Can You Reheat Chick-Fil-A Fries?

With their signature waffle shape, Chick-Fil-A fries are a no-brainer when it comes to deciding what to grab at the drive-thru.

If your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you are left with a pile of leftover fries, have no fear– there are plenty of ways to reheat them to enjoy later.

Transfer leftover Chick-Fil-A fries to an airtight container until ready to reheat to retain freshness. When ready to cook the fries, spray lightly with cooking spray and add to either your oven, air fryer, or microwave following the times listed on the chart below:

Best Ways To Reheat Chick-Fil-A Fries

There are a few universal truths when it comes to reheating french fries no matter what kitchen device you are using.

Whether you are using the oven, microwave, or air fryer, you want to keep the outside crispy and the inside hot and soft.

Here are some tips to help you achieve this (in no particular order):

1. Oven

The oven is the way to go to reheat your Chick-Fil-A waffle fries if you have plenty of time on your hands and really want to ensure a quality second serving. Because of its ability to evenly heat, the oven will give you a consistent product.

Whether using a conventional or toaster oven, you must get your appliance up to temperature before adding your leftover fries. The oven needs to reach 400℉ (205℃). While the oven is preheating you can prepare your tray.

Pull them out of the fridge to take the chill off while your oven preheats. Your fries should be stored in an airtight container when possible to prevent both moisture and air from degrading their crust.

Line a baking tray large enough to fit all fries in a single layer with slightly crinkled aluminum foil and a quick shot of cooking spray. The foil allows both sides of the fries to release steam and become crispy.

Assemble fries on the tray so that they are not touching. If the fries are piled on each other or touching each other, it will prevent them from crisping back up.

Spray or sprinkle a bit of oil on top of the layer of fries, then place in the oven. This method takes about 8-12 minutes of oven time, depending on both your oven and desired crispiness.

Every oven runs at different temperatures and some have areas that are either hotter or cooler than the rest of the oven. Because of that, rotating both your fries and the tray every 4 minutes or so will help the batch to cook evenly.

2. Microwave

The microwave method of reheating fries is for when you are really in a pinch. It is less than ideal because the way microwaves cook generally leaves food with high water content like french fries soggy and limp.

While you should transfer fries into an airtight container for storage no matter the method of reheating, with microwaving it is especially important. It gives the best chance at successfully staying away from becoming a soggy mess.

If you have the time, give the fries a bit of rest outside of the fridge to come as close to room temperature as possible.

Even if it is 5 minutes it will help to re-crisp. Don’t leave them out more than an hour though to prevent bacteria from growing.

Line a plate with a paper towel or parchment paper and place fries in a single layer, not letting any sides touch.

This lets heat evenly distribute and all the cutouts of the waffle shape release steam. When steam gets trapped in between layers of fries it softens the outside and turns it soggy.

Sprinkle with a small amount of oil or a quick shot of cooking spray and place in the microwave.

Another option, if available to you, is to put the fries on a crisper tray. These are designed to give your fries a hot surface to start out on and achieve a soft center and crisp crust.

Preheat the crisping tray in your microwave for a few minutes before adding your fries, again in a single layer and with a small amount of oil.

With or without a crisping tray, cook fries in 20-45 second bursts to your desired temperature and crispness. Rotate the fries between bursts to allow even cooking.

The waffle fry cut is especially prone to releasing steam and becoming soggy, so only use the microwave if other methods aren’t available to you.

3. Air Fryer

The air fryer wins out in both timing and performance. Not quite as quick as a microwave yet much faster than a conventional oven, the air fryer offers a superior end product that takes little effort and only a few minutes from start to end.

Opinions differ on the necessity of preheating your air fryer, chances are if you own one you have your own preference in this case. If you do preheat, just adjust your cooking and tossing times to a shorter length.

Whether preheating or not, set your air fryer to the “Air Fry” function and the temperature to 350℉ (175℃).

Place your Chick-Fil-A fries in the basket of your air fryer, trying to make them spread as evenly as possible. Give them a quick spray of oil if possible.

With waffle fries, it is best to have them side by side and not piled on each other because of their shape and number of cuts. Work in batches if the basket is too crowded.

Cook for 3-6 minutes, shaking the fries every two minutes and checking on the temperature and crispness of the fries each time.

Depending on your model of air fryer and the number of fries you may need to adjust your air fryer’s temperature up or down as well as the cooking time.

Don’t leave the kitchen while they are cooking or they may become an over-crisped mess while you aren’t looking!

Air frying is the most foolproof way to heat your leftover Chick-Fil-A fries and it also works well to reheat other leftover goodies you may have like chicken nuggets and sandwiches.

Can You Make Chick-Fil-A Fries Crispy Again?

In short, yes. While no reheating method is going to beat the fresh-out-of-the fryer waffle fries, you can achieve a satisfying second serving with a nice crisp outside and soft inside.

Beyond the methods mentioned here, there are plenty of ways to cook up your leftovers. Pan-frying and double frying are both great methods to get fries back to their crispy state. 

For more information on all of these methods as well as an in-depth look at reheating fries successfully in the microwave, check out this article.

How Are Chick-Fil-A Fries Made?

Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries are their most popular menu item by volume, so getting them right is key for this company’s success. That means starting with a quality product.

Starting with potatoes grown only on farms in Washington and Oregon, Chick-Fil-A is picky about not only its spuds but its suppliers as well.

They are dedicated to growing quality potatoes that live up to the highest standards.

Because of the waffle cut and varying sizes of potatoes, each fry is a little different. While most have the signature holes, you may stumble across what they call a “Potato Skin Fry” or “Fry Butt” that come from the end of a potato and don’t contain any holes.

Timing is key when it comes to these fries. Chick-Fil-A wants to deliver a consistent product so you know what you are getting every time you order from their menu.

Going in frozen, the waffle fries are loaded into a fry bucket and then put in the hot oil. The fryer is timed to cook for two minutes and then they are promptly pulled out and seasoned.

Simple is best when it comes to fries- only potatoes, canola oil, and two quick dashes of salt are used to create them.

So the next time you pull up to the drive-through, grab an order yourself and enjoy Chick-Fil-A’s delicious waffle fries!

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