This air fryer whole chicken is one of the juiciest chickens I’ve ever cooked, not to mention the easiest. The skin is exceptionally crispy, and the meat is moist and tender (yes, even the white meat!). If you love rotisserie chickens and want to make them at home, this is the recipe for you!
You don’t need much time or many ingredients to air fry a whole chicken. Brush the chicken with oil, sprinkle your favorite seasonings, and let your air fryer turn the chicken into next-level weeknight dinners that you can serve with a number of tasty sides. For more air fryer dinner recipes, try my air fryer salmon, air fryer pork chops, or air fryer turkey burgers.
Ingredients
Chicken — a 3½ to 4-pound whole chicken fits perfectly into a 6-quart air fryer. Sometimes, grocery store chickens can be rather large; if so, look for an organic chicken, which tends to be on the smaller side.
Olive oil — a little olive oil helps the seasonings stick to the chicken, and also helps the skin crisp up.
Seasoning mix — combine salt, ground black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme to season the chicken.
How To Air Fry A Whole Chicken
1. Empty the cavity of the chicken and pat the skin very dry with a paper towel. Tuck the wings behind the back of the chicken.
2. Brush or rub the outside of the chicken all over with olive oil.
3. Combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme in a small bowl. Sprinkle the breast side of the chicken with half of the seasoning mixture.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F and place the chicken seasoning side down in the air fryer basket.
5. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning all over the exposed side of the chicken.
6. Cook for 30 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken breast side up, and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let the air fryer whole chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
What Size Chicken Should I Cook In The Air Fryer?
The size of your air fryer will determine how large a chicken you can cook. I have a 6-quart air fryer, which can comfortably accommodate a 3½- to 4-pound whole chicken.
If you have an 8-quart air fryer, a larger chicken (5- to 6-pound chicken) will likely be able to fit.
Seasoning Variations
Chicken lends itself well to a variety of different seasonings. Here are some herbs and spices to add to my base seasoning or other blends to try:
- Dried basil, dried oregano, or Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic salt
- Lemon pepper
- Cajun seasoning
- Old Bay seasoning
- Taco seasoning blend
What To Serve With Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Air fryer whole chicken is a delicious, versatile main dish that goes well with so many sides! Here are a few ideas:
- Potatoes: Roasted potatoes, smashed potatoes, or mashed potatoes
- Salad: Kale salad or roasted vegetable salad
- Vegetables: French green beans, roasted carrots, or creamed spinach
- Rolls: Dinner rolls or garlic knots
Storing And Using Leftover Chicken
Leftover air fryer whole chicken will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can cut the leftover chicken into pieces (thigh, leg, etc.) or remove the meat from the bones and shred the leftover chicken. You can also freeze leftover chicken in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Save the chicken carcass to make delicious homemade chicken broth!
Use leftover shredded chicken in the following ways:
- Chop the leftover chicken to make curried chicken salad or classic chicken salad.
- Stir shredded chicken into chicken noodle soup or chicken and rice soup.
- Save time and use the pre-cooked chicken for an easy casserole like chicken casserole or chicken spaghetti.
- Air fryer taquitos or chicken enchiladas filling.
- Use it as the main protein in sandwiches and wraps.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use the chicken fat: The chicken renders a lot of fat while it air fries. You could toss potatoes or Brussels sprouts in it and roast them in the air fryer while the chicken is resting.
- To cut down on the cooking time, remove the chicken from the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before air frying so it starts to warm to room temperature.
- Let the chicken rest after air frying: Allowing the chicken to rest for just 5 minutes after it cooks is important for the juices to redistribute for juicy meat.
- If you don’t have an air fryer: Try my delicious and easy roasted chicken, which is cooked in a conventional oven, or my Instant Pot whole chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pat the chicken very well with paper towels to remove as much surface moisture as possible before rubbing it with oil. Otherwise, the chicken skin will steam and become soft instead of crispy. Brushing the chicken with oil also helps the skin brown and crisp up in the air fryer.
A good rule of thumb when considering cooking time is that a whole chicken takes 15 minutes per pound to cook in a 350°F air fryer. So, if you have a 4-pound chicken, it will take roughly an hour to cook, and a 3-pound chicken will take approximately 45 minutes. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it is fully cooked.
The most accurate way to check if chicken is cooked is to use an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken. It should register an internal temperature of 165°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can cut into the chicken and see if the juices run clear, which is a good indication that the chicken is cooked through. But this can dry out the chicken and is less accurate. The safest method is using a thermometer.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this air fryer whole chicken recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 6-quart air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 (3½ – 4-pound) whole chicken (1.6-1.8kg)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Place the chicken on a plate. Empty the cavity of the chicken and pat the skin very dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings behind the back of the chicken.
- Brush the chicken all over with olive oil. Place the chicken breast side up on the plate.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Sprinkle the breast side of the chicken with half of the seasoning mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Place the chicken seasoning side down in the basket of an air fryer. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning all over the other side of the chicken.
- Cook for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken breast side up, and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Use the chicken fat: The chicken renders a lot of fat while it air fries. You could toss potatoes or Brussels sprouts in it and roast them in the air fryer while the chicken is resting.
- To cut down on the cooking time, remove the chicken from the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before air frying so it starts to warm to room temperature.
- Let the chicken rest after air frying: Allowing the chicken to rest for just 5 minutes after it cooks is important for the juices to redistribute for juicy meat.
- If you don’t have an air fryer: Try my delicious and easy roasted chicken, which is cooked in a conventional oven, or my Instant Pot whole chicken.
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