How to Reheat Food in the Air Fryer

Because Soggy Fries Are a Crime Against Humanity

Leftovers usually fall into one of two categories: "Oh heck yes, more of this deliciousness!" or "Ugh, guess I have to eat this sad, wilted excuse for food."

But what if I told you that the air fryer has the power to rescue your leftovers from their tragic, microwaved demise? What if last night’s fries could be crispy again? What if your fried chicken didn’t turn into a greasy disappointment?

First published January 24, 2023. Last updated February 23, 2025 to add techniques and new information.

Good news—your air fryer isn’t just a glorified Tater Tot heater. It’s the superhero of second-day meals, and I’m about to show you how to use it like a pro.

💡 Bookmark this page, because trust me—you’re going to need it.

Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the information you want? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want to go to.

Table of Contents

• Why you’ll love this reheating hack
• Air fryer reheating basics: The quick & dirty guide
• The Good, the bad, and the ugly: air fryer pros & cons
• Leftovers that can be reheated in an air fryer
• 🌽 Corn on the cob
• 🍟 French fries or onion rings
• 🧀 Mozzarella sticks
• 🍗 Chicken wings
• 🍗 Grilled or fried chicken
• 🍗 Chicken nuggets
• 🥡 Chinese takeout
• 🍚 Fried rice
• 🍕 Pizza
• 🥪 Quesadillas
• 🌮 Tacos (yes, really)
• 🥟 Quiche, empanadas, or fried pies
• 🧈 Garlic knots (because garlic deserves respect)
• 🍩 Donuts (Leftover? What’s that?)
• 🥯 Biscuits
• 🥪 Grilled cheese sandwiches
• 🧇 Waffles or French toast
• 🧄 Garlic bread
• 🥨 Soft pretzels
• 🍔 Hamburger patties
• 🥩 Steak (Yes, you can actually do this!)
• 🥓 Bacon
• 💭 Things to know
• What not to reheat in an air fryer
• 👩🏻‍🍳 FAQs
• 🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends
• 📚 Related recipes
• 📞 The last word
• 💬 Comments

Why you’ll love this reheating hack

✔ Crispy food stays crispy. No more soggy fries or limp pizza.

✔ It’s fast. Most foods are hot and crispy in under five minutes.

✔ Lower energy use. Why heat up the whole oven for one slice of pizza?

✔ Super easy cleanup. No crusty, over-microwaved explosions here.

✔ You’ll actually use your air fryer. Instead of it being a countertop decoration.

Beyond that it's easy to clean!

I hate having kitchen appliances sitting around that I don't use - and I bet you do, too. For the longest time our air fryer was only used by the kids to heat up chicken nuggets and Tater Tots.

That was ok but I felt like it could do more than take up space on the counter.

And, I was right. So grab that cold pizza, those questionable fries, and that box of Chinese takeout you swore you’d eat, and let’s get to work.

Air fryer reheating basics: The quick & dirty guide

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, here’s a basic rundown of how to reheat food in an air fryer:

🚫 DO NOT preheat the air fryer with parchment paper inside. That stuff will catch on fire faster than your ex’s text messages after you start ignoring them. Always put food on the parchment to weigh it down. The food should at least cover the ⅔ the area of the parchment.

✅ DO spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray if needed.

🔥 Preheat the air fryer to 350°F - 400°F for 4-5 minutes.

🍗 Add food in a single layer—don’t crowd the basket like a Black Friday sale.

⏳ Air fry for 3-5 minutes, checking often. Food can go from “perfectly crispy” to “charcoal briquette” real fast.

The Good, the bad, and the ugly: air fryer pros & cons

✅ Pros

• Leftovers actually taste good again.
• No sad, soggy fries. Ever.
• Food isn’t greasy like it gets in the microwave.
• The kitchen stays cool—bless during summer.
• Uses way less energy than the oven.
• No more suffering through limp pizza.

🚫 Cons

• If you have a big family, you’ll be reheating in shifts unless your teenagers fend for themselves.
• Some foods just don’t reheat well (looking at you, soup).
• Food can dry out or burn if you don’t keep an eye on it.
• Air fryer baskets aren’t huge—so reheating a full meal for a crowd? Not happening.
• It’s best for fast food and fried items, not casseroles.

Leftovers that can be reheated in an air fryer

Following is a list of foods that can be reheated in the air fryer with step by step instructions.

This is not a comprehensive list at all! It's meant to be a guide to the types of things air fryers reheat well. Your air fryer may perform differently so definitely keep an eye on your food!

🌽 Corn on the cob

Reheated corn shouldn’t taste like sadness. Enter the air fryer.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Place cobs in the basket, lightly buttered for best results.
3. Heat for 3-4 minutes.

