Skip the oven and make this Air Fryer whole chicken recipe instead! Roasting a whole chicken in the Air Fryer results in the same crispy skin and tender meat you’d expect from a rotisserie chicken, but it’s even easier to make at home. Made with a few simple ingredients in just over 1 hour!
Air-fried Rotisserie-style Chicken Recipe
Yes, it is possible to cook a whole chicken in an Air Fryer, and it comes out as deliciously crisp and juicy as an oven-roasted chicken. In fact, I might say it’s even better! This air-fried roast chicken is so close to the taste and texture of a rotisserie-style chicken, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners. I stuffed this chicken with fresh herbs and use simple seasoning blends to add tons of flavor. This easy Air Fryer recipe is perfect for holidays too, since it keeps my oven clear for all the others dishes on the menu.
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Cook Time
A 5-pound whole chicken will take about 1 hour, 15 minutes to cook in a 350°F Air Fryer oven. Cook for 1 hour breast-side up, then flip and cook another 15 minutes. Smaller chickens will cook through slightly faster, so be sure to check the internal temperature around the 45 minute mark.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 6-Qt Air Fryer
- Kitchen Twine
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (*)
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (5-pound) whole chicken (giblets removed**)
- 4 spigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano
Instructions
- Spray the Air Fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the avocado oil, poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.3 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Brush seasoning mixture onto the whole chicken.1 (5-pound) whole chicken
- Stuff whole chicken with sprigs of fresh thyme and oregano. Then tie the legs together with cooking twine.4 spigs fresh thyme, 4 sprigs fresh oregano
- Place the chicken into the air fryer, breast side down. Set the temperature to 350℉ and cook for 1 hour.
- When the cooking time is complete, carefully flip the chicken, breast side up, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Make sure the internal temperature has reached 165℉ to serve.
Notes
- I used a 5.8qt Air Fryer with a 5-pound chicken.
- Feel free to swap out the seasoning blends for your preferred mix of herbs and spices. A different bundle of fresh herbs can be used to stuff as well.
- For extra juicy results, brine the chicken up to 24 hours before cooking.
- Cooking breast side down first will keep the breast meat juicy.
- Make sure your chicken doesn’t contact the heating element while cooking, or it will burn.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer Step by Step
Prep: Grab a whole chicken, some seasonings and herbs, kitchen twine, and your Air Fryer. Remove the giblets from a 5-pound whole chicken and pat the skin dry with a paper towel. I recommend setting the chicken out on the counter for about 60 minutes ahead of time. Bringing it to room temperature helps the meat cook more evenly.
Mix the Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of avocado oil, ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Season the Chicken: Brush the seasoned oil all over the chicken. Be sure to coat all sides and get underneath the skin too. I like to use a silicone pastry brush for this step, because it makes for a clean application and it’s dishwasher safe!
Stuff the Chicken: Stuff the whole chicken with 4 sprigs of fresh thyme and 4 sprigs of fresh oregano. You can use a different combination of herbs if you like. Then tie the legs together with cooking twine. Tying the legs helps the chicken cook more evenly.
Air-fry the Chicken: Place the chicken into the basket of the Air Fryer, breast side down. Set the temperature to 350°F and cook for 1 hour. Wash your hands well after handling the raw bird to avoid cross-contamination.
Check the Temperature: After 1 hour, carefully flip the whole chicken to face breast side up, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the breast and thickest part of the thigh, to make sure the internal temperature has reached 165℉.
Rest and Serve: Let the air-fried roast chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout, leading to extra juicy meat! If you like, you can shred up this meat to use in leftover chicken recipes.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Before storing, let Air Fryer whole chicken cool. It’s easiest to store carved into portions. Place chicken in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the air fryer, microwave, or oven until warmed through.
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