How to Reheat Buffalo Wild Wings: 4 Great Ways

So, you overestimated your appetite and ordered way too many wings from your favorite place.

Now, you’re wondering how to reheat Buffalo Wild Wings from Wingstop. Or maybe from BWW itself, who knows?

Either way, reheating this type of fast food is always harder than it sounds.

That’s because no matter how hard you try, it still won’t be like a fresh order. However, we can try to get as close as possible to the original texture and flavor. 

I see your struggle, and I’ve been there more than I’d like to recall. 

After numerous kitchen experiments here and there, I compiled the best ways to reheat cold buffalo wings.

By the end of this article, you should be ready to fix yourself a hot meal centered around some day-old wings.

Let’s get this show going!

Are Buffalo Wild Wings Even Reheatable?

One common issue I found when I try to reheat buffalo wings is that they can get dry very quickly.

Sometimes the outer skin burns or gets soggy. You might also struggle to reheat the wings evenly.

Now, you find yourself left with wings that lost their crisp and are no longer juicy on the inside. Isn’t that a shame?

Most of these problems usually happen because you use more heat than necessary or you didn’t use proper drainage.

To avoid this problem, you need to be mindful of the heat and surrounding moisture. Ideally, you can use a food probe to check that the temperature inside the wing is around 165°F.

What does this mean?

From my experience, oven reheating is the best way to reheat Buffalo Wild Wings. With the right setup, you can keep the skin crispy without drying out the tender chicken inside.

However, if this doesn’t work out for you, there are other ways to go about it. You can use a microwave, an air fryer, or a grill.

Personally, I recommend giving each method a shot. You never know which will strike out for you!

Reheating Buffalo Wild Wings in 4 Ways

Depending on how much time you have, what appliances are available, and how experienced you are around the kitchen, you might find one reheating method more suitable than the rest.

Here are four of the most common ways to reheat a plate of leftover buffalo wings:

Reheating Wings in an Oven

It’s no secret that I favor this method over all others. It’s just an overall convenient method, and it doesn’t compromise the texture all that much.

In fact, even the Buffalo Wild Wings’ official website lists conventional ovens as one of two ideal methods to reheat their wings!

Here’s a little pro-tip:

Don’t take your wings from the fridge to the oven right away. Let it sit out for around 10-20 minutes.

Otherwise, the skin can get soggy before you even know it.

Better yet, make sure your baking sheet is large enough to take the wings with room in between them. This keeps the skins from sticking and climbing together.

A quick heads-up:

If you have no oven available, feel free to use a toaster oven. It’ll give you pretty much the same results as a full-sized oven.

The Steps

Here’s how to reheat boneless Buffalo Wild Wings in an oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Set the room temperature wings on a baking sheet with enough spacing for drainage
3. Cover the wings with one layer of food-grade aluminum to lock the moisture
4. Let the wings cook for five minutes
5. Take the sheet to cool in the open air

Reheating (Sauced) Wings in an Air Fryer

Usually, I like to order my wings with sauce on the side. However, every once in a blue moon, I get the entire box slathered in the sauce.

That’s when it hit me.

Reheating sauced wings in the oven is only going to result in sad, depressing wings with soggy skin. Surely, that’s not why anyone wants to eat.

Sadly, the oven reheating method won’t work here, but you win some, you lose some.

An air fryer, conventionally, helps crisp the external layer of the wing, even if it has been already dipped in sauce.

A mere five minutes in an air fryer can revive the wings. Just get some parchment paper ready because you’ll have a bit of a messy situation on your hands in a few minutes.

The Steps

Here’s how to reheat sauced wings in an air fryer:

1. Let your wings sit on paper towels to drain out any excess sauce
2. Lay a parchment paper down inside the fryer basket
3. Distribute the wings inside the basket without overlapping
4. Set the air fryer to 3-5 minutes on 360°F
5. Open halfway to toss the wings to the other side for an even cook

Reheating Wings on a Traditional Grill

Did you know that you can heat your leftovers on the grill?

