost hot enough at the 10-minute mark but not quite there, I keep reheating it in 30-second intervals until it reaches the right temperature.
  • Rest: Rest the chicken for 5 minutes. It will continue cooking inside a little and then let the cooked chicken cool for a few minutes so that it's easier to eat. Resting the chicken also keeps it nice and juicy!

Notes

  • Air Fryer model: Different air fryer models will take different times to heat up and cook the chicken. Always check that the reheated chicken is thoroughly heated before consuming it.
  • Take it out of the fridge early: Take the leftover chicken legs out of the fridge 30 minutes-1 hour before reheating them so that they'll reheat even quicker!
  • Chicken size: Larger pieces of chicken will take longer to cook than smaller pieces, which will take less time. Start with 10 minutes and then if the meat isn't hot enough yet, add 30 seconds-1 minute and see how it's doing. Continue to heat it in small bursts at this point because you don't want to overcook the chicken.
  • Don't over-crowd: Try not to over-crowd the air fryer, because the air needs to be able to circulate properly for it to heat the food well. A little overlapping is okay. Cook the chicken in a couple of batches if you need to.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 475kcal | Protein: 62g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 328mg | Sodium: 253mg