Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Tender, juicy chicken with a perfectly seasoned crispy skin made right in the air fryer! This Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe has quickly become our go to recipe for making the perfect roast chicken!

Nothing beats a freshly roasted chicken and nothing makes me feel more accomplished in the kitchen. While roasting chicken is simple, it just feels like a special meal, especially when done just right.

Our air fryer whole chicken turns out just right every time – crispy, crackly skin with a simple rotisserie seasoning, moist and juicy white meat, and tender dark meat!

Plus, making a whole chicken in the air fryer means that you don’t have to heat up your whole kitchen with the big oven and the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.

We often make chicken parts in the air fryer. See our air fryer chicken thighs, air fryer drumsticks, air fryer boneless chicken breasts, and air fryer frozen chicken wings. Figured it was high time we made a whole chicken in the air fryer.

This has definitely become a go to for us – ready in just an hour, tender and succulent, and so simple to mix up the seasonings to suit whatever we’re craving that day!

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

ingredients for air fryer chicken recipe.

Whole chicken- You need to size this appropriately for your air fryer. We can fit a 4 pound chicken easily in our 5.8 quart air fryer and usually squeeze in a 5 pound chicken. You want the giblets removed, so buy it that way or remove them yourself. Here’s our air fryer recommendations.

Lemon & Onion -You’ll halve a lemon and onion and stuff them in the cavity of the chicken.

Seasonings- Smoked paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper make for that classic rotisserie chicken flavor. Use any seasonings you like.

How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer:

Stuff the chicken- Remove the giblets and neck. Place the lemon and onion into the cavity.

Season the chicken – Rub the outside of the chicken with oil. Mix all the seasonings into a small bowl together. Rub the seasoning over the chicken to coat.

Air fry the chicken- Place the chicken in your air fryer with the breast side down. Air fryer for 30 minutes at 360 degrees F. Carefully flip the chicken over and continue cooking until the internal temp of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees F. This should take another 30 minutes.

Carving the chicken– Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving, this will make it easier to carve and it will taste better. It’s a win-win.

Serving Suggestions:

Looking for the perfect meal? We’ve got you covered!

Serve up this roasted chicken in the air fryer with:

Leftover Chicken:

If you don’t polish off this air fryer whole chicken in one meal, it’s perfect for leftovers!

Repurpose your chicken into all kinds of meals, including:

FAQ:

What temperature does air fryer chicken need to be in order to be safe to eat?

The internal temperature of your chicken should be 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the chicken. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

Can I put my chicken in a roasting bag, then put it in the air fryer?

No, this is not recommended by most air fryer manufacturers. The chicken cooks perfectly directly in the air fryer basket.

What is the minimum size air fryer I need to cook a whole chicken?

We’re easily able to fit a 4-5 pound whole chicken in our 5.8 qt air fryer. The size of air fryer you need will depend on the size of chicken purchased.