Chicken fingers are an easy dinner for when you don’t have a lot of energy or don’t have a lot of time. They sell frozen chicken fingers ready to reheat or you can reheat chicken fingers you got from a restaurant.
There are several easy ways to reheat chicken fingers for when you need an easy meal. In the oven, in the microwave, on the stove, and in the air fryer are all ways to bring the chicken fingers back to greatness.
In the Oven
Using the oven to reheat chicken fingers is the best method to both preserve their taste and their texture. You won’t have soggy chicken fingers with this method.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and put your chicken fingers onto a baking sheet.
- Step 2: Once the oven is preheated, cook the chicken fingers for 20-25 minutes (depending on if you froze or refrigerated the chicken fingers.)
- Step 3: Check the chicken fingers and add more time if needed.
- Step 4: Remove chicken fingers, allow to cool, and enjoy.
Pros:
- Preserves the taste and texture the best
- Fairly low effort
- Evenly reheats the chicken fingers
- Great for having to reheat a lot of chicken fingers at once
Cons:
- Takes the longest time out of all the methods
On the Stovetop
While not as common as a method, you can easily reheat your chicken fingers on the stove. This method is great if your chicken fingers were super crispy and you want to keep that crunch.
- Step 1: Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and let it get hot.
- Step 2: Add the chicken fingers. Make sure they have enough room to move around.
- Step 3: Fry for a couple of minutes until the chicken fingers become hot all the way through.
- Step 4: Turn off the heat, allow the chicken fingers to cool, and enjoy.
Pros:
- Doesn’t take too much time
- Preserves the taste and texture
- Renews the crispy breading
Cons:
- Takes more effort than some other methods
- Too much oil can make your chicken fingers greasy
In the Air Fryer
The air fryer is a super-easy way to reheat your chicken fingers evenly while preserving their texture. If you have an air fryer, give this method a try!
- Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 350℉
- Step 2: Coat the chicken fingers with a tiny bit of oil before placing them into the basket. Make sure the basket is lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
- Step 3: Cook them for 5 minutes, flip the chicken fingers over and then cook for another 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove from the basket and allow to cool before eating. Enjoy!
Coating the chicken fingers before cooking them keeps them nice and crispy. It helps preserve the outside texture while the inside keeps some of its moisture.
Pros:
- This method is great for preserving the taste and texture
- Doesn’t take as much time as the oven method but gives similar results
- Very low effort
Cons:
- Takes more time than the stove or the microwave
- You need an air fryer
- You can only reheat a few at a time. This isn’t a good method for reheating large batches.
In the Microwave
Finally, we have the microwave method. This is the least preferred option out of all the methods as it will change the texture and taste quite a bit. You won’t have super crispy chicken fingers with this method.
However, the microwave is still a decent method for reheating chicken fingers. If you don’t have an oven/stove/air fryer or you don’t have a lot of time, this is still a valid method.
- Step 1: Wrap your chicken fingers in several paper towels to absorb any moisture. Then, place them onto a microwave-safe plate.
- Step 2: Cook in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Check them after each interval.
- Step 3: Repeat step 2 until they have completely reheated.
- Step 4: Take them out and allow them to cool down before enjoying.
Pros:
- The quickest method
- The easiest method
- Works if a microwave is all that you have
Cons:
- Will change the texture by a lot. Instead of keeping your chicken fingers crispy, they will get somewhat soggy.
- The taste will be changed slightly
- You can’t reheat a lot of chicken fingers at once
Reheating From Frozen
In the case of frozen chicken fingers, you can reheat them from frozen. As with any frozen food, you will have to add extra cooking time so that they can reheat all the way.
The best way to reheat from frozen is with the oven method. This way, the moisture from any ice won’t impact the text or texture of the chicken fingers too much. You can also use the microwave, but know that they will be soggier than in the oven.
While some frozen chicken fingers want you to heat them from frozen, some others allow you to thaw them first. Thawing chicken fingers will allow them to cook faster than from frozen, allowing you to use the times stated above.
To thaw them, simply leave the chicken fingers in the fridge for a few hours. This can be done overnight or in the morning to prep for dinner.
It’s best not to thaw them on the counter as bacteria can start to grow as they reach room temperature. Definitely do not use the microwave method with chicken fingers thawed on the counter.
Final Thoughts
With how easy it is to reheat chicken fingers, don’t let them go to waste! You can easily reheat them whether they start off frozen or from the fridge. You can use the oven, stove, air fryer, or microwave to give your chicken fingers another chance to be eaten.
With each method having its own pros and cons, figure out which method will work the best for you. That way you will have delicious chicken fingers to make a delicious meal. Some methods work great to reheat enough chicken fingers for one person and others work for a whole family meal.
Using one of these methods, with the exception of the microwave, will leave people not being to tell that these chicken fingers were ever reheated. Enjoy your protein filled meal!
