This Air Fryer Whole Chicken changed my life. This method yields perfectly seasoned chicken with crispy skin and the juiciest breast meat. It’s way easier and faster than baking a chicken in the oven.
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken Video Tutorial
I love easy and versatile high-protein main dish recipes, like my fan-favorite Meatloaf, Beef Tenderloin, Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, and Pan-seared Cod. This Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe is a staple I make on repeat for a delicious dinner any night of the week or easy meal prep.
Why I love Cooking a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
I make this chicken all the time because it’s so easy – there’s no brining, trussing, or stuffing required! It results in the crispiest skin with the juiciest meat.
I start with a quick homemade seasoning rub, then air-fry, breast-side down first, so it self-bastes and stays juicy. It’s done in less time than it takes to bake a Roast Chicken in the oven.
Ingredients
- Whole chicken – between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds. Check your air fryer to determine what size bird will fit without touching the heating element. I often air fry a bird up to 5.5lbs in my 6 Quart Air Fryer with the rack removed– this also helps the chicken self-baste in juices.
- Extra light olive oil – helps create crispy skin, moist and tender meat, and helps the spices to adhere to the chicken, but won’t give the meat any strong flavor
- Spices – salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder are seriously the best chicken seasoning. You can easilly change up the seasonings – try adding 1/2 tsp dried oregano, basil, or rosemary.
How to Make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Prep the Chicken – Remove the neck and giblets bag from the inside and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels (this is my best tip for crispy skin!). Rub all over with oil, then sprinkle the seasonings over the surface.
- Place chicken in the air fryer basket breast-side down. I remove the rack to give the chicken more room and to let it self-baste in its own juices, which keeps the breast meat tender. The chicken should not touch the sides of the basket to allow airflow for a crispy skin.
- Air Fry for 30 minutes at 350°F, then flip and cook until a meat thermometer reads 165°F on the breast (see the cook time chart below). Note: Many toaster-style air fryers aren’t tall enough for a whole chicken – if it does fit, you can place the chicken on the tray breast-side down but ensure it’s not touching the heating element.
- Rest the chicken for 5 or 10 minutes so the juices redistribute (keeping the meat juicy and cutting cleaner). Then serve!
How Long to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer?
The size of the chicken will determine the total cooking time in the chart below. Start with the breast-side down and flip after 30 min then air Fry per this chart or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F (thighs should reach 175˚F+).
- 3 1/2 lbs: 45-50 minutes total
- 4 lbs: 50-55 minutes total
- 4 1/2 lbs: 55-60 minutes total
- 5 lbs: 60-65 minutes total
- 5 1/2 lbs: 65-70 minutes total
What to Serve with Air Fryer Roast Chicken
It pairs well with so many sides. Here are a few favorites:
- Pasta – Baked Mac and Cheese, Homemade Pasta, Gnocchi
- Potatoes – Baked Potato, Mashed Potatoes, or Roasted Potatoes
- Salads – Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, or Chickpea Salad
- Vegetables – Roasted Cauliflower, or Roasted Carrots
- Bread – Cornbread, Sourdough Bread, or Pita Bread
I hope this Air Fryer Whole Chicken makes dinner easier for you! If you try it, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out.
Leftover Chicken?
You’ll find storage and reheating tips in the recipe card below. I love using the leftovers anywhere you’d use rotisserie chicken, like in my Chicken Tetrazzini, Cobb Salad, or Avocado Chicken Salad, or tucked into a Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich for lunch.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 lbs to 5 1/2 lbs*
- 2-3 Tbsp extra light olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken – Set the chicken over a baking sheet or platter. Remove the neck and any giblets present inside the chicken cavity and discard them. Thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels — dryness equals crispiness. Rub oil all over the skin. In a small bowl, stir together all of the seasonings. Sprinkle seasonings all over the outside of the chicken.
- Place in Air Fryer basket– If your chicken is larger than 4 lbs, remove the rack from the air fryer basket. Place the chicken breast-side down in the basket – this also keeps the chicken breasts juicier as it self-bastes.
- Cook at 350 °F for 30 minutes, then use tongs and a spatula to flip the chicken breast-side up. Continue cooking 15-35 minutes (*see timing chart below) or until a thermometer reads 165 °F in the thickest part of the breast. Thighs will usually read 175˚F+, which is ideal.
- Rest – Let the chicken rest 5–10 minutes to redistribute juices before carving.
Notes
- 3 1/2 lb chicken: 45-50 min total
- 4 lb chicken: 50-55 min total
- 4 1/2 lb chicken: 55-60 min total
- 5 lb chicken: 60-65 min total
- 5 1/2 lb chicken: 65-70 min total
- To refrigerate – cool the chicken to chill within 2 hours after cooking, then store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To freeze – once cool, remove the bones from the meat and pack the freezer bag or containers for 3-4 months. Keep the carcass for Chicken Stock. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat – the meat can be reheated in the air fryer. Brush or spray with oil to prevent drying and air fry at 325˚F until heated through to 165°F.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer recipes, like this Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer, perfectly cook so many foods from vegetables to meat and even dessert recipes! Check out some of our favorites:
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
I was shocked. This was the very best chicken. It was moist and very flavorful!
I’m so happy to hear you were impressed, Tina!
Made this for my family last night and we all agreed it was the best chicken we ever had! Everyone wanted seconds. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Wow thank you for the awesome feedback!
New to air frying and I have had major burn issues; otherwise followed recipe exactly. So I came back to see if there were any notes about it. I’m surprised that isn’t addressed here.