💡 Bonus: Sprinkle with parmesan and a little chili powder before serving. Boom. Fancy corn.

🍟 French fries or onion rings

Leftover French fries crisp right back up and taste as fresh as when they came out of the drive-through window.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400F.
2. Lay the fries in a single layer in the basket.
3. Air fry for 2 minutes.
4. Check and see if they are hot. If not air fry for another minute or two.

🧀 Mozzarella sticks

If you have a few Mozzarella sticks leftover from last night's dinner they'll heat up nicely in your air fryer. Remember not to crowd the food together. The hot air needs to be able to circulate freely.

1. Place the Mozzarella sticks in the air fryer basket - no need to preheat.
2. Air fry for 2 minutes.
3. Check for doneness and add a minute or so if needed.

🍗 Chicken wings

Keep those leftover chicken wings crispy and delicious!

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
2. Lay the wings in a single layer in the basket.
3. Air fry for 3 minutes. Stop and turn the chicken over.
4. Air fry for 2 to 3 more minutes or until heated through.

🍗 Fried turkey or rotisserie chicken

Because the microwave is an insult to crispy skin.

How to reheat:

1.  Preheat to 375°F.
2. Lay pieces flat, leaving space between them.
3. Air fry for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway.
4. Enjoy second-day Thanksgiving bliss.

🍗 Grilled or fried chicken

You can usually do fried fish this way as well. Check it after 2 minutes, though. It tends to cook a little faster than the chicken.

1. Preheat air fryer to 375°F.
2. Add a few chicken pieces but don't crowd. Make sure there's space between them.
3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Cook for additional 1-2 minutes as needed to get them hot and crispy.

🍗 Chicken nuggets

Chicken tenders and chicken nuggets are easy to do in the air fryer in the outside gets crispy again while the inside stays tender and juicy.

1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
2. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Check if heated through.
4. Cook for additional 1-2 minutes as needed.

🥡 Chinese takeout

Actually most Asian foods work well in an air fryer because so many dishes are sauteed or fried to start with. If the dish has a lot of sauce then be sure to heat it up in an ovenproof bowl. Otherwise, just line the basket with air fryer safe parchment paper.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375F.
2. Place the Chinese food in the basket and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
3. If the dish has a sauce with it, like sweet and sour chicken or General Tso's chicken, use a microwave to heat the sauce separately if possible.

🍚 Fried rice

Believe it or not, the air fryer can handle fried rice! (It’s way better than the microwave clump-fest.)

How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 360°F.
2. Place rice in an oven-safe dish that fits inside the air fryer.
3. Stir once or twice while cooking.
4. Air fry for 5-6 minutes.

💡 Pro Tip: Add a teaspoon of water before heating so it doesn’t dry out.

🍕 Pizza

Leftover pizza comes out of the air fryer with a crispy crust and gooey cheese topping.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
2. Line the basket with perforated aluminum foil or special air fryer safe parchment paper.
3. Lay leftover slices of pizza in the basket and air fry for 3 minutes. You. may only be able to fit one at a time.
4. Check and if it isn't hot/crispy enough air fry for another minute or two.

🥪 Quesadillas

Microwaved quesadillas = hot mess. Air fryer quesadillas = crispy, melty perfection.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Place in the basket and heat for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway.
3. Add a side of salsa and pretend you just made it fresh.

🌮 Tacos (yes, really)

Floppy, microwaved tacos? Not in this house.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Wrap hard-shell tacos in foil to keep them from getting too crunchy (unless you like tortilla shrapnel everywhere). Soft tacos? Just lay them in the basket.
3. Heat for 3-5 minutes.

🛑 Resist the urge to burn your mouth in excitement.

🥟 Quiche, empanadas, or fried pies

Heating in a microwave can lead to soggy crusts but not when you warm up leftovers in your handy-dandy air fryer!

While these foods are very different in some ways, they are very alike in others. Quiche, Fried pies and empanadas can be heated in about the same way. They'll come out with a crispy crust and very hot interior so be sure to let them cool a little bit before that first bite.

1. Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Place empanadas or fried pies in a single layer in basket with space in between.
3. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Flip (empanadas or fried pies - not quiche!) and cook another 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
5. If cooking more than 2 at a time add 1 minute or so.
6. Let cool for a few minutes.

🧈 Garlic knots (because garlic deserves respect)

Air fryer garlic knots bring joy. Microwaved garlic knots bring regret.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Place knots in a single layer.
3. Air fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Bask in the buttery, garlicky goodness.

🍩 Donuts (Leftover? What’s that?)

