• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Dinner Ebook! Get your copy!

Join the Little Sunny Kitchen email family!

Get our FREE dinners ebook!

  • Meet Diana
  • Favorite Products
  • Videos
  • Web Stories

Little Sunny Kitchen

Delicious Recipes for Real Life

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Sides
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Pasta
    • Soups & Chilis
    • Desserts
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Beverages
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Valentine’s
    • Easter
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Slow Cooker
    • Oven
    • Stovetop
    • Grill
  • Easy Meals
  • Appetizers
  • Drinks
  • Slow Cooker
  • Air Fryer
  • Restaurant Copycats
  • Learn To Cook
Home Method Air Fryer

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

5
/5 –
Rate Recipe 5 Comments
Jump to Recipe
  • Share
By: Diana Posted: 6/2/19 Updated: 3/11/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Air Fryer whole chicken is so juicy and tender, with golden crispy skin! This is the easiest way to roast a whole chicken in the air fryer and get a rotisserie style chicken quickly with little effort!

A roasted whole chicken in the air fryer basket

I recently bought myself a massive air fryer! The old one was too small and just didn’t do the job anymore. I got a 4.2 L air fryer, it’s a powerful machine with a big capacity and I’m just in love with it! Seriously, guys, I use it every single day!

And that means, that I finally can fit a whole chicken in it and never have to buy rotisserie chicken again! This air fryer can roast the chicken so beautifully, you won’t believe it. If you’re reading this, please give this recipe a try and you can thank me later.

Whole Chicken in Air Fryer

So it’s true that you can roast a whole chicken in your air fryer, but there are so many recipes on the internet and you gotta find the right one. But you’ve come to the right place because here’s a true and tested recipe for you!

This recipe guarantees that your chicken is perfectly roasted in the air fryer as it works like a rotisserie. The chicken will turn out juicy, tender, full of flavor and the crust will be absolutely perfect.

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer?

If you have time, I recommend brining your whole chicken. Brining in a salt solution makes your chicken juicy, tender, and seasons the meat very well. This step is not a must, but strongly recommended for better results! I have an easy chicken brine recipe if you want to give it a try.

Prepare the marinade. There are many different marinades to choose from, but here’s my favorite. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, ginger, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk the ingredients until well combined, and that is your marinade ready.

To prep the chicken:

  1. Remove the chicken giblets, rinse the chicken inside out and remove any excess fat or pin feathers. Using kitchen towels, pat the chicken dry.
  2. Using kitchen string, tie the legs together.
  3. Stuff the inside of the chicken with a bunch of thyme, lemon wedges, and garlic cloves. Then using a brush, just brush the marinade all over the chicken and make sure that the chicken is well coated. 
  4. Transfer to the air fryer. Make sure that your chicken fits into the air fryer before you start, if not, then you can always cut up the chicken into pieces (but the cooking time will be less so you’ll need to watch the chicken). To learn how to properly cut up a chicken, check out this video on youtube.
  5. Cook at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes. Then flip the chicken over, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Steps on how to make Air Fryer whole chicken

How to Check If the Roast Chicken Is Cooked Through Properly

Before you take the chicken out, you need to make sure that the chicken is well cooked and is safe to eat. You can check this by using one of these methods:

  • Using a thermometer (recommended method): You can use a thermometer to check if your chicken is cooked. The internal temperature of the breast must be at least 165°F (75°C).
  • Slice the chicken between the breast and the leg and look at the juices, if they’re running clear then it means that the chicken is cooked. If they have a slight pink tinge to it, you need to cook it for longer. So put it back in, and cook for 10 more minutes then take it out and check again.
  • Also, look at the meat and check if it feels firm. When it’s cooked, it will be firm. If it’s still undercooked, then it will feel rubbery and jiggly.

The air fryer will be really hot as you check the chicken, so make sure that you’re wearing oven mitts and you’re handling with care. It’s very easy to burn your hands as the air fryer and the chicken will be extremely hot.

Close up shot of the crispy skin of the  air fried whole chicken

Tips to Get the Perfect Air Fryer Rotisserie Whole Chicken

  • Make sure that the chicken is completely covered with the marinade before cooking to get more flavor.
  • If your chicken is smaller/bigger than the one in this recipe, the cooking time will be different. 
  • The air fryer that I’ve used to roast a whole chicken, is this 4.2L air fryer so the chicken fit perfectly. It’s great for families and for cooking bigger amounts of food. If your chicken won’t fit, you can cut it up into smaller pieces or just remove the backbone (save the backbone to make homemade stock later!).
  • Start with the chicken breast side up (as you can see in the picture above), then after 30 minutes of cooking flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Make sure that you check the doneness of the chicken before removing it from the air fryer. You don’t want to undercook or overcook the meat.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • Use the leftovers for other recipes such as this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, Rasta pasta, Caesar pasta salad, or meal prep for the week!
A platter with carved whole chicken pieces and lemon slices

What to Serve This Whole Chicken With?

In the pictures, you can see that I served this Air Fryer chicken with potatoes, green beans, artichokes, and garlic. I cooked them using this Instant Pot buttered potatoes recipe for 5 minutes, then broiled for a couple of minutes.

