Learn how to cook whole chicken in air fryer with this best air fryer whole chicken recipe. This recipe is easy, quick, simple, and the roast chicken is packed full of flavor, succulent, juicy, tender on the inside, with crispy skin.
It's perfect for family dinner or occasions like Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Lunch, and can be served with sides like mini potatoes, sliced potatoes, carrots, vegetables, gravy.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe (Cooking Whole Chicken In Air Fryer)
This air fryer whole chicken recipe is the best! Simple, and straightforward, this whole chicken in air fryer is crispy on the outer, delicious, moist, juicy, and tender inside.
Air fried roast chicken recipe is easy, with minimal preparation, quick, and cooked in just about an hour.
This whole chicken in air fryer recipe makes use of dried seasonings that are inexpensive and add flavor to the chicken. You most likely don't need to take that extra trip to the store as you will have all the ingredients in the kitchen pantry.
Natural, clean ingredients are used to season the chicken and you can control the amount of salt and pepper added to suit your taste.
Cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer makes clean up easy after cooking as the air fryer is easy to clean.
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How To Thaw Whole Chicken
Buying whole chicken from the store when it's on sale and freezing it can save you money. As long as it's still in date, do not worry about the expiration date if you keep the whole chicken frozen in the freezer, it can be stored for up to 6months.
When ready to cook, you will need to thaw the chicken. Thawing makes the seasonings penetrate easily into the chicken and cook evenly.
Thawing the whole chicken in room temperature water is usually the fastest. Place the whole chicken in a bowl of water. Make sure the water covers the entire chicken. Let it thaw for 30 minutes, drain the water, and replace. Repeat water draining every 30 minutes until the entire chicken thaws. Pat dry, season, and cook immediately.
If you have enough time to plan your meal, then thawing in the refrigerator is another perfect way to defrost the whole chicken. Take the chicken out of the freezer and place it in a container that will not spill the water into the refrigerator when going through the thawing process. Leave in the refrigerator overnight or until you have achieved a completely thawed result. Cook immediately.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Whole Chicken
The detailed ingredient list, measurement, and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Whole Chicken
Paprika
Black pepper
Onion granules
Garlic powder
Ground Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt
Olive oil
How To Season Whole Chicken
Every bite of the whole chicken should be enjoyed. To achieve this result, you must season it the right way. I love to work the seasoning from the inside to the outside. Rub through the skin and every corner of the whole chicken, applying the right quantity of seasoning. Adding enough salt will make it tasty and not bland.
Mix the oil and seasoning together then rub it on the chicken. Mixing seasoning with oil let it stay on the chicken and not fall off.
For every bite to be perfectly seasoned, make sure to coat all the sides evenly. Take time to lift the wings and thighs up and season underneath. I recommend marinating the chicken after seasoning. This will let the seasoning infuse the chicken. Marinating can take from 30 minutes to overnight depending on how much time you have. Place the chicken in the refrigerator as it marinates.
Apart from the seasoning used in this post, some other seasonings that can be used on the chicken are chicken seasoning, Peri Peri seasoning, Fajita seasoning, or any other good one.
How To Cook Whole Chicken in Air Fryer
Let me show you how to air fry whole chicken:
Remove all packaging from the chicken.
Pat the chicken down with paper towels.
In a bowl, add all the seasonings- salt, paprika, black pepper, onion granules, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and olive oil.
Mix and rub on the chicken working it from the inside to the outside. Ensure to cover all parts with the seasoning.
Reserve a little bit of the seasoning mix as you will use it later in the cooking process.
Place the chicken on a tray, cover it with foil, and put it in the refrigerator to marinate. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 24 hours maximum.
Place the whole chicken into the air fryer basket with the breast area facing down. Set the temperature to 355F/180C and cook that side for 40 minutes.
Flip the whole chicken with a tong, brush the breast side with the remaining seasoning mix and cook that side for another 10-20 minutes.
Use the meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is at least 165F/75C. If not, cook until it reaches that temperature.
Bring chicken out, let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve as desired.
How Long To Cook Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
While the prep time may vary depending on how much time you thawed and marinate the chicken, how long to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer is 50-60 minutes depending on the size. The temperature inside the chicken should be 165F/75C for it to be well cooked.
