This air fryer whole chicken recipe is my go-to dinner. It’s totally effortless and makes an insanely juicy chicken! Cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer is so easy and perfection every single time.
Season a whole chicken and air fry for about an hour. Voila… crispy skin, juicy meat, perfect.
Why I LOVE Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
Oven roast chicken is a go to meal, and it’s even easier in the air fryer. This is hands down my favorite air fryer meal, it comes out with extra-crisp skin and is very juicy & fall off the bone tender.
- Using the air fryer to cook any cut of chicken is so easy.
- Chicken cooks quicker and clean up is a cinch!
- You’ll need just 3 ingredients (chicken, oil and a favorite seasoning).
- The skin is extra crisp and the meat is very juicy.
- Great for dinner or for meal prep. Cook an extra chicken to replace a rotisserie chicken or to have chicken for sandwiches, soups, or salads.
Serve this air fryer chicken with your favorite veggies or mashed potatoes and a side salad.
Ingredients
CHICKEN: Choose a chicken that is about 3-4lbs in size.
OIL: A bit of olive is added which helps the seasoning stick to the skin as well as helps the skin to crisp better. Cooking spray can be used instead.
SEASONING: A little bit of seasoning before cooking adds flavor to the skin. If you have a favorite seasoning blend, use it. If not, a simple mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and garlic powder is great too. Add your own favorite seasonings including onion powder, oregano, dried basil, lemon zest, or rosemary.
How to Make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
This recipe is ready in just 3 easy steps.
- Remove giblets if the chicken has them and pat the chicken dry with paper towel.
- Rub with oil and seasonings (per the recipe below).
- Cook according to the recipe instructions.
Serve this chicken with roasted sweet potatoes or glazed carrots and a tossed salad to round out the meal!
Tips for Success
- Look inside the chicken and remove giblets (they can be saved for giblet gravy). Not all chickens have them so don’t worry if you don’t see them.
- Many chickens come tied with string. If the chicken is bigger (closer to 4lbs) it may be too big and touch the top of the air fryer. If this is the case, untie it before cooking. If it’s still touching the top of the air fryer, gently press the chicken breast with the palm of your hand to slightly crack the breast bone.
- Cook the chicken breast side down and flip after 30 minutes.
- A 3 lb chicken will need 45-50 minutes while a 4lb chicken will need closer to 60 minutes.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Check it early to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
- Pour the drippings over veggies (like asparagus or cauliflower) and cook them in the air fryer while the chicken rests.
Leftover Chicken
- To store chicken, remove the meat from the carcass and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. (Save the carcass for broth).
- To reheat, just pop it in the microwave! Refresh the flavors with a little salt and pepper, or make a quick gravy to serve over top!
Air Fryer Favorites
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – perfect snack for any occasion
- Hoisin Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – so easy to make
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts – perfectly seasoned
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken – a failproof recipe
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – so crispy & flavorful
Did you make this Air Fryer Chicken? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Chicken Seasoning (or use 1 tbs prepared chicken seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅙ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Ensure the cavity of the chicken is empty and dab the skin dry.
- Rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning.
- Place the chicken breast-side down into the air fryer basket. Turn the air fryer on to 350°F.
- Cook for 30 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for 20-30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 165°F.
- Remove from the air fryer and rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Video
Notes
- I have this 5.8qt air fryer which fits a 3.75lb chicken. Ensure your chicken will fit in your air fryer before starting.
- Make sure to remove all giblets from the cavity before cooking. These pieces can be frozen to make giblet gravy.
- If your chicken is too large (and touches the top element), untie the legs if needed and/or press it to flatten it somewhat until it fits.
- Use any seasonings you'd like. Fresh garlic can sometimes burn in the air fryer.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Check it early to ensure it doesn't overcook.
- Pour the chicken drippings over veggies (like green beans, asparagus or cauliflower) and cook them in the air fryer while the chicken rests.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Main Course
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How long would you recommend cooking one half of a whole chicken using this method?
