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It's easier than ever to roast a whole chicken following my Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe! Cook a juicy, perfectly golden and crispy whole chicken in an hour or less using simple ingredients. Air frying a whole chicken is great for weeknight family dinners and meal planning!
Jump to:
- Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Tools to Air Fry a Whole Chicken
- Ingredients for Air Fried Whole Chicken
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Air Frying Whole Chicken Detailed Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Storing and Reheating Roast Chicken
- FAQ
- Other Methods for Cooking Whole Chicken
- Serving Suggestions for Air Fried Whole Chicken
- More Chicken Dinner Ideas
- Why You'll Love this Air Fried Chicken Recipe
- Reviews
Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
In this post, I'll share with you how to air fry a whole chicken using simple ingredients, along with what tools you will need, my expert tips from years of experience air frying whole chicken, and what to serve with whole chicken in the air fryer!
Once you learn how to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer, you can use it to make so many more dishes. Enjoy it on its own as a whole roasted chicken dinner, shred it to use on pizza or as pulled chicken, or serve it in a salad with chicken. Make sure to bring a meat thermometer and my guide to chicken temperature!
Tools to Air Fry a Whole Chicken
- Your air fryer. You will need one that is 6-quarts or larger. Both the models with baskets and trays work for air frying whole chicken. This is my favorite air fryer.
- A cutting board for resting the chicken after air frying.
- Tongs to flip the chicken halfway through the air frying time. This is important! I recommend always using silicone-tipped tongs to avoid scratching the non-stick surface of your air fryer.
- Twine or aluminum foil to tie the legs of the chicken together before air frying.
- A meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken before removing it from the air fryer.
- A sharp knife for slicing the chicken after air frying.
Ingredients for Air Fried Whole Chicken
- Whole chicken: Make sure you're using a chicken that fits in your air fryer basket! I use 3-5 pound chickens for my 6 qt air fryer.
- Olive oil: I highly recommend olive oil as it has a wonderful flavor and rich, silky texture. It works great for air fryer chicken, as it won't be heated enough to burn and will keep a great taste. Light olive oil or extra virgin olive oil both work. You can use avocado oil as an alternative if necessary.
- Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt or sea salt flakes is a must for roasting chicken! The coarse texture works much better for meat, as it clings to the surface better and leaves a satisfying crunch.
- Garlic powder: Because you'll be roasting this chicken, you want to avoid fresh garlic, which could burn and turn bitter.
- Onion powder: Same with garlic powder, onion powder has a mellow, sweet flavor that won't burn and turn bitter like raw onion can.
- Dried minced onion: A little minced dried onion boosts the onion flavor and adds texture!
- Creole seasoning: Creole seasoning packs in tons of flavor! I recommend making my homemade Creole seasoning. You can also use paprika instead, and increase the amount of salt and pepper.
- Rosemary: Fresh or dried rosemary is a wonderful aromatic that flavors the whole chicken! Use fresh if you have it, but dried will taste great, too.
- Basil: I recommend dried basil, as the fresh leaves tend to burn.
For more detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, expert tips, frequently asked questions, and how to store and reheat air fryer whole chicken, scroll below the recipe card. And please, leave a review! Your honest feedback is what makes sharing my recipes so worth it.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Equipment
- Air fryer 6qt or larger
- Twine or aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 4 lb Whole chicken
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning - or paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon Dried basil
Instructions
- Grease your air fryer with oil, then let it preheat at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- While the air fryer preheats, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, including the inner cavity. Tie the legs together with twine or rolled up aluminum foil.4 lb Whole chicken
- Rub the skin of the chicken with oil, then liberally sprinkle the whole chicken with the dried herbs, seasonings, salt, and pepper. Pat the seasonings down to ensure they stick.2 Tablespoons Olive oil,½ teaspoon Salt,¼ teaspoon Black pepper,½ teaspoon Garlic powder,½ teaspoon Dried minced onion,1 teaspoon Creole seasoning,¼ teaspoon Dried rosemary,¼ teaspoon Dried basil
- Place the seasoned chicken in the air fryer basket, breast-side down, and cook at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Flip the chicken using tongs, then cook again for another 20-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165°F when using a meat thermometer inserted at the thigh joint.
- Once the chicken is done, remove it from the air fryer and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature following my chicken temp guide.
- If you notice the breast meat cooking more quickly than the rest of the chicken, cover it with foil.
- Feel free to stuff the chicken with aromatics, but make sure not to eat the stuffing as it may not cook through.
- For best results, allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before cooking. But do not leave it for more than 30 minutes!
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Air Frying Whole Chicken Detailed Instructions
Step 1: Grease your air fryer basket or tray with oil, then preheat the air fryer to 350°F (177°C). If your air fryer doesn't have a built-in preheat function, just let it run at that temperature for 5 minutes without anything in the basket. It's important to use oil, and not cooking spray, to grease your air fryer; cooking spray can damage the non-stick coating.
Step 2: While the air fryer preheats, pat your whole chicken dry with paper towels, including the inner cavity. You want it to be nice and dry from any excess liquid. After drying, tie the legs together using either twine or rolled up aluminum foil.
Step 3: Rub the whole chicken in oil. Liberally coat the entire chicken with dried basil and rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, Creole seasoning, minced onion, salt, and pepper. Pat the seasonings down to ensure they stick to the chicken.
Step 4: Place the chicken in your air fryer basket, breast-side down. It should fit in your air fryer nicely without touching the top burner. If it does, your chicken is too big for your air fryer! After placing it in the basket or tray, cook at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes.
Step 5: When 30 minutes is up, use tongs to carefully flip the chicken over. Cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until the temperature reaches 165°F when read with a meat thermometer. To read the temperature of a whole chicken, make sure to insert the meat thermometer into the thigh joint without touching bone.
Step 6: Once your whole chicken is air fried, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. This is the hardest part for me - I always want to dig in right away! But, trust me, you want to let it rest. After resting, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Cooking time for whole chicken really comes down to what size chicken you're cooking! A smaller chicken will take less time, while large chickens will take longer. The only way to know the cook time for whole chicken for sure is to use a meat thermometer.
- If the breast meat is cooking a little too fast, you can cover it with foil to stop the skin from browning.
- If you want, you can stuff the crevice of the chicken with aromatics such as onion, garlic, fresh herbs, and carrot! If you stuff the chicken, do not eat the stuffing, as it's not assured to have cooked completely.
- For more evenly cooked chicken, leave it on the counter for 20 minutes before cooking, so it can start coming to room temperature. But make sure to leave it out for no longer than 30 minutes or it can start growing dangerous bacteria.
Storing and Reheating Roast Chicken
- Prep: Leftover chicken should be sliced and separated into light and dark meat before storing. Save the bones and scraps in a plastic bag in the freezer to make bone broth!
- Refrigerator: Store the leftover meat in airtight containers or plastic bags in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Leftover chicken freezes very well, especially when stored in freezer safe plastic bags. Place the chicken in bags, making sure it can press fairly flat for easy thawing. Then press out the air and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Frozen chicken should be thawed in the fridge overnight for best results. To quickly thaw frozen chicken, place in a microwave safe bowl with a little extra water or broth, then heat, covered, for 30 second bursts until warm.
- Reheating: Add a little extra water to the chicken and be sure to cover it while heating. Heat in the microwave or on the stove until nicely steamy and warmed through.
FAQ
The size of chicken you use really depends on how big your air fryer is! I have a 6qt air fryer, so I tend to look for chickens between 3 and 5 pounds. A 4 pound chicken is ideal.
In general, herbs, garlic, onion, and salt and pepper are all great choices for seasoning roast chicken. Alternatively, you can use your favorite bottled seasoning, or try out a turkey seasoning - they taste great with chicken, too!
Yes, you should always tie the legs before roasting chicken! This blocks some of the heat from circulating into the cavity. When too much air gets in the cavity, it can dry out the meat rapidly.
Other Methods for Cooking Whole Chicken
Serving Suggestions for Air Fried Whole Chicken
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
- Air Fried Chicken Wings - perfectly crispy, every single time!
- Chicken Nuggets in the air fryer - If you love chick-fil-a nuggets but want to make your own, this is the recipe for you!
- Lemon Chicken - buttery, silky sauce served over tender chicken. It's a dream come true.
- Spicy Chinese Chicken - Also known as dragon chicken, this is one of my reader favorite recipes for a very good reason!
- Chicken Chili - Bursting with flavor, fiber, and protein, this healthy and absolutely effortless chili is served up every month in my house, without fail!
I love my air fryer. I love it so much I got an oven with an air fryer function, just to have more air fryer space! I use it for everything from main course meals like crispy air fryer pork chops and air fried pork ribs to delicious sides like air fried mushrooms or pork egg rolls!
Of course, whatever you can cook in the oven, you can cook in your air fryer. So naturally, I had to try out whole chicken in the air fryer! Just imagining that perfect air fryer crust on chicken was all it took to know I had to try it. And let me tell you, you have to try it, too. Seriously, this might be my new favorite way to cook whole chicken, and I know you'll enjoy it, too!
Why You'll Love this Air Fried Chicken Recipe
Air fried whole chicken has the perfect crisp skin
By cooking chicken in the air fryer, which is essentially a miniature convection oven, you get a gorgeous crisp that a conventional oven just can't achieve. That means perfectly golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat! Plus, because the air fryer basket has holes in it for air circulation, it gets nice and crisp on all sides, not just the top.
Air frying whole chicken is fast
Roasting a whole chicken in the oven can sometimes take more time than we have on hand for a quick dinner, but this recipe is done, start to finish, in under an hour! That means a decadent and filling roast chicken done in no time, perfect for a weekday special occasion.
It's so simple and easy to air fry a chicken
There's no need to be intimidated by the idea of cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer! It's so easy, and with my simple recipe, all you need to do is dress the bird, pop it in to cook, flip it once, and serve. No fuss, no complicated ingredients, just easy, delicious roast chicken.
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