For more great Air Fryer recipes, check out:

  • Crispy air fryer chicken breast (my most popular Air fryer recipe!)
  • Crispy air fryer fish
  • Air Fryer chicken fajitas
  • Crunchy air fryer hot dogs
  • Air fryer asparagus with mushrooms
  • Air fryer salmon
  • Air fryer baked potato

You can also cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot, check out my Instant Pot whole chicken recipe, and you can even use the chicken juices/broth to make flavorful rice afterward!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
5 from 5 votes
(Click stars to rate!)

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe Email Recipe
Tender, tasty and juicy with a perfectly crispy skin air fryer whole chicken! 
Tender, tasty and juicy with a perfectly crispy skin air fryer whole chicken! 

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pound whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Kitchen thermometer
  • Measuring spoons

Instructions

To make the rub:

  • Combine all of the ingredients to create a paste.

To Air Fry the chicken:

  • Prepare the chicken. Remove the chicken giblets, rinse the chicken inside out and remove any excess fat or pin feathers. Using kitchen towels, pat the chicken dry.
  • Then using a brush, brush the rub all over the chicken and make sure that the chicken is well coated.
  • Transfer the chicken to the air fryer. Cook 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes. Then flip the chicken over, and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Notes:

  • Make sure that the chicken is completely covered with the marinade before cooking to get more flavor.
  • If your chicken is smaller/bigger than the one in this recipe, the cooking time will be different. 
  • The air fryer that I’ve used to roast a whole chicken, is this 4.2L air fryer so the chicken fit perfectly. It’s great for families and for cooking bigger amounts of food. If your chicken won’t fit, you can cut it up into smaller pieces or just remove the backbone (save the backbone to make homemade stock later!).
  • Start with the chicken breast side up (as you can see in the picture above), then after 30 minutes of cooking flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Make sure that you check the doneness of the chicken before removing it from the air fryer. You don’t want to undercook or overcook the meat.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • Use the leftovers for other recipes such as this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, Rasta pasta, Caesar pasta salad, or meal prep for the week!
  • Don’t throw away the chicken carcass, use it to make chicken stock or broth.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 118mg, Sodium: 901mg, Potassium: 372mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 670IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1.6mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

Did You Make This?I love to see what you made! Tag me @LittleSunnyKitchen and hashtag #LittleSunnyKitchen
Pin Recipe Tag on Insta Leave Review

You may also like...

  • Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
  • Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
  • Air Fryer Corn on The Cob
  • Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
Previous Post
Creamy Vegan Mayo
Next Post
Carrot Top Pesto

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review! Cancel reply

Have a question or just want to say how much you loved the recipe? Leave a rating below, save for later on Pinterest, and share on Facebook. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe!




  1. Sarah says

    Posted on 4/21/22 at 00:07

    5 stars
    We just followed this recipe along with your chicken brine recipe and it turned out AMAZING! Best chicken I’ve ever made. Highly recommend (although slightly on the salty side). Thank you very much for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  2. Sharon Bernhaut says

    Posted on 4/10/22 at 22:53

    5 stars
    What a great tasting chicken!

    Reply
  3. LBurns says

    Posted on 11/19/20 at 23:31

    5 stars
    I always air fry whole chickens breast side down for the first 30 minutes and then flip them. I air fry a whole chicken almost every week and am ALWAYS amazed at how juicy the breast meat is YUM!!! (I cook turkeys in the oven the same way) Your marinade was delicious! Thank you 👏
    I often simply use the McCormick Grill Mates packets – just rub the bird with olive oil and sprinkle the entire packet all over it and cook it.
    I am making your IP Cauliflower recipe right now – sure smells GREAT! Thank you for sharing all these great recipes and techniques 😎

    Reply
  4. shirley says

    Posted on 6/23/20 at 19:25

    did you cook the potatoes and beans as shown in the air fryer

    Reply
    • Diana says

      Posted on 6/24/20 at 20:49

      If your Air Fryer is big enough, you can add baby potatoes after 10-15 minutes and then add the green beans later. Keep an eye on them 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Meet Diana

Welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I’m here to teach you how to make easy meals that are quick, family-friendly, and delicious!

Read More
Follow on Pinterest for more ideas!
Free ebook!

Download My Free Dinner eBook!


Get my copy!

Free eBook

Download My Free Dinner eBook!

Dinner Tonight

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry in a skillet

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

Holding a Chick-Fil-A homemade Sandwich, and waffle fries

Homemade Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Most Popular

Chocolate Macarons

Penne Arrabbiata

French Fry Seasoning

Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Chicken Caesar Wrap

Instant Pot Air Fryer Crockpot Easy Dinners Salads Grilling
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

As Featured On:

Dinner tonight
Free ebook!

Download My Free Dinner eBook!

Join us and receive new recipes every week! Download our FREE eBook with quick and easy dinner recipes that are family-friendly and delicious.

Back to Top

explore

Recipe Index

Videos

Shop

Cooking Guides

Follow Along on Social:

Join My Free Instant Pot & Air Fryer Facebook Group
Back to Top

About

Contact

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

© 2022 Little Sunny Kitchen
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled