One of the best ways to use your air fryer is this rotisserie style air fryer whole chicken. Quicker and easier than roasting it in the oven and you get the most perfectly cooked chicken with crispy skin and juicy meat, with only a few ingredients. Perfect for a roast dinner, or adding to meals throughout the week.
This is the BEST and easiest whole chicken you will ever taste. Cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer couldn't be easier. Just rub it in oil and seasoning then cook in the air fryer for 50 minutes. Quicker than roasting it and this air fryer roast chicken has the crispiest skin and the most tender and juicy meat.
If you are looking for some other air fryer chicken recipes, why not try our Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets, Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Tikka?
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Why you will love it
- Perfectly cooked chicken - You really have to try it to believe it. This is the BEST way to cook a whole chicken, as it's so juicy with the crispiest skin. Once you try a whole chicken in an air fryer, you will never cook it another way again.
- Quick - This roast chicken in an air fryer takes just 50 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken and air fryer). That's quicker than roasting it in the oven. It's so easy, that it makes a roast chicken totally do-able midweek.
- Versatile - There is so much that you can use this air fryer whole chicken for. Serve it as a roast dinner or use it in the recipes we have shared below.
- Adaptable - There are so many ways that you can season this air fryer roast chicken. Add your favourite seasoning blend.
- Budget friendly - Not only is an air fryer cheaper to run than an oven, but cooking a whole chicken is cheaper than buying breasts. Just shred everything up and add to meals.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken - A whole chicken is what you need for this recipe. Keep in mind the size of your air fryer basket when buying your chicken, as it needs to fit.
- Oil - We used a good quality olive oil.
- Garlic - Use garlic granules, rather than fresh, otherwise it will burn.
- Paprika - We use smoked paprika.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season to get that rotisserie chicken flavour. The salt also helps to get the chicken skin nice and crispy.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make air fryer whole chicken - Step by step
One: Add the oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to a small bowl (a). Mix well to combine everything (b).
Two: Starting breast side up, rub the chicken with half of the oil mixture. Flip over and rub the remaining oil mix over the underside.
Three: Place the chicken, breast side down, into the air fryer basket. Cook at 180°C for 30 minutes.
Four: Using tongs or two forks, carefully flip the chicken over.
Five: Cook breast side up at 180°C for a further 20-25 minutes.
Six: Carefully remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Why cook a whole chicken in the air fryer?
Our air fryer is one of our favourite kitchen appliances, because it cooks our favourite meals quicker and healthier. They work by cooking food by rapidly circulating hot air around. It gives (most foods) a crispy texture with much less oil than frying or roasting. By cooking this way, the air circulation cooks food evenly and nothing sticks. See below in the FAQs for our recommendation of which air fryer is the best.
- Air fryers are a healthier way to cook food. You can get crispy food, like chips (fries), bacon, sausages and roast chicken with much less oil than frying or baking.
- They are quick and easy to turn on and they heat up quickly, so you don't have to wait for an oven to heat up.
- There is nothing worse than using your oven on a hot day, and heating up the whole kitchen. Using the air fryer stops this from happening.
- They might take up a fair amount of space on your countertop, but they are so versatile that you will use them over and over again. They are very easy to clean too.
- Using an air fryer means more space in the oven. This is great for when making a big roast dinner.
Variations
The great thing about this air fryer whole chicken, is that there are so many different ways to season it. We have added a little garlic and paprika for a lovely smokiness, but you could add some cayenne for a kick of heat too.
If you want a more traditional herby chicken, then a mixture of dried oregano, thyme and basil. Lemon zest and dried basil or parsley is another delicious flavour combination.
You can also use a seasoning blend like Fajita seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
What to serve with air fryer whole chicken
This air fryer roast chicken is a must when it comes to a Sunday roast dinner. But, what is a Sunday roast without all the sides? And do we have some side dishes for you?! Take a look of some of these that go perfectly with a roast chicken:
- Easy Roast Potatoes
- The BEST Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Vegetable Mash
- Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
- Easy Cauliflower Cheese
- Air Fryer Parsnips
- Mustard and Honey Roasted Parsnips
- Slow Cooker Red Cabbage
- Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Garlic and Parsley Roasted Carrots
You can also use it in our Leftover Chicken Pasta, Chicken Mayo Sandwich, BBQ Chicken Pizza or Chicken Pasta Salad.
