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Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Is there anything better than a juicy, roasted chicken? We don’t think so! And this air fryer whole chicken recipe is the best way to make it! It needs just a few simple ingredients, is quick and easy to prepare, and it comes out perfectly crispy every time!

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Air fryer whole roast chicken on a white plate.
Air fryer whole roast chicken.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Roasting a whole chicken in the air fryer is much quicker than in the oven
  • You get perfect roast chicken without any messy roasting pans to deal with
  • One easy trick ensures the chicken remains moist and tender on the inside with perfectly crispy skin on the outside, just like a rotisserie chicken

This recipe is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal, and it’s also great for meal prep. Simply cook up a whole chicken in your air fryer, and then shred or slice it to use in tacos, salads, sandwiches, or whatever else you can dream up.

Some other great air fryer chicken recipes to try are air fryer chicken breast, air fryer whole chicken wings, air fryer chicken thighs, or air fryer chicken quarters.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer whole chicken recipe, or read on for all the details.

Ingredients and substitutions

Whole chicken

The key to selecting a chicken for air frying is to make sure you get the one that is the right size for your air fryer.

I use broiler chickens, which are usually around 2-4 pounds (1-2 kg). The cooking times are dependent on the size of the chicken you use, the smaller the bird, the quicker it will roast.

Oil

A little oil is needed for roasting, especially if you want to get really crispy chicken skin. I usually use light olive oil, but any cooking oil with a high smoke point will work (e.g. avocado oil, vegetable oil).

Tip

When air frying, choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking.

Seasoning

The recipe below uses very simple seasoning of just salt and pepper. However, you can use standard chicken seasoning, or any spice rub, spice mix, or seasoning blend that you like with chicken.

Some ideas for other seasonings to try are:

  • Simple salt and pepper
  • Traditional rosemary and thyme
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Smoked paprika and
  • Lemon pepper dry rub
  • Garlic and rosemary (use garlic powder or crushed garlic cloves)
  • Rubbed sage and onion powder
Cooked whole chicken in air fryer basket
Perfectly roasted air fryer whole chicken.

How to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer

This recipe is very simple to prepare, there are just a few simple steps to getting it just right:

Step 1: Season the chicken.

  • First, pat the raw chicken dry with a paper towel, then drizzle the chicken with oil, and add the seasoning rub.
  • To get good coverage with the seasoning, rub it evenly over the whole chicken, including inside the cavity. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C while you do this.

Step 2: Place chicken in the air fryer.

  • Place the chicken in the air fryer basket breast side down. If your air fryer is prone to sticking, it is a good idea to place it on a small square of parchment or baking paper for the first cooking period.
  • Note: some air fryers do not recommend using parchment, so check your manual if you are unsure
Whole chicken in the air fryer basket
Place chicken in the air fryer basket and air fry at 360°F/180°C.

Step 3: Air fry chicken.

  • Roast the chicken in the air fryer at 360°F/180°C for half the cooking time (see table in the section below for estimated cooking times).

Step 4: Flip the chicken.

  • Carefully flip the chicken over. This is the secret to getting perfectly juicy roast chicken in your air fryer.
  • This technique prevents so many of the juices from draining out of the chicken during cooking and directs them back into the center of the bird (in the same way that cooking a rotisserie chicken does).

Tip

For an easy way to flip a whole chicken in an air fryer:

  1. Lift the air fryer basket out of the pan
  2. Pop a plate on top of the basket, and hold it in place
  3. Carefully turn the basket and plate over so the chicken gently falls onto the plate (don’t worry, it doesn’t have far to fall!).
  4. Then it is as easy as sliding the chicken off the plate back into the air fryer basket.

Step 5: Finish roasting chicken.

  • Continue air frying the chicken for the second half of the cooking time until it is golden brown and has reached at least 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part.
  • Check the temperature in a few places to make sure it is cooked the whole way through.
Roast chicken in air fryer basket
Flip the chicken over halfway through the cooking time, and air fry until golden brown and 165°F/ 74°C in the center.

How long to air fry a whole chicken

The cooking times for air frying a whole chicken depends on the size of the chicken you have. To estimate how long to roast it, I follow the approximate air frying times of 15 minutes per pound plus another 10 minutes.

You can use the table below to estimate cooking times:

Chicken SizeAir Frying Time**+ Resting Time
2-2½lb/ 1-1.2kg40-50 minutes10 minutes
3-3½lb/ 1.3-1.6kg55-65 minutes10 minutes
4-4½lb/ 1.8-2kg70-80 minutes10 minutes
5-5½lb/ 2.2-2.5kg70-90 minutes10 minutes
Estimated** time for cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer.

** The exact cook times will depend on the exact shape and size of your chicken, its starting temperature, and also how powerful your air fryer is.

Chicken is cooked correctly when the internal temperature reads at least 165°F/ 74°C in the center of this thickest part.

The only way to be sure that your chicken is cooked correctly is to use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature in the center of the thickest part. Check the temperature in a few places to ensure that it is evenly cooked.

I often use my Meater* wireless meat thermometer when I’m cooking roast chicken, though any instant-read thermometer will do the trick.

Tip

Use an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature in the center of the thickest part of the meat for an accurate temperature reading.

Serving ideas

Serve roasted chicken with a side of vegetables and your favorite style of potatoes.

Here are some easy side dishes to try:

Want to air fry the sides too?

When you’re cooking a whole chicken in your air fryer, there often isn’t a lot of room left to air fry vegetables at the same time. The easy solution is to air fry the vegetables separately.

This is my process:

  1. Prep the vegetables according to the recipe, then pre-cook in the air fryer for 5 or 10 minutes while you prepare the chicken.
  2. Then remove the veggies from the air fryer, put them in a bowl, and cover with foil until the chicken is done roasting.
  3. Pop the vegetables back into the air fryer to finish cooking while the chicken rests for 10 minutes or so.
    Note: you may need to drain the oil and juices out of the air fryer after removing the chicken to prevent your air fryer from smoking.
Pinterest image. Photo: a roasted whole chicken in front of an air fryer. Text: How to roast a whole chicken in the air fryer
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Storing and reheating

Store any leftover roast chicken in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use it within 3 days.

You can reheat the chicken in the air fryer – air fry for 5-10 minutes until 165°F/ 74°C in the center. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave.

Air Fryer Roast Chicken
Yield: 4 Servings

Air Fryer Roast Chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

How to roast a whole chicken in the air fryer.

Ingredients

  • 3lb whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt (kosher or flaked)
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • (optional) seasoning rub

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C.   
  2. Pat chicken dry. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Rub seasoning into the chicken including inside the cavity.
  3. Place chicken in air fryer basket chicken breast side down [Note 1].
  4. Turn the air fryer down to 360°F/ 180°C, and cook the chicken for 25 minutes.
  5. When the time is up, carefully flip the chicken over and air fry for another 25-30 minutes until it is golden brown and at least 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part [Note 2].  
  6. Remove chicken from the air fryer to a plate or cutting board. Cover with foil and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving. 

Notes

  1. If food tends to stick to your air fryer, you can place the chicken on a small square of parchment (if recommended for your air fryer).
  2. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature is at least 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part of the chicken.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 695mgProtein: 30g

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Welcome to Love Food Not Cooking!

I’m Eliza, busy mom, home cook, and blogger. My goal is to help everyone cook good food. Whether you are short on time, skills, or motivation, there is something here for you! We have dozens of quick and easy recipes for dinner, lunch, side dishes, and more. Our recipes use everyday ingredients, for quick delicious meals your family will love! Read more…

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