If, by some miracle, you have leftover donuts, please don’t microwave them into rubbery sadness.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 320°F.
2. Pop them in the basket for 1-2 minutes.
3. Experience glorious donut resurrection.

🥯 Biscuits

1. Preheat the air fryer to 325F.
2. Place biscuits in air fryer basket leaving space between each one.
3. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

🥪 Grilled cheese sandwiches

The microwave makes it a floppy, sad mess. The air fryer makes it crisp, golden perfection.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Place in the basket without stacking.
3. Air fry for 3 minutes, flip, and go another 2 minutes.

🧈 Chef’s kiss—crispy, buttery, melty magic.

🧇 Waffles or French toast

Who doesn't love a hot, crispy waffle with melted butter filling the squares and syrup pooling on the plate?

1. Preheat air fryer to 360F.
2. Put leftover waffles in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
3. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until waffles are crispy and hot.

🧄 Garlic bread

You can make garlic bread in an air fryer - it's delicious! You can also heat it back up without worrying about the texture turning to leather. If you have a lot of leftover garlic bread you ought to try this garlic bread casserole.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
2. Add the leftover garlic bread - be sure to leave space between each piece.
3. Reheat for about 4 to 5 minutes.

🥨 Soft pretzels

Ever tried microwaving a soft pretzel? Yeah, it turns into something between a rubber band and a doorstop. Not ideal.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 320°F.
2. Place pretzels in a single layer.
3. Air fry for 2-3 minutes or until warm and soft again.

Pro tip: If they’ve gone a little stale, lightly spritz them with water before reheating. Boom—good as fresh.

🍔 Hamburger patties

Without a bun

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
2. Place hamburger patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between each.
3. Air fry for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Check with an instant read thermometer to make sure it's heated through. If not continue to air fry another minute or two.

With a bun

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375.
2. Remove any lettuce or tomatoes from your burger. They'll get soggy.
3. Add to basket.
4. Air fry the hamburger right in the bun for 2 to 3 minutes.

🥩 Steak (Yes, you can actually do this!)

A microwave murders steak. The air fryer revives it with one caveat. You need to start with a medium steak - anything more will be dry as a church social on Sunday.
How to reheat:

1. Preheat to 350°F.
2. Place steak in the basket, brush lightly with butter (because we love ourselves).
3. Air fry for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. Let it rest before slicing. (Yes, even reheated steak needs a moment.)

🥓 Bacon

Because if you're not saving extra bacon for later, what are you even doing with your life?
How to reheat:

• Preheat to 350°F.
• Lay strips flat in the basket.
• Air fry for 2-3 minutes (longer if you like it extra crispy).

👃 Enjoy the heavenly aroma and mentally prepare for everyone in the house to suddenly appear in the kitchen.

💭 Things to know

• If the food is frozen then it will take a little longer for it to cook.
• Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the food, the type of food, and the specific air fryer you're using.
• How quickly something cooks depends on the size, type, and brand of your air fryer. Use the times listed as a guide but keep an eye on your food the first time you heat up your restaurant leftovers.
• If the food is at room temperature it will take less time to cook than if it was refrigerated or frozen.

What not to reheat in an air fryer

Some foods just aren’t meant for air fryer resurrection.

🚫 Stews & Soups – Liquid + air fryer = disaster.

🚫 Gravy – You’ll end up scraping it off the basket.

🚫 Pasta – Just... don’t.

🚫 Whole Roasts or Chickens – Unless you want the outside hot and the inside still refrigerator-cold.

👩🏻‍🍳 FAQs

🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends

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• Air Fryer I like Ninja products. They last well and I've never had problems with any of them. This air fryer has a multi-layer rack and a ceramic basket so it cleans up really easy!
• Air fryer parchment paper makes clean up easy! It has holes in it so the hot air can circulate easily. It's no stick, too.
• Reusable silicone liners are used like the parchment paper but when you're done you just rinse them off and store them until next time. Good for the environment and the budget!

📚 Related recipes

If you've got an air fryer check out these recipes!

• How to Cook Acorn Squash in an Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Meatloaf
• Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
• How to Make Frozen Cookies in an Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Donuts

📞 The last word

The air fryer is hands-down the best way to reheat fast food leftovers—because soggy fries and floppy nuggets are not how we’re living in this house.

Your specific air fryer might cook differently, so keep an eye on things until you get the timing just right.

Final pro tip:

When in doubt, start with a lower temperature and check often. It’s way easier to cook a little longer than to un-burn your food.

Now go forth and reheat like a pro. Your leftovers deserve better.

🔥 Tried this? Let me know in the comments which leftover food you revived the best!