The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Juicy Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Did you know you can make chicken in the air fryer? Perhaps you have already tried this perfect chicken breast recipe in the air fryer, but have you ever made a whole chicken in the air fryer?
Today, I am so excited to share with you Air Fryer Whole Chicken! You will love this one because the chicken is so tender and juicy with the perfect crispy skin! Plus, buying whole chicken is incredibly cheaper than buying chicken breasts and has amazing flavor.
I had about a 4 pound chicken and it fit perfectly in my air fryer. And, this chicken tastes so much better than buying a rotisserie chicken at the store.
Ingredients needed to make The Best Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer:
- Whole chicken
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Pepper
- Thyme
- Sage
- Ground mustard
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Basil
- Kosher salt
Supplies needed:
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Oil sprayer or cooking spray
- Air fryer (Cosori Pro II)
Helpful Tips for the Best Whole Chicken
I love this recipe because it is so flexible! However, you do need to keep an eye on the chicken because every air fryer model is different, so your cooking time and temperature may vary.
But here’s where you do have your flexibility:
For this chicken, you can either tie the legs together or not, it’s up to you!
This recipe suggests that you start with the breast side down, and then after 40 minutes flip the chicken breast side up. However, if you mix it up, don’t worry!
For the cooking time, cook the chicken on one side for 30-40 minutes, and then flip it and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. Using your instant read thermometer, make sure your chicken reads about 165˚F.
Finish the process by tenting your chicken in tin foil for about 10 minutes before eating.
The safe internal temperature when making a whole chicken
If you are not sure that your chicken is done and cooked through, use a meat thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 degrees F or 74 degrees C at the thickest part of the chicken.
If you do not choose the thickest part you might still be undercooking the chicken. So make sure to avoid poking the thermometer inside to the cavity of the chicken.
How to store this air fryer whole chicken recipe:
Once you are done cooking the chicken, you can either choose to leave the remaining meat on the bones and then wrap the chicken in foil and store in the fridge.
Or you can remove the chicken from the bones and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
Not only does this chicken taste amazing, but it’s also so easy to make in the air fryer!
Step 1: Preheat air fryer
Step 2: Prepare chicken
Remove and discard the giblets, then rinse and pat the chicken dry.
Step 3: Air fry whole chicken
Notes for making the best air fryer whole chicken:
Feel free to experiment with the seasonings and spices when you roast chicken!
You will also need an oil of your choice to rub over your chicken. I used avocado oil, and only needed about 1-1 ½ teaspoons of avocado oil.
Final Thoughts
You will enjoy this recipe with some air fryer asparagus or these buttermilk mashed potatoes. I hope you fall in love with this air fryer whole chicken as much as I have! I love how simple this recipe is, not to mention the easy cleanup! The chicken is perfectly juicy and nice. And depending on the crowd you are feeding, you may even have leftovers.
If you loved how easy this recipe was, then you’ll enjoy making whole chicken in the instant pot!
Try more of my favorite air fryer chicken recipes:
- Tasty Air Fryer Chicken and Veggies with Balsamic Marinade
- The Easiest Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Quick & Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Air fryer tips and tricks
- Air Fryer 101
- Learn these common Air Fryer Mistakes!
- All about the Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
- How to Clean Your Air Fryer
- How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer
- FREE Download → Air Fryer Tips & Temps
- Air Fryer Buying Guide
- Watch Fabulessly Frugal YouTube Channel for Air Fryer Recipes
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The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Air Fryer Whole Chicken is one of the easiest air fryer recipes. All you need is an hour to make this amazing, tender chicken in the air fryer. Course: Main Dish Cuisine: American Keyword: 4th of July, Air Fryer, Christmas, Easter, Fall, Healthy, Meat and Poultry, Spring, Summer, Thanksgiving, Winter Prep Time: 5m Cook Time: 60m Total Time: 65m Servings: 4 – Air Fryer – 4 pound chicken – 1 1/2 tsp avocado oil – 1 tsp rosemary – 1 tsp oregano – 1 tsp pepper – ½ tsp thyme – ½ tsp sage – ½ tsp ground mustard – ½ tsp garlic powder – ½ tsp onion powder – ¼ tsp basil – 1.5 tsp kosher salt 1) Preheat the air fryer at 400˚F/204˚C for 5 min 2) Remove and discard the giblets, then rinse and pat chicken dry 3) Massage oil all over the chicken 4) Rub seasoning mix all over the chicken, and tie legs together if desired. 5) Place the chicken in air fryer basket, cook at 350˚F/177˚C for 40 minutes 6) Using tongs, flip the chicken breast side up and air fry at 350˚F/177˚C for an additional 25 minutes. 7) Tent the chicken in tin foil for about 10 minutes before eating calories 490 carbohydrates 1 protein 41 fat 35 sodium 1025 fiber 1 sugar 1
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maybe you could put hot rogs or sausage links every other one in the bread accessory. or taco shells.
I don’t think hotdogs or sausages would fit, but homemade taco shells would work!
have your recipe book but unsure when you mean to use whole or ground herbs like ground oregano or dried oregano, etc. like in this whole chicken recipe.
Hi Kathy, we use dried and often ground.
Hi, just got my Cosori AF and found your YT channel, then here. OK, I’d like your advice on cooking a Cornish game hen. It’s smaller, but would I just change up the temperature time?? OK, thanks. You are amazing, to have only had an AF for a short time and you mastered it !!
YAY Deborah, we hope you enjoy your air fryer. I would try this:
380ºF for 2 hens: 18 minutes breast side down, and 8-10 minutes breast side up. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer for 165º F.
Rest for 10 minutes under loose foil.
I just made your air fryer whole chicken recipe. It is absolutely outstanding! And it is far superior to anything produced in my local grocery store’s rotisserie.
Hi Donna, thanks for the review! So glad you loved it!
I just made your air fryer whole chicken recipe. It is absolutely outstanding! And it is far superior to anything produced in my local grocery store’s rotisserie.
Would you need to flip the chicken if you have the Cosori Dual Blaze model?
I have the exact same question.
Would this recipe work if you had to butterfly the chicken in half because I have the ninja af and it is not deep?
Hey Jim, great question! I haven’t tried butterflying a whole chicken in the air fryer. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I imagine the cooking time may decrease. So just keep an eye on the internal temp. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Did you cook the chicken in your Cosori Dual Blaze? I have a Ninja Foodi Grill that does not have a bottom burner so would the time/temp need to be adjusted to compensate? The recipe sounds delicious!
Hey Sandra, this recipe is based off of a single burner air fryer (Cosori Pro II). So, it will work in your Ninja Foodi. You may still need to adjust time- just keep an eye on your chicken!
Love this recipe
The only thing is that it makes a greasy mess of the element.
Is it possible to wrap lightly with tin foil as I would when cooking in the oven to avoid some of the grease splatters on the element?
P.S. Love my Corsori.
After several months finally got my replacement for the recall.
Hi Heather, for sure! You can wrap it in tin foil. This may slightly affect the total cook time. Just keep an eye on it and add more time as needed. Happy air frying!
This recipe is outstanding! It was one of the first ones we tried when we got our air fryer years ago and it’s still our go-to method of cooking whole chicken. We have a Ninja max xl air fryer, which is kind of small, and I was able to cook a 5-lb chicken in it with no issues. I recently reviewed this recipe on my YouTube channel, The Real Deal Recipe Reviews, where I always try to make recipes as written and give honest reviews. This one is a winner and I highly recommend it!
Thanks, Daryl, for the positive feedback! Happy air frying!
Used your recipe to do a whole chicken in my air fryer… It came out fabulous! Very delicious and perfectly cooked! Wish I could attach a picture! Thanks so much for posting it!
Hi Cliff, thanks for the review! I bet it looked amazing!