Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Make your own whole roasted chicken in the air fryer with crispy skin and juicy meat in a fraction of the time it takes to make it on a rotisserie. An easy recipe for air fryer beginners.
Servings: 5 to 6 servings (about 3.5 cups shredded chicken)
Calories: 0.5cup chopped
Ingredients
- 1 4 pound whole chicken (giblets removed) (See notes for other sizes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (avocado or other vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- (Optional Step) I like to tie the chicken legs together with unflavored dental floss or kitchen twine. It’s not a must, but sure improves the appearance when serving the chicken whole.
- If you’re cooking the chicken strictly to chop or shred for other recipes, just go ahead and spread out the legs in the air fryer. It will actually cook it a little faster that way.
- Preheat a 5 to 6.5 quart air fryer at 360℉ degrees for 3 minutes. See Note.
Season Chicken
- Meanwhile, rub or brush the entire outside of the chicken with oil.
- Combine the garlic salt, onion powder and paprika, then sprinkle it over the entire chicken. (Or use your favorite seasoning blend.)
Air Fry Chicken Whole
- Place the chicken, breast side down, in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360℉ degrees for 30 minutes. Carefully turn over the chicken with tongs. Cook for another 20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 170℉ in the thickest part of the thigh and 165℉ in the breast.
- Whole Chicken in Air Fryer TIME: For a 3 ½ pound chicken, reduce the first cooking time by 5 minutes. For a larger 5 pound chicken, increase the first cooking time by 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting for the juiciest chicken results.
- Yield: One (4 pound) whole chicken, cooked, will equal approximately 3 to 3 ½ cups chopped or shredded chicken. It will serve 4 to 6 people cut into legs, thighs, and breasts.
Notes
Cooking Times for air frying a whole chicken: For a 3 ½ pound chicken, reduce the first cooking time by 5 minutes. For a larger, 5 pound chicken, increase the first cooking time by 10 minutes.
Pro Tips:
-Don’t use a meat fork to turn chicken over. It will pierce the skin and allow the juices to run out, making the chicken less juicy.
-Pro tip: Make sure your air fryer is deep enough so that the chicken doesn’t touch the heating coils in the top.
-By starting the cooking with the breast side down, it prevents the white meat from drying out and avoids burning the skin on the breast side. -The best air fryer to use for cooking a whole chicken is one that is large enough to fit a whole chicken in without touching the heating coils. I used a Ninja Pro XL 6.5 quart basket-style air fryer.
-Don’t use a meat fork to turn chicken over. It will pierce the skin and allow the juices to run out, making the chicken less juicy.
-Pro tip: Make sure your air fryer is deep enough so that the chicken doesn’t touch the heating coils in the top.
-By starting the cooking with the breast side down, it prevents the white meat from drying out and avoids burning the skin on the breast side. -The best air fryer to use for cooking a whole chicken is one that is large enough to fit a whole chicken in without touching the heating coils. I used a Ninja Pro XL 6.5 quart basket-style air fryer.