Cooking times may need adjusting based on the type, brand, model, and wattage of the air fryer. Bigger chicken will take longer to cook than smaller ones so check on it, and adjust the timing accordingly.
What To Serve With
It will go with any side of choice. Some suggestions are:
Vegetable salad
Boiled carrots, parsnips
Rice
Pasta
Gravy
How To Store
In the fridge: Let the chicken cool down completely. Cut the leftover into pieces, arrange them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Storing in the fridge for more than 4 days will compromise the safety and taste.
In the freezer: You can store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Let the chicken cool down, cut into pieces, and place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Label the container and store it for up to 6 months.
To Reheat
Air fryer: Remove the chicken from the fridge or freezer, remove all packaging, and place it in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer temperature to 360F/180C. Air fry for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve and enjoy!
Microwave: Arrange the chicken on a microwavable plate, cover, and microwave at high temperature for 1-2 minutes. If the desired warm level is not achieved, microwave again at 30 seconds interval. Serve and enjoy.
Tips
- After thawing, pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels. This will let it retain the seasonings without watering it down.
- Do not leave the chicken on the kitchen counter to marinate, place it in the refrigerator.
- Apply a generous amount of seasonings making sure that enough salt is added to bring out the taste. Rub from the inside to the outside of the chicken, spending time applying seasonings to the hidden areas like under the wings, thighs, and legs.
- When checking for the internal temperature, insert the meat thermometer into the inside area of the chicken away from the bones. This will give you an accurate reading.
- To cook, start with the breast area facing down. This part has more flesh and will require more time to cook through. It will also help to lock the juice in.
- After cooking, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes to help it reabsorb the juice.
FAQs
How long do you cook a full chicken in an air fryer?
The entire cook time can range from 30 minutes to one hour depending on the size of the chicken and how golden brown you want the outer part of the chicken.
Do you need to defrost before air frying?
You can prepare frozen foods without thawing but cook time will be longer. For the Frozen whole chicken, defrosting before cooking will let you easily rub the seasoning, and this will lock the seasoning in faster.
What temperature and how long do you cook chicken in an air fryer?
You want the chicken to cook slowly and evenly. The temperature must be set to allow enough time for the heat to penetrate the chicken cooking it without burning. Set the temperature to 350F/175C. Place the breast part facing down first, cook for 40 minutes and flip to continue cooking for another 10-20 minutes till the internal temperature of at least 165F/ 75C is achieved.
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1.6 kg Whole chicken
- 1.5 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
- 1.5 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon Rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
Instructions
- Remove all packaging from the whole chicken.Pat the chicken down with paper towels.
- In a bowl, add all the seasonings- salt, paprika, black pepper, onion granules, garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and olive oil. Mix well.Reserve a little bit of the seasoning mix as you will use it later in the cooking process.Rub the seasoning on the chicken working it from the inside to the outside. Ensure to cover all parts with the seasoning.
- Place the chicken in a tray, cover with foil and put in the refrigerator to marinate. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 24 hours maximum.
- Place the whole chicken into the air fryer basket with the breast area facing down. Set the temperature to 355F/180C and cook that side for 40 minutes.Flip the whole chicken with a tong, brush the breast side with the remaining seasoning mix and cook that side for another 10-20 minutes. Use the meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is at least 165F/75C. If not, cook until it reaches that temperature.
- Bring chicken out, let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting.Serve as desired.
Notes
- After thawing, pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels. This will let it retain the seasonings without watering it down.
- Do not leave the chicken on the kitchen counter to marinate, place it in the refrigerator.
- Apply a generous amount of seasonings making sure that enough salt is added to bring out the taste. Rub from the inside to the outside of the chicken, spending time applying seasonings to the hidden areas like under the wings, thighs, and legs.
- When checking for the internal temperature, insert the meat thermometer into the inside area of the chicken away from the bones. This will give you an accurate reading.
- To cook, start with the breast area facing down. This part has more flesh and will require more time to cook through. It will also help to lock the juice in.
- After cooking, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes to help it reabsorb the juice.
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