It depends on the size of your chicken Sandra. I would begin checking the temperature after 30 minutes and cook until it hits 165 F in the thickest part of the chicken. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I’m a stay at home Dad with 2 youngin’s, so you can imagine the chaos. This was a hit for the kiddos and the wife when she got home. I followed it up with yellow rice and black beans. Perfection it was . This is the new way I will cook a whole bird! So juicy and tender.
why bag your bottle of seasoning when you can just disinfect the bottle with a clorox wipe or spray/paper towel when you wipe your counters down from handling raw chicken?! :)
You can certainly disinfect it if you’d prefer.
I made this recipe yesterday. Followed directions as written. This is the best roast chicken I have ever made. It was so moist and juicy. Skin was crispy. Absolutely perfect!!!!!!! Will make on a regular basis. Your recipes are wonderful. Thank you
This chicken turned out perfect! The skin wa crispy and delicious while still being so moist inside. My husband asked to add this to the weekly rotation he loved it so much!
Nice, simple recipe! A little trick I came up with to get really crispy skin is to first “blow dry” the chicken in the Air Fryer at 175 (or the lowest temp setting you have) for 5 minutes, and wisk in 1 tbs of baking powder to the seasoning. Last, I jack the temp to 400 for the last 10 minutes. I get a crisp, juicy chicken every time…no oil needed…:)
I have a huge dual basket air fryer and made two at once. Both were amazing!
That’s awesome to do two at once Tasha!
Easy and good
Is this air roast ? Or Bake ?
My Ninja has too many options.
I use the air fry setting unless otherwise stated. Enjoy Suzie!
Ended up doing a 6# chicken @ 365 for an hour, flipping and cooking an additional 20 minutes to a temp of 165. Perfect!
Do I preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees first?
Thanks,
Harry
I don’t usually preheat the air fryer for this recipe.
Have made this recipe several times, and it is delicious. The only problem I have with it is finding a 3.5 to 4 pound chicken. All of our local big name stores seem to have only 5 pound or larger, which makes the cooking a bit difficult, because the chicken is large enough that the skin burns when cooked at 350. In lieu of being able to find a smaller chicken, I have adjust cooking temp and turning times as best as I can, and it still comes out great, with very slight burning of the breast skin. I am sure that if I could find a smaller bird, it would be perfect! I also use the same air fryer and love it!!!
Made this whole chicken recipe 3 times now with new air fryer and it has been perfect each time. Crispy brown skin and juicy meat, even the breasts! I have never liked breast meay until now! Try it, you’ll love it!
I have a six pound chicken how long do I cook it for
Hi David, I have not tried a chicken of this size in the air fryer but the time would need to be increased. I would first double check the chicken won’t touch the element of the air fryer. And then I would still cook it at 350 F, but the total time will need to be longer. I would check the internal temperature at 70 minutes to see if it’s reached 165 F yet, and add time as necessary until it does reach 165 F. I hope this helps!
Made this recipie today, was completely surprised how easy. We had a 4.3 # chicken and cooked in our 4 in 1 air fryer .
Came out perfect.
I am so glad to hear you loved this recipe as much as I do Richard!
Excellent seasoning mix; loved the final result.
I’m looking for advice for making your recipe today with 7 pound chicken in the oven Air Fryer mode.
Probe for 165F will shut off automatically and I’ll do 45-60 mins breast down then flip as you say.
Any advice, tips or comments?
Thanks for your site!
For a chicken that size I would make sure that it is not touching the elements in the air fryer, if it is in a basket you made need to gently press the chicken breast with the palm of your hand to slightly crack the breast bone. Keep a close eye on the temperature as it will need longer to cook. Otherwise, if you follow the other tips and tricks it should turn out great! I would love to hear how it turns out KH!
perfection! thanks! you gave me the courage to try this, and I have no regrets, lol.
It is so juicy and the flavor is so wonderful. I love cooking my chicken in my air fryer I will no longer go back to cooking it in the oven.
Very juicy and delicious! I made gravy with the giblets and added onions, carrots, and potatoes on the side. Thanks for sharing!
Worked perfectly..followed recipe ..moist meat and crispy skin ..