You must be one of those people that love chicken nuggets, right? Everyone will agree that chicken nuggets made at home are the best. Both kids and adults love this food and we can guess that you are in one of those categories, after all, if you are not a kid, then you must be an adult. After making some homemade chicken nuggets, there could be leftovers or you may intentionally want to save for later which will most probably save your time when you want to eat them because all you need to do is reheat them. They are also considered to be cost-saving type of exercise.
How can you reheat your chicken nuggets when you want to eat the ones you have frozen in the freezer? It is quite easy to reheat chicken nuggets and this can be done pretty much in a similar way with how you heated the fresh ones. It is either you reheat your chicken nuggets on a stove, in a microwave, or an oven.
Bonus: Air Fryer
In case you possess an air fryer, it is very easy to reheat your chicken nuggets. An air fryer will help you cook or reheat your food without using oil, it works through the circulation of hot air in the food. Check below for the steps you need to follow:
- Allow the air fryer to preheat to a temperature of 400°F
- Put your chicken nuggets inside your fryer and allow it to heat for up to eight minutes so that you can enjoy a well-warmed meal.
Pros of using an air fryer
Using an air fryer makes your cooking quick and you do not need to use oil for the reheating process. Your chicken nuggets will also have an outside that is crisped up and a tender and nice inside.
Cons of using an air fryer
Other than the fact that you must wait to heat up your air fryer, there are no cons associated with the use of the air fryer. The waiting time also doesn’t even take long.
Reheating Chicken Nuggets On The Stove
Though it is very convenient to reheat your chicken nuggets by placing on the stovetop, it could be tricky because you must ensure that the pan is not oiled too much that could result in the nuggets getting over-oily. The oil must also not be too little because your chicken nuggets may stick and burn. Consider the following steps when you want to reheat your chicken nuggets on a stove:
- Pour a touch of olive oil in the frying pan and heat it up.
- Add your chicken nuggets, allowing it to heat up for about one or two minutes flipping to each side.
- You need to check to ensure they are heated evenly, if you feel it’s not enough, allow them to be on the stove for another one or two minutes flipping to each side.
Pros of using a stove
Though you have to wait for your pan and stove to heat before you use, using a stove will warm your chicken nuggets fairly quickly. The outside will be crispy and the inside will be soft and moist.
Cons of using a stove
The chicken nuggets can get easily burnt on your stove if slightly forgotten. If you used too much oil too, your risk your nuggets absorbing too much oil.
Reheating Chicken Nuggets In The Microwave
The quickest method to use to heat your chicken nugget is the microwave. It is a very good method for the people who will not like to hold on for too long using the oven. You do not need any setup and you don’t need any waiting time. If you want reheat chicken nuggets inside your microwave, follow these steps:
- Lay the chicken nuggets on your plate and ensure that they are not overlapping each other.
- You may need to make them in batches to avoid piling them up. Allow the nuggets to heat for a minute over full power before checking them.
- Allow them to properly sit for about 30 seconds so that the heat will evenly distribute.
- If you feel more warming is needed, place them back for another 30 seconds in the microwave.
Pros of using the microwave
The major obvious advantage of making use of your microwave to heat your chicken nuggets is that it doesn’t take time. The method is quite convenient and easy, it is easy to setup and you don’t have to wait to heat your microwave.
Cons of using the microwave
If you want your chicken nuggets to be crispy, using a microwave may not be an ideal option because they tend to become soggy after heating your chicken nuggets in your microwave. You can avoid this by heating your chicken nuggets only for a little time. You, however, need to heat your chicken nuggets very hot so that you will avoid the growth of bacteria, it is contradicting, right?
Reheating Chicken Nuggets In The Oven
If you want to heat your chicken nuggets in a large batch, then using an oven is the best method to get the nuggets warmed throughout as well as get the golden crumb. After all, this is the method most of us use. If you want to reheat your chicken nuggets inside your oven, check for the steps below:
- The first thing to do is to get your wire rack and put it on the baking sheet before you put your frozen chicken nuggets in it.
- Allow the nuggets to bake at a temperature of 400°F for about 20 minutes.
- Proceed to remove your chicken nuggets from your oven checking the temperature to see if it is done.
- If you realize that they will need a bit more time, place them back for another five minutes to bake in your oven before you recheck.
Pros of using an oven
Using an oven is considered the best method to reheat the chicken nuggets because it gets them reheated evenly because you will have enough space to spread them on your baking tray. The nuggets are allowed to crisp up properly and also have a very nice crunch without drying out your chicken nugget too much as long as you do not leave them in your oven for too long of a time.
Cons of using the oven
It takes a long time to reheat your chicken nuggets in the oven than using a stove or a microwave. Leaving your chicken nuggets for too long in your oven will also dry them and they can become rock hard, almost inedible for you.
Which Is The Best Method?
Using your air fryer could be considered as the best method to use to reheat your homemade chicken nuggets, but it is not everyone that has an air fryer. The second best method is to use an oven, though it could take a longer time than the others, the wait is worth it. If you want your chicken nuggets to be heated evenly through, the best method to use is the oven so that you will have a crisp exterior and a tender and juicy interior.
The oven will also help to heat your chicken nuggets to the extent that it will prevent any growth of bacteria that is very common to food that has been reheated. This one is particularly for chicken because it is part of those foods that possess harmful bacteria like salmonella which usually cause food poisoning. Ensure you reheat the chicken nuggets over the high temperature in order to avoid the growth of bacteria and it will make your chicken nuggets safe to be eaten once reheated. To defrost the chicken nuggets directly from frozen, leave them inside your fridge overnight. It will help to thaw them without them get heat up.
Related Questions
Reheating Homemade Chicken Nuggets
You have to know how you can safely reheat your chicken nuggets so that you can get a crispy exterior and a juicy and tender inside. Do not forget that your nuggets should only be allowed in your fridge for just two days, if you don’t plan to eat them within the two days, then you should freeze them.
Do you need to defrost chicken nuggets before cooking?
You don’t have to defrost your chicken nuggets before you cook them. You can out them directly in your oven frozen where they will be thoroughly reheated if you allow them to stay for the appropriate time. To defrost them, you can allow them to remain in your fridge overnight so that they can thaw slightly and then use any of the above-discussed methods to reheat them.
Can you freeze homemade chicken nuggets that have been cooked?
Cooked chicken nuggets can be frozen. Once you take them out of your oven, allow them to completely cool on your baking sheet. Transfer them once they are cooled into your airtight container or freezer bag. You can freeze them in smaller portions or together. Ensure you label your freezer container or bag with the cooked date as well as a frozen date. If you store properly, your chicken nuggets will stay for about three months inside your fridge.
How long can you keep chicken nuggets in the fridge?
Immediately you cook chicken nuggets, they can stay inside your refrigerator for about two days. Wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap or keep them in a shallow airtight container. If you cooked and stored your chicken nuggets properly, then you can eat them after two days in your refrigerator.
