Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken

🥘 Ingredients

• Whole Fryer Chicken - A 3-4 pound whole chicken is best. I recommend no more than 4-pound fryers in the air fryer.
• Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or your preferred cooking oil with a high smoke point.

Chicken Seasoning

• Paprika - 2 tablespoons of paprika (or a paprika substitute).
• Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon of onion powder (or an onion powder substitute).
• Lemon - 1 medium to large lemon, zested and quartered. I have found that you can easily zest up to 2 large lemons to add great flavor to this recipe.
• Salt & Pepper - Salt and pepper to taste.

🔪 How To Make Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken

I thoroughly explain every step so that this rotisserie chicken is practically fool-proof (it's not as much work as it looks on paper). You're going to need your air fryer, a sharp knife, a small bowl, measuring utensils, a zester, some kitchen twine, and a meat thermometer.

This recipe works for one small fryer chicken, yielding 4-6 servings.

Prep The Chicken

Step 1: Prep. Empty out the body cavity (remove any gizzards, if inside ), place your 3-4 pound (1.36 kilograms) chicken on a clean cutting board, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Trim the tail off, if desired, as well as any excess skin or fatty deposits.

Step 2: Make the seasoning blend. Mix your seasoning, including 2 teaspoons (4.6 grams) of paprika (smoked paprika is best), 1 teaspoon (1.58 grams) of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon (1.46 grams) of onion powder, lemon zest of 1-2 lemons, and salt & pepper to taste, in a small bowl and set aside. Quarter the lemon you used for zest and place it inside the chicken's body cavity.

Step 3: Season. Next, drizzle 2 tablespoons (29.57 milliliters) of olive oil on your fryer chicken and rub it into the skin on all sides of the chicken. Sprinkle seasoning on your chicken, rub it into the skin, and rub the chicken seasoning into the inside of the bird as well.

Step 4: Tie up the chicken. Truss your chicken with kitchen twine so that the wings and legs are bound. Otherwise, they will flop loosely with each rotation of the chicken.

Step 5: Put it on the spit. Push the rotisserie spit (or rod) through the chicken and use the forks included with your Cosori or Vortex Plus air fryer to secure each end of the chicken to the rotisserie rod.

Step 6: Preheat. Line your drip pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then set your air fryer so it is preheating to 380ºF (195ºC).

Cooking Your Whole Rotisserie Chicken

Step 6: Set the air fryer. Set the air fryer cooking time for 40 minutes and wait for the indicator to 'add food'.

Step 7: Load the spot. After your air fryer is preheated, load the rotisserie spit in by pulling the red lever on the left and latching it onto the left side of the rotisserie first.

Step 8: Secure. Slide the rod along the metal bar on the right until the rod drops into the catch and is securely in place.

Step 9: Cook. Close your air fryer door and cook for 40 minutes.

Step 10: Check the temp. Check your chicken's internal temperature after the 40 minutes, and continue to cook in 5-minute intervals until your chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) at the thickest points. *This is the USDA Food Safety recommended internal temperature, which should be read using a digital meat thermometer.(See my post on chicken internal temperatures.)

Step 11: Remove from air fryer. To remove your air fryer rotisserie chicken, press the red lever down on the left side and lift the spit out using the y-rod that came from your IP vortex plus or rotisserie air fryer.

Step 12: Rest. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, plate, or platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

🍽️ What To Serve With Rotisserie Chicken

This is one of those meals that tastes great with just about anything. Enjoy the succulent chicken meat with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes and some sauteed green beans.

These fluffy butter herb dinner rolls with a side of chicken gravy are a favorite at my house. Check out this list of tasty sides to serve with chicken for more ideas.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes

• A whole fryer chicken larger than 4 pounds is likely too large for the oven cavity in your Instant Pot Vortex Plus or Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven. It may burn when rotating as it touches the top of the inner oven.
• Trussing your chicken helps to keep the whole chicken juicy and moist. Without trussing, the legs and wings will be dried out.
• There will be options to 'air fry' or 'roast' the chicken. While both will work with a similar cooking time, I like the crispy skin that results from the air fry cooking option.
• Resting your chicken also ensures tender, flavorful chicken