Yup, after lighting the fire, airing the charcoal, and the whole nine yards.

Maybe you’re thinking that this is too much work to reheat a plate of leftover Buffalo Wild Wings to eat as you spend the evening on the couch.

And you’d be dead right.

Using the grill to reheat your wings isn’t bad. In fact, the payout has an earthy odor that can make the process worth the trouble.

I just don’t see it being your everyday go-to method.

Sure, if you have friends over and you’re having a blast in the backyard, this would be a chance to open up your grill and make the most out of yesterday’s takeout.

One more thing:

No matter what you do, don’t set a high flame. Your wings will be burnt out, and there’s no coming back from that!

The Steps

If you’re ready to have a BBQ party, leftover style, here’s how to reheat day-old wings in a grill:

1. Wrap each wing individually in aluminum foil
2. Set the grill to a low flame
3. Close the lid with the wings inside
4. Cook each side for 4-5 minutes
5. Unroll the foil to see if the skin is crispy and steamy

Reheating Wings in a Microwave

Microwaves are lifesavers. I’ll give them that.

They’re fast, always available, and can handle large amounts of food. For those reasons, they are the go-to heating option for many people.

Here’s the kicker:

Microwaves don’t give the best results in terms of texture. It’s basically just zapping your leftovers till they’re hot, but without much regard to the crispiness.

Worst case scenario, the crust won’t handle the heat, and it’ll turn soggy.

To keep that from happening, microwave the food at short intervals. Go for a minute or two to start and go up from there.

Pause often to check how the process is going. This way, you’ll catch up on any sogginess before it takes over the entire skin.

The Steps

Here’s how to reheat Buffalo Wild Wings in a Microwave:

1. Lay down the buffalo wings in a single layer in a microwavable dish
2. Cover the top with a paper towel
3. Set the microwave for a maximum of two minutes *You can go longer but I’d suggest lowering the power to 6-7 setting.
4. If the wings aren’t hot enough yet, go for additional 30-second rounds at a time
5. Once the wings are done, remove the lid/cover and serve

Reheating Buffalo Wild Wings with a Twist

Is it just me, or does something about a good steamy plate of buffalo wings scream carbohydrate side dishes?

Think about it.

Mashed potatoes. Naan bread. Onion rings with bread crumbs.

All the classic buffalo pairings are based on carbs.

That said, you can check out some other great pairs in our list of what goes well with chicken wings.

Being a little extra, I like finding new ways to heat leftover wings.

Here’s one of my favorite twists:

Creamy Buffalo Nacho Dip

If you don’t want to eat wings the traditional way, you can pull the chicken from the bones and fix yourself an entirely new dish. (Bonus points if you have boneless wings!)

With a slice of cream cheese, some herbs, and potatoes, you can revamp the buffalo wings to a delicious meal that will hardly feel like a leftover.

Let me show you how.

All you need is to parboil a potato, dice it into cubes, and rub it with herbs. Then you put the wing meat, cheese, and potatoes into a casserole.

My favorite mix is blue cheese, some mushrooms, parsley, and a touch of garlic. They really boost the texture and flavor of the whole dish.

In a preheated oven, place the mix for five minutes on low heat (300-350°F.) Take out the casserole, wait for it to cool down a bit, and serve with a glass of sherry.

There. You have an impressively hearty meal in less than 20 minutes. Find a bag of nachos and start dipping.

And the best part?

With this method, you don’t even have to worry about the skin texture. You’ll be getting rid of all that.

Plus, you won’t risk eating rubbery meat because the cream cheese will preserve the moisture and keep the chicken from drying out.

My final bonus? A list of best buffalo chicken dip sides!

Reheating buffalo wings can be an uphill battle, but with a little planning ahead, you can still turn things around in your favor.

I hope you’re ready to make some leftover magic happen!