Air fryers are wonderful kitchen tools that are useful for more than just preparing food. Did you know you could reheat leftovers in your air fryer the same way you could in an oven? If you enjoy Chinese food, you are likely aware of how challenging it can be to reheat any leftovers without them drying out. In an air fryer, how do you reheat Chinese food? There are a few variations in how different Chinese dishes must be reheated in the air fryer to preserve the best qualities of the ingredients. Reheating Chinese food in an air fryer is a quick and simple way to get your food hot again. This article will go over some helpful hints and techniques for successfully reheating Chinese food in an air fryer for various types of meals.
Can You Reheat Chinese Food In The Air Fryer?
Reheating Chinese food in an air fryer is a great way to quickly heat up your food without losing much flavor or texture! However, one thing to keep in mind with Chinese food is that the meals frequently include noodles or rice, both of which require special consideration when using an air fryer. Because you can’t put noodles or rice directly into the air fryer without making a huge mess, you’ll have to reheat these meals in a heat-safe dish. While the air fryer is a great way to reheat leftover Chinese food, you must keep in mind what you are reheating in order to reheat evenly and without making a mess.
How To Reheat Chinese Food In The Air Fryer
There are many different meal types and cooking techniques used in Chinese cuisine. Although there are various food varieties, tastes, and preparation techniques, most Chinese dishes can be heated up in an air fryer! In order to make the process simpler for you and guarantee that the food is properly reheated, you do need to adjust how you reheat the food in the air fryer. The most common kinds of Chinese food that you might need to successfully reheat in the air fryer are listed below!
General Tso Chicken/Kung Pao Chicken
Many people enjoy General Tso’s Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken, and there’s a good chance you’ll have some leftovers the next time you order takeout! General Tso Chicken is saucy and sticky, which can make reheating it in the air fryer difficult because you don’t want the sauce to stick to the basket or burn. Similarly, the honey-sesame sauce in Kung Pao Chicken can stick and burn in the air fryer. How to Reheat General Tso’s and Kung Pao Chicken in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the air fryer is hot, line the basket with parchment paper.
Place the General Tso’s/Kung Pao Chicken on a piece of parchment paper.
Set the clock to 5 minutes.
Check that the chicken is thoroughly heated after 5 minutes. If not, return it to the oven for another 3 minutes.
Take the chicken out of the air fryer and serve.
In the air fryer, using parchment paper can help keep the chicken and sauce from sticking to the basket.
However, you should only use parchment paper in the air fryer with other ingredients; if you use it alone, it may come into contact with the heating element and catch fire.
Fried Rice Dishes
It is possible to reheat fried rice dishes in an air fryer with a variety of ingredients, including chicken, pork, shrimp, beef, vegetables, and eggs. It’s actually very easy to reheat fried rice dishes in the air fryer; all you need to do is make sure the rice doesn’t stick. Here’s how to quickly reheat fried rice in an air fryer:
Don’t start the air fryer up. Instead, put the rice in the air fryer’s pan and lightly mist it with olive oil to keep it from sticking. 320°F should be the setting. Give it 10 minutes to reheat. Reapply some olive oil to the rice after 10 minutes, then re-fry it in the air fryer at 360°F for 5 minutes.
Stir the rice once it is finished and serve it hot. It is crucial to lightly mist the rice with olive oil before cooking it. This will keep the rice moist and stop it from sticking to the air fryer pan.
Spring Rolls, Potstickers, And Other Dim Sum
Potstickers, spring rolls, and other dim sum items are popular in Chinese cuisine and are extremely simple to reheat in an air fryer. Because these are usually fried or steamed, they reheat well in the air fryer. How to Reheat Spring Rolls, Potstickers, and Other Dim Sum Dishes in the Air Fryer:
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350°F. Cooking oil should be sprayed into the air fryer basket. Fill the air fryer basket halfway with spring rolls, potstickers, or other dim sum items. Make sure the basket is not overcrowded and that there is some space between the food items.
Reheat the items for 3 minutes in the air fryer. After 3 minutes, flip the items over if necessary, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. When the food is thoroughly heated and the outside is crispy, remove it from the air fryer.
Chow Mein
Chinese food is incredibly popular, and because chow mein is frequently served in large portions, you probably have leftovers you can reheat.
Noodles may not seem like the best item to reheat in the air fryer, but they actually work very well.
How to reheat chow mein in an air fryer is as follows:
set the air fryer to 375 degrees.
Put the chow mein in an oven-safe container that will fit in the air fryer’s basket.
As much as you can, distribute the noodles and other ingredients throughout the dish.
Once the air fryer has heated up, put the oven dish inside.
Give the reheating process 4 minutes.
To thoroughly reheat the noodles, turn the air fryer on and move the noodles around with a fork.
Reheat the noodles for an additional three minutes in the air fryer.
After this, the noodles and the other ingredients should be thoroughly heated and not have dried out.
Broccoli Beef
Another tasty Chinese dish that can be reheated in the air fryer is broccoli beef.
The trick is not to reheat it too much, as this will cause the beef to dry out — you must keep track of how long you leave the food in the air fryer.
Here’s how to reheat broccoli beef in the air fryer quickly:
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the broccoli beef in a heat-resistant dish large enough to fit inside the air fryer basket. Arrange the broccoli on one side of the dish and the beef on the other.
Place the broccoli beef in the air fryer and reheat for 5 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven, flip the broccoli and beef as needed, and return it to the air fryer for another 3 minutes.
Serve the broccoli beef once it has been thoroughly heated.
Crispy Almond Chicken
If you have any leftover crispy almond chicken, you can easily reheat it in the air fryer with a variety of other ingredients.
Here’s how to reheat air fryer-fried crispy almond chicken:
Achieve a 380°F oven temperature.
Place the chicken breast into the air fryer once it has warmed up. Make sure there is space between the chicken pieces and that they are not touching when reheating a few pieces.
For 10 minutes, cook the chicken in the air fryer.
The chicken should be placed back to reheat for an additional 3 minutes after being turned over after 10 minutes.
In order for the chicken to be moist and tender on the inside while remaining crispy on the outside, it must be heated thoroughly.
Related Questions
Now that we’ve covered how to reheat various types of Chinese leftovers in the air fryer, here are some follow-up questions we thought you might have.
Is it safe to reheat Chinese takeaway?
Reheating Chinese takeout is acceptable as long as you put it in the refrigerator shortly after eating and don’t keep it there for more than a day or two. To eradicate any potentially harmful bacteria, reheat Chinese takeout to a minimum temperature of 176°F.
Can I use aluminum foil in the air fryer?
In the air fryer, aluminum foil can be used to keep food from sticking to the basket. However, using aluminum foil is not always a good idea because it can obstruct airflow, preventing food from properly heating or cooking.