This Air Fryer Whole Chicken is a delicious and easy way to make a large dinner to feed the whole family, or to shred and use for meal prepping.
I’ll admit, when I first tried an air fryer whole chicken, I had doubts. Would the breast dry out? Could the skin ever crisp like a rotisserie bird? After several tests, I’m thrilled to say: yes, you absolutely can get golden, crackling skin and tender, juicy meat all in under an hour. This recipe is now one of my go-to weeknight or weekend roasts, and leftover meat powers lunches all week.
Cooking chicken in the air fryer always turns out juicy and perfect. Other favorite chicken recipes include these air fryer chicken breasts and air fryer chicken wings.
There’s just something about roasted chicken with its crispy skin, and the air fryer might just be the easiest way to get the best, juiciest results. No matter how you make it, air fryer rotisserie chicken is an easy dish that pairs with almost every side! My family loves it with everything from air fryer baked potatoes to air fryer green beans.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Crispy skin and juicy meat
⏱️ Prep time: 10 minutes
🔥 Cook time: 50 minutes
⏲️ Total time: 1 hour
👥 Servings: 8 servings
🥄 Tools: air fryer, basting brush, cooking twine for legs
❄️ Freezer friendly: yes! once the meat has been removed, it’s perfect to freeze.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast compared to the oven. Saves time and heat in your kitchen.
- Crispy skin & juicy meat. Thanks to proper drying, seasoning, and finishing.
- Hands-off cooking. Just one flip halfway through.
- Versatile. Serve whole, carve, or shred for tacos, salads, soups.
- Builds value. Use bones for broth, reheats well, feeds a crowd. You might want to save this article on how to reheat rotisserie chicken in the air fryer.
Ingredients you need
- 4lb whole chicken – A 4 lb chicken fits perfectly in my 5.8 qt air fryer
- Italian seasoning – adds flavor to the chicken
- Ground Black Pepper – adds a little spice and additional flavor
- Salt – Add a little salt for extra flavor
- Paprika – I used regular paprika for this recipe, but you can also use smoked paprika if you have it.
Flavor Variations
- Lemon-Herb: Add zest of 1 lemon and 1 Tbsp fresh parsley inside cavity; use rosemary & thyme.
- Smoky BBQ Rub: Use smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, onion powder, pinch cayenne + brown sugar (sparingly).
- Asian-Style: Use soy sauce (reduce overall salt), grated ginger, garlic, five-spice, and a touch of honey.
- Cajun / Creole: Use Cajun seasoning + paprika + garlic powder (especially good in the South).
- Spiced / Indian-inspired: Garam masala, turmeric, coriander, and chili powder (mix with yogurt for paste under skin).
What You’ll Need to Make a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer – I use the Cosori 5.8 qt basket style air fryer.
- Silicone liner – Use a silicone liner to make for easy basket cleanup.
- Olive oil– I use extra light olive oil because it has a higher smoke point than regular olive. Avocado oil is another great choice to use and has a higher smoke point.
- Twine – Use the twine to hold the legs together during the cooking process.
How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
If doing a dry brine, season inside and under the skin, wrap, and refrigerate (uncovered) up to 24 hours. Preheat your air fryer to 360 °F (basket) or 350–360 °F (oven style) for ~5 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse (or pat) chicken and remove any residual moisture inside. Tie the legs with twine, tuck wing tips under.
- Rub with oil all over — even under wings. Mix seasonings and rub or sprinkle over entire bird.
- Place the chicken breast-side down in the fryer basket or tray. Cook for ~25–30 min (for ~4 lb). After that time, flip the bird (breast-side up). Continue cooking for ~25–35 min more.
Optional crisp finish: If skin isn’t golden enough, increase to 400 °F for final 5–10 min. Check internal temperature, where the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) should read 165 °F. Let rest (loosely tented) for 8–10 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to keep an instant read thermometer on hand to ensure the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- First cook breast-down protects breast meat from overexposure to heat.
- Use twine to hold the legs together during the cooking process. It keeps the legs together for easy maneuverability, and helps keep any stuffed items (such as onion or lemon slices) inside of the cavity.
- Dry skin = crisp skin: Patting the chicken thoroughly dry before seasoning helps the skin brown.
- Add a Tablespoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket before air frying the chicken. The water will help absorb some of the fat drippings and cut back on the smoke from the fat.
- Save the chicken bones from the cooked chicken and boil it for chicken stock to be used for your favorite soups and stews.
- Catch drippings if possible (for gravy or broth).
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Remove meat from bones, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked meat (in portions) up to 3 months (vacuum-sealed or airtight).
- Reheating: In the air fryer: 325 °F for 3–5 minutes until warmed. In oven: 300–325 °F covered for ~10 min.
- Use leftovers: soups, tacos, salads, sandwiches, casseroles, fried rice, etc.
- Tip: Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to prevent dryness.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe FAQs
This is such an easy recipe, and it’s perfect for a hands off meal when you need to feed a crowd.
If you’re looking for more chicken recipes, check out some of our favorites below.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 4lb Whole Chicken
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the Air Fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. One preheated, prepare the liner of the basket with non stick cooking spray.
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Clean the chicken and remove any innards that are in the cavity of the chicken. Rub the seasonings all over the chicken, covering it well.
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Place the seasoned chicken into the prepared Air Fryer basket, breast side down, and cook for 25 minutes. Then flip the chicken to cook breast side up, and cook for an additional 40 minutes.
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Before removing the chicken, check the temperature by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast. If the temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher you can remove it from the Air Fryer. Otherwise, add an additional 2 minutes of cook time until the temperature has reached 165 degrees.
Notes
- Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat leftover chicken in the Air Fryer at 280 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is reheated through.
- Use any leftover chicken for additional recipes and for meal prepping.
Weight Watchers: 1 cup of meat approx 5-7 points
KETO: C/0 P/38 F/2 (6 ounce serving)
