Air Fryer Whole Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
Our flavorful Air Fryer Whole Chicken is juicy and delicious with crispy skin. All you need is a few ingredients for this air fryer rotisserie chicken dinner.
Cooking a whole chicken has never been easier than just seasoning it and placing it in your air fryer. All you need to do is flip it once so that it cooks evenly and you get the most tender chicken each time!
If you love rotisserie chicken you’re going to absolutely love this chicken recipe. The crispy chicken skin and the juicy meat are unbeatable.
The air fryer is one of our favorite kitchen gadgets and we love using it for our Air Fryer Baked Potato, Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato, Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Garlic, and so many more air fryer recipes.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Whole Chicken – we try to get a 4lb to 5lb chicken this way it fits nicely in our air fryer.
- Avocado Oil – This is our preferred oil for cooking.
- Granulated Garlic – We prefer granulated garlic, but you can also use garlic powder, just reduce the amount by 1/4 teaspoon per 1 teaspoon.
- Parsley – This is our preferred herb.
- Salt
- Pepper
How to make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Open the chicken package and remove the neck and giblet bag if any are in the chicken cavity. Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel.
In a small bowl, combine the avocado oil and seasonings. Using a pastry brush or a clean hand, rub all the seasoning and oil over the outside of the chicken.
Place the whole chicken in the air fryer breast side down and cook for 40 minutes at 360 degrees F.
Carefully flip the chicken so it’s breast side up and cook for another 20 minutes for a 4 to 5lb chicken.
Check the temperature of the chicken, we check the thickest part of the thigh and breast and ensure it’s at least 165 degrees F.
Remove the chicken from the air fryer and place it on a serving platter.
Allow whole chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Recipe tips and variations
- Use your favorite seasonings, but be cautious with anything sweet, as it can caramelize. Keep it simple, like dried herbs, oil, butter, salt, and pepper. You can always add sauces after.
- Want to make a whole roasted bbq chicken? Add BBQ sauce to the chicken in the last 5-10 minutes of air frying.
- No air fryer? You can still make a delicious Whole Roasted Chicken in the oven.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover chicken in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: To freeze cooked chicken place it in an airtight freezer safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- Reheat: To reheat chicken I like to do it in a pan with a little chicken broth to keep the chicken moist. You can also use the microwave or an oven safe dish in the air fryer. Just be cautious to not dry out the chicken.
How to serve
To serve we remove the chicken drumsticks, chicken thighs, and chicken wings. We then slice the chicken breast and place it on a plate for easy serving with our favorite sides.
Frequently asked questions
For this air fryer whole chicken recipe we used the Ninja Max XL Air Fryer.
Let’s start with how long to cook chicken per pound. We cook chicken 20 minutes per pound and typically add 15-20 minutes more if cooking in the oven. With the air fryer, a 5lb chicken is perfectly cooked after about an hour with flipping once in between. The time will vary depending on the size of your chicken.
Chicken should always be cooked to 165 degrees F. Dark meat I go for 185 degrees F as it will taste better flavor and texture-wise when cooked a little longer. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone to get an accurate measure. We suggest checking the inner thigh and the breast to ensure you have evenly cooked chicken as all air fryers vary.
We tried to add vegetables underneath our chicken in the ninja using the rack but it brought the chicken too close to the heating element. If you have a larger air fryer you can add some depending on the size and style.
Resting allow the juices to redistribute into the meat after cooking resulting in juicy and moist chicken. Slicing right in after cooking will cause the meat to become dry and juices end up on the plate.
In the Cuisinart, we do 350 degrees F and follow the same instructions. We use the lower rack position.
what to serve with roast chicken
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb whole chicken
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 salt more or less to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Remove any contents from the cavity of the chicken. You can discard or use the giblets and neck as desired. Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel.
- In a small bowl combine the avocado oil and seasonings. Use a pastry brush or a clean hand and rub all of the seasoning and oil over the outside of the chicken.
- Place the whole chicken into the air fryer breast side down and cook for 40 minutes at 360 degrees F.
- Carefully flip the chicken over so it's breast side up and then cook it for another 20 minutes.
- Check the temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh and breast to ensure it's at least 165 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer basket and place it onto a serving platter.
- Allow whole chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
So nice to have you here! Did you try this recipe? ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Be sure to leave a recipe rating! Also, tag us @courtneyssweets #courtneyssweets on Instagram so we can share it!
OMG..Courtney. I just did your chicken and it was FAB. I’M 85 and still learning my air fryer.. i have a POWER XL VORTEX PLUS (7QT), I put in a 5# chicken,,,WOW. Shared it with a 90 yr old ex chef in the army and he said VERY GOOD..
THANX 4 THE RECIPE.
I’m so glad you enjoyed both it!! This comment and rating just made my week 🙂 you’re so welcome, and thank you!