I have made this recipe 3 times already. The chicken comes out crispy and full of flavor. All of Natasha’s recipes are consistently delicious and easy. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for trying and reviewing this recipe, Shelly! I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes and I have several that I make. Question for this one: I have an air fryer that is already built in on my LG oven. It only comes with a rack and not anything to catch the juices. I would need to put it in some kind of baking pan. Will that work the same? Suggestions? Thanks.
Hi Tammy! If you’re using a convection oven instead of an air fryer, it’s an easy swap. Keep the same temperature (or lower it by 10–15°F) and plan to cook it about 20–30% longer. In most cases, you only need to adjust the time, since a full-size oven doesn’t circulate air quite as strongly as an air fryer. For Example: if the air fryer calls for 400°F for 12 minutes, bake at 385–400°F for about 15–16 minutes in convection. Check for doneness a little early since every oven is different. Just place it on a baking sheet.
Saw your recipe last week and have already tried it twice. I use a different seasoning but your air fryer instructions were perfect. Thanks! What an easy way to cook chicken.
I’m so glad the instructions were helpful, Viv!
This was easy AND so delicious! I used the air fryer function on my oven, and it worked perfectly (I put it in a 9 x 13 foil pan and followed the rest of the instructions exactly). We also reheated it the next day using the air fryer function, brushing with olive oil first as suggested, and it was great for chicken tacos. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!
That’s just awesome, Michele!
Natasha, I have a true convection oven
Could you please start developing directions for this method of cooking.i
Ditched the air for health reasons
HI Robert, Great question! If you’re using a convection oven instead of an air fryer, it’s an easy swap. Keep the same temperature (or lower it by 10–15°F) and plan to cook it about 20–30% longer. In most cases, you only need to adjust the time, since a full-size oven doesn’t circulate air quite as strongly as an air fryer. For Example: if the air fryer calls for 400°F for 12 minutes, bake at 385–400°F for about 15–16 minutes in convection. Check for doneness a little early since every oven is different.
Not my favorite. I typically will roast a chicken once per week and I figured I’d give the Air Fryer a try. I had a 4 1/2 lb chicken and I cooked it as suggested for 60 min. My suggestion is to check the breast temp when you flip it. That may give you an indication of how much time it will need on the breast up cook. The white and dark meat on our chicken was way overcooked at 60 min. I’ll continue to roast my chicken the old fashioned way, but I gave the air fryer method a try!
HI Lisalen, I would suggest checking the chicken earlier – not every chicken is the same and it will make a difference if you take the chicken out of the fridge earlier (not sure if that was the case), but I started with a cold refrigerated chicken. Since air fryers and chicken sizes can affect the air frying time, the best check is with an instant-read thermometer.
I have a Ninja instant pot air fryer. Will this recipe work in this model? If so, how?
Hi Edna, I imagine it should work if you have a standard air fryer setting.
Hi Natasha,do meatballs work in the air fryer please
Hi Anthony, you can! I address this under the common questions section of my Meatball Recipe. I hope it helps.
Do you ever add cornstarch or baking soda to the seasoning mix to ensure crispiness?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can if you’d like. We do not add it here. But we use that method in our Crispy Baked Chicken Wings recipe.
Juicy and delicious, as promised!! I was able to buy a smaller chicken and added just a few halved baby potatoes halfway thru and they were delicious. I did season them before adding. It’s just me so it was fine. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes and videos. I love to cook and enjoy watching someone who enjoys it just as much.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Cindy! Thanks for sharing.
I have an air fryer option in my stove/oven. would this work with that feature?
Hi Eileen! It can work in a regular oven with air fryer mode, but there is more surface are to heat up, so it won’t bake quite the same and may take longer to cook through. Keep an eye on it and check with a food thermometer for doneness.
Hi. I have a Ninja air fryer, that has shelves. Will this work if chicken is placed on bottom shelf?
Hi Mary! I assume it’s a toaster style oven. If so, I left this note above: Many toaster-style air fryers aren’t tall enough for a whole chicken – if it does fit, you can place the chicken on the tray breast-side down but ensure it’s not touching the heating element.
Hi, Natasha. I would love to try this recipe, but I do not have an air fryer. I do have an air fryer option on my toaster oven. Do you think this recipe would work in my toaster oven?
Hi Susan, I included a tip about this in the post above but here is some helpful info on using a toaster oven-style air fryer: Many toaster-style air fryers aren’t tall enough for a whole chicken – if it does fit, you can place the chicken on the tray breast-side down but ensure it’s not touching the heating element. I hope that’s helpful to you!
Would you be able to cook 2 Cornish hens using this same or similar instructions?
HI Kathleen, that should work with 2 cornish hens as long as they fit into the basket without being smushed together and ideally, not touching the sides of the basket for air circulation. I suspect they will cook through faster so check with a thermometer sooner.
In order for ours airfryer chucken to turn out looking like yours I’m curious what brand airfryer you use. Thanks
HI Beverly, I have it linked above also but I use the Cosori air fryer and I remove the rack inside of the basket.
Thank you so much for sharing! This looks splendid! I never consider cooking much in my air fryer with meat. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!!! You have blessed us so much! I thoroughly enjoy baking and cooking and I am so grateful for sharing all your talents! May the Lord richly bless you!
Hi Heather, thank you so much for our thoughtful and kind message. I sure appreciate it! I hope you love making a whole roast chicken in the air fryer. It really makes cooking a whole chicken so easy.
We have one of these every second weekend. The best ever.
That’s awesome!! It really is a total game changer to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer.