Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Air fryer whole chicken is flavorful and easy to make. It's easy to customize the chicken with seasonings and spices when making a whole chicken in the air fryer.

I recently started doing something magical. Roasting up a whole chicken in my air fryer. The skin crisps up beautifully and the inside cooks to perfection.

I only made one mistake my first time. I got a chicken that was ALMOST too big to fit in my air fryer. Luckily, it fit, but after that I've made sure to get chickens no larger than 5 pounds so that way they fit in my air fryer.

Why make a whole chicken in the air fryer

Quicker than the oven - Roasting up a whole chicken in the air fryer is quicker than the oven. Quick enough to make for a weeknight dinner.

Delicious - I just love how the outside crisps up beautifully! And I can season with different spices. (A few ideas are below!)

Fun to make a whole chicken - I love that by roasting up a whole chicken, there are so many ways to use the chicken throughout the week!

My daughter likes the chicken thighs, I love slicing up the chicken breast and using it in pastas or soups like this Tuscan chicken soup. And then you can even use the bones to make chicken stock or bone broth.

Ingredients

• Whole chicken - make sure to get a chicken small enough to fit in your air fryer. Large air fryers can usually hold a chicken 3-4 pounds. 5 pounds may be close to being too big, depending on your air fryer.
• Olive oil - I used olive oil in this recipe. It helps the spices and seasonings stick to the chicken and also helps to crisp up the chicken skin.
• Dried thyme leaves - Thyme pairs well with chicken, but you can use other dried herbs and spices.
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika - I used smoked paprika, but you can also use regular paprika.
• Salt
• Black pepper

How to customize

This air fried whole chicken is easy to customize with different seasonings and spices! You can even use fresh herbs if you like. Sometimes I like to go classic, like in this recipe.

However, there are times that I season my chicken with curry powder, harissa powder, or ras el hanout.

And sometimes I just swap out my herbs. Oregano and lemon if I'm going for a more Mediterranean vibe. Herbs de Provence if I want to bring in different flavors like lavender. Or tarragon for a more anise-y flavor.

What to serve with the air fried whole chicken

An air fryer whole chicken pairs beautifully with so many side dishes and desserts! Here are some air fryer and non-air fryer ideas.

Air fryer sides - air fryer sweet potato wedges, air fryer green beans, air fryer Mediterranean vegetables, air fryer roasted potatoes

Non-air fryer sides - chipotle mashed sweet potatoes, harissa roasted carrots, buffalo smashed potatoes

Desserts - air fryer apples, Dutch apple pie, chess bars, raspberry clafoutis

Recipe tips

• Cook time will depend on how large your chicken is. 3 pound chickens may take less time, while a chicken closer to 5 pounds may need a little extra time. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked through.
• While you can place the raw chicken on a cutting board when drizzling oil on top, I prefer using a pan with sides. This helps me keep any oil and seasonings contained while I coat the chicken.

How to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer

Take your whole chicken out of packaging if needed. Remove the giblets, if your chicken came with a giblet package inside the chicken (not all may come with this).

Place chicken on a cutting board or in a large pan. Pat dry with paper towels.

Add olive oil to the chicken skin and rub into all outside sides of the chicken.

In a small bowl, add the seasonings.

Mix together to combine.

Sprinkle seasonings over the chicken and rub into coat all sides. (You will likely use half the seasonings on the top and half on the bottom).

Place chicken in your air fryer basket, breast side down (as shown below). If the legs are tied together, you may need to separate to get chicken to properly fit in your air fryer.

Cook chicken at 360 degrees F for 30 minutes. Flip, then cook an additional 25-35 minutes. (Final cook time will depend on the size of your chicken).

Chicken should be cooked until the internal temperature of the chicken breast area is 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.

Let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes, then cut into pieces and enjoy.

FAQs

What temperature does chicken need to be cooked to?

Chicken should be cooked until the internal temperature of the chicken breast area is 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.

How to store leftover chicken

Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

More air fryer chicken recipes

• Air fryer bone-in chicken thighs
• Air fryer caprese chicken
• Air fryer panko chicken
• Air fryer honey garlic chicken
• Air fryer honey dijon chicken