How to Reheat Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Everyone loves chicken nuggets, and everyone agrees that homemade chicken nuggets are the best. They are one of the foods that both adults and children love the most.

If you’re making a batch of homemade chicken nuggets, you may want to freeze some for a later date to enjoy as an easy meal. Not only will this save you time in the future by having frozen nuggets ready to reheat, but it’s also an exercise in money saving.

When it’s time to eat your frozen chicken nuggets, how do you reheat them? Reheating chicken nuggets is fairly easy, and you would heat frozen chicken nuggets the same way you would heat fresh ones. You can choose to reheat the chicken nuggets in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave.

Reheat chicken nuggets in the oven

Most of us heat fresh chicken nuggets in the oven. It is the best way to heat up a large portion, and to get even heat throughout the nuggets, and to achieve a golden brown crumb.

To reheat chicken nuggets in the oven

Place the frozen chicken nuggets on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the chicken nuggets for 20 minutes.
Take them out of the oven and check the temperature.
If they need more time in the oven, let them bake another 5 minutes before checking again.

Advantages of using the oven

The oven is the best way to ensure that the nuggets reheat evenly, since you can space them out properly on the baking sheet.

It allows the nuggets to crisp up when eaten, but doesn’t overdry the chicken if the nuggets aren’t baked too long.

Cons of using the oven

The oven takes longer to reheat chicken nuggets than the microwave or skillet. If you leave chicken nuggets in the oven too long, they can become dry and rock hard, and almost inedible.

Reheat Chicken Nuggets in the Microwave

The microwave is the fastest way to heat up chicken nuggets for those who don’t want to wait for the oven. There is nothing to prepare and hardly any waiting.

To heat chicken nuggets in the microwave

• Arrange them on the plate, making sure they don’t overlap each other.
• If you have to make two batches, it’s best to stack them on top of each other. Heat the chicken nuggets for one minute on full power and check them.
• Let them rest for 30 seconds so that the heat is evenly distributed.
• If they need more heat, microwave them for another 30 seconds.

Advantages of using the microwave

Obviously, the main advantage of using the microwave is to heat the chicken nuggets in the shortest possible time. It is an easy and comfortable method, and there is no preparation or waiting for the microwave to heat up.

Cons of using the microwave

The microwave is not the ideal tool to use if you want crispy chicken nuggets. Often when chicken nuggets are microwaved they become mushy and not so good.

This can be slightly avoided by only heating the chicken nuggets for a short time. However, chicken nuggets need to be heated well to prevent the growth of bacteria, so it’s a bit of a puzzle.

Reheating Chicken Nuggets on the Stove

Using the stove to reheat chicken nuggets is convenient, but it can be tricky. You have to make sure that you don’t oil the pan too much so that the chicken nuggets get too oily, but also not too little that the chicken nuggets stick and burn.

When you reheat chicken nuggets on the fire

• Heat a frying pan with a touch of olive oil.
• Add the chicken nuggets and heat for 1-2 minutes on each side.
• Check that they have heated up well, and if not, let them heat up for another minute or two on each side.

Advantages of using an oven

Although you will have to wait for the stove and pan to heat up, using the stove to heat up the chicken nuggets is pretty quick. You will be able to get crispy crumbs on the outside, with a moist and soft chicken on the inside.

Cons of using a stove

The stove is an easy place to burn chicken nuggets if you forget about them for even a minute. If you put too much oil in the pan, the nuggets can absorb too much and become too oily to eat.

Bonus: air fryer

For those lucky enough to have an air fryer at home, reheating chicken nuggets will be child’s play. Air fryers are a handy tool to have in the kitchen, offering a healthier alternative to cooking and reheating food without oil. The air fryer works by circulating hot air around the food.

To reheat your chicken nuggets in the air fryer

• Preheat the appliance to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the chicken nuggets in the deep fryer and allow them to reheat for about 8 minutes.

Advantages of using an air fryer

The air fryer is great for cooking quickly, and for not using oil to reheat chicken nuggets. The air fryer will crisp up the outside of the chicken nuggets, while keeping the inside nice and tender.

Cons of Using an Air Fryer

There really isn’t a downside to using an air fryer, other than you have to wait for it to heat up, which doesn’t take long.

What is the best method {

An air fryer is possibly the best option for reheating homemade chicken nuggets, but not everyone has one.

The second best option is to reheat the chicken nuggets in the oven. It may take longer than the other methods, but it’s worth the wait.

Reheating chicken nuggets in the oven is the best way to get them heated evenly, getting a crispy exterior and keeping the chicken inside juicy and tender.

The oven also heats the chicken nuggets just enough to prevent the growth of bacteria, which is common in food that is reheated.

This is especially important in the case of chicken, as it is one of the foods that contains harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, which can cause severe food poisoning. Be sure to reheat chicken nuggets on high heat to prevent bacteria from growing on the chicken nuggets so that they are safe to eat once reheated.

If you want to thaw frozen chicken nuggets, you can leave them in the fridge overnight. This helps them thaw without heating up, which is the safest way to do it.

Related questions

How long can chicken nuggets be kept in the fridge?

Once cooked, the chicken nuggets can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days. They should be stored in a shallow, airtight container, or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Chicken nuggets can be eaten after 2 days in the fridge, only if they are properly preserved and fully cooked.

Can already cooked homemade chicken nuggets be frozen?

You can freeze cooked homemade chicken nuggets. Once taken out of the oven, you should allow the chicken nuggets to cool completely on a baking sheet.

Once cool, transfer to an airtight freezer bag or airtight container. They can be frozen all together or in smaller portions.

Be sure to label the freezer bag or container with the cooking and freezing date. If stored properly, chicken nuggets can last 3 months in the fridge.

Do chicken nuggets need to be thawed before cooking?

It is not necessary to thaw chicken nuggets before cooking. They can be baked in the oven from frozen and reheat well if left in the oven for an adequate amount of time.

If you want to thaw the chicken nuggets, you can leave them in the fridge overnight to thaw slightly, and then you can pop them in the oven, microwave, stovetop, or deep fryer to fully cook.

Reheating Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Homemade chicken nuggets are the healthiest, and there’s nothing better than having leftovers in the fridge or freezer that you can enjoy later.

Knowing how to reheat chicken nuggets is critical to being able to reheat them safely and correctly, so they still have a crispy exterior and a deliciously tender, juicy chicken interior.

Remember that homemade chicken nuggets can only be kept in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days, and if you don’t plan to eat them by then, you’ll have to put them in the freezer.