Storage
Store: You can store leftovers of air fryer whole chicken in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can store the leftover chicken in a freezer bag with the air removed. It will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Defrost: You can defrost this in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
You would have to make sure the frozen chicken has defrosted first before putting it in the air fryer. We wouldn't recommend cooking a whole chicken from frozen.
You can add the oil and seasonings to the chicken and then keep it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it.
Cooking times will vary between 45-60 minutes. This will depend on the size of your chicken, and your air fryer as they all cook differently.
This dish cooks in the air fryer for around 50 minutes, but the exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer and the size of your chicken. The best way to ensure that it is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 75°C/167°F at the thickest part of the meat.
We can't rate highly enough the Power Air Fryer XL. The 5 litre capacity is big enough for cooking for the whole family and it can fry, grill, bake, sauté, roast and steam. There are simple touch screen controls and it heats up quickly and can cook your food up to 70% faster than a conventional oven. Also, it's dishwasher safe.
Extra tips
• Make sure to leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving, as this lets all the juices soak into the meat.
• Cooking time depends on your air fryer and the size of your chicken. So start with 45 minutes and then check your chicken from there.
• Make sure the chicken is patted dry before adding the rub.
• If your chicken is a bit too big to fit in your air fryer, then gently push down on it with the palm of your hand until you hear the breast bone crack and it should fit in a bit easier.
• Don't waste the juices that are left in the bottom of your air fryer basket. Pour it over some vegetables and whilst the chicken is resting, cook them in the air fryer. You could also make a gravy with them.
• Make sure you remove the giblets if your chicken has them.
More air fryer recipes
If you’ve tried this air fryer whole chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3.33 lb) Whole chicken
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoon Olive oil, 0.5 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Paprika and 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper to a small bowl. Mix well to combine everything.
- Starting breast side up, rub t1.5 kg Whole chicken with half of the oil mixture. Flip over and rub the remaining oil mix over the underside.
- Place the chicken, breast side down, into the air fryer basket. Cook at 180°C for 30 minutes.
- Using tongs or two forks, carefully flip the chicken over.
- Cook breast side up at 180°C for a further 20-25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Recipe tips
• Cooking time depends on your air fryer and the size of your chicken. So start with 45 minutes and then check your chicken from there.
• Make sure the chicken is patted dry before adding the rub.
• If your chicken is a bit too big to fit in your air fryer, then gently push down on it with the palm of your hand until you hear the breast bone crack and it should fit in a bit easier.
• Don't waste the juices that are left in the bottom of your air fryer basket. Pour it over some vegetables and whilst the chicken is resting, cook them in the air fryer. You could also make a gravy with them.
• Make sure you remove the giblets if your chicken has them.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Savita
Such a holiday-perfect dinner. So crisp on the outside and soft inside. Soo good.
Toni
Such an amazing air fryer recipe!! I love how easy this is! Thanks!
Jacqueline Debono
My new favourite way to cook a whole chicken. It came out perfect and was really easy!
Anjali
I had no idea you could make an entire chicken in the air fryer! I can't wait to try this for one of our family dinners this week!
Laura
What a perfect first recipe to try in our new Ninja Dual! We followed the blog post step by step and the chicken was cooked to perfection. Juicy meat on the inside with a delicious crispy skin. Winner winner!
Jen
I just tried it and turned out so good! My whole family enjoyed it! And I love that it is so easy to make in the air fryer!
Joyce
I just got an air fryer and thought I would try this and boy am I glad I did! This was so easy to make and now I have food for the week! Thanks for sharing!
Tavo
First time making a whole chicken in an air-fryer, and it worked perfectly! It was delicious... thanks for the recipe!
Savita
Delicious and such a holiday-perfect dinner! Loved it
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
That chicken looks amazing! I love how crispy the skin is as well. Great for a roast or stir fries too.
Sharon
I love that I can use my air fryer now to make a juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside chicken. Perfect for Sunday dinners.
Toni
I love how quick and easy you can make this in the air fryer!! Turned out so good!
Dana
Great simple flavor and such an easy way to make a whole chicken! And with crispy skin, bonus!
Tara
Oh wow! This chicken looks absolutely fantastic. Definitely quicker and easier than making in the oven. I really need to get an air fryer.