There’s nothing better than a roasted chicken, and this air fryer chicken checks all the boxes. It’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It’s so easy to roast a whole chicken in an air fryer that you’ll wish you’d been doing it earlier!
Air frying a whole chicken may seem intimidating, but it is beyond easy. It beats out the rotisserie chicken you get at the grocery store every time as you’re able to control the seasoning, leading to an even more flavorful chicken.
Made with pantry staples, you’ll have this air fryer roast chicken ready in next to no time. If you want to try another easy air fryer recipe after this one, I recommend giving my air fryer salmon and air fryer chicken tenders a try. They’re just as easy as this air fryer rotisserie chicken recipe.
Key Ingredients You Need
Seasoning — I combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to make my seasoning paste. These pantry staples come together to make for a flavorful chicken rub, but if you want to try something else, I have some suggestions down in the FAQ.
Whole chicken — The size of the chicken you’ll need depends on the size of your air fryer basket. I recommend trying the recipe first with a 3-pound chicken and increasing the size the next time around if you find it roomy.
How to Make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Step 1: In a bowl, add the olive oil and spices.
Step 2: Mix to combine and make a paste.
Step 3: Rub the paste all over the chicken.
Step 4: Give the air fryer basket a light spray of oil and place the chicken, breast side down, and air fry at 350 F for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Flip the chicken and air fry breast side up for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Using a cooking thermometer, check the thickest part of the breast to ensure the chicken has reached 165F. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Tips For This Recipe
- Be sure to remove innards from the cavity before cooking if they didn’t come removed. The giblets are great for making broth or gravy, so freeze them for the next time you make those!
- Feel free to tie the legs together with twine and tuck the wings underneath if you’re worried about it being overcooked. Some believe that tying the legs together will yield a juicier chicken, but I found it didn’t make much of a difference.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer and the size of your chicken. I use a Cosori 5.8 QT air fryer. I recommend you check in on your chicken at the 50-minute mark.
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry before adding the seasoning paste to help it stick on better. It will also help the chicken crisp up as moisture will cause steam.
- Let air fryer roasted chicken rest, so the juices redistribute. If you cut too early, the juices will end up on your cutting board.
- If you have extra time and ingredients, stuff the inside of the chicken with fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme, lemon wedges, and garlic cloves for additional flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t finish this air fryer rotisserie chicken in one sitting, you have two options. The first option is to keep the chicken as whole as possible, so it doesn’t dry out when you reheat it. You’ll have trouble finding a container that fits a whole bird, so you’ll have to wrap it in plastic tightly.
The second option is to shred the meat off the chicken and store the shredded chicken in an airtight container. Store the leftovers refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to keep the ??carcass to make stock with later. You can freeze the carcass for up to 3 months as well.
Feel free to use whatever you love! Some fun ideas you could try are Italian seasoning, BBQ rub, lemon pepper, Creole seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and Greek seasoning.
I like to air fryer the whole chicken at 350F. This way, the exterior doesn’t burn before the interior cooks through. In a traditional oven, you’re able to tent the chicken if it’s browning too quickly, but it isn’t an option in an air fryer.
Some of my favorite sides to serve with chicken are my mushroom rice, mashed cauliflower, tomato salad, and beet salad. They’re easy to make and come together quickly while the chicken cooks in the air fryer.
The best way to air fry an entire chicken is by placing the chicken breast side down at first. Doing so will help the juices keep the lean white, drier part of the chicken moist as it air fries. Air frying with the breasts up first will result in dry chicken breasts.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 to 5 lb chicken innards removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil I use olive oil spray
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil and spices and make a paste and rub it all over the chicken.
- Give the air fryer basket a light spray of oil.
- Place the chicken breast side down and cook at 350F for 30 minutes and then flip and cook breast side up for another 30 minutes.
- Using a cooking thermometer check the thickest part of the breast to make sure the chicken has reached 165 F. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to remove innards from the cavity before cooking if they didn’t come removed. The giblets are great for making broth or gravy, so freeze them for the next time you make those!
- Feel free to tie the legs together with twine and tuck the wings underneath if you’re worried about it being overcooked. Some believe that tying the legs together will yield a juicier chicken, but I found it didn’t make much of a difference.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer and the size of your chicken. I use a Cosori 5.8 QT air fryer. I recommend you check in on your chicken at the 50-minute mark.
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry before adding the seasoning paste to help it stick on better. It will also help the chicken crisp up as moisture will cause steam.
- Let air fryer roasted chicken rest, so the juices redistribute. If you cut too early, the juices will end up on your cutting board.
- If you have extra time and ingredients, stuff the inside of the chicken with fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme, lemon wedges, and garlic cloves for additional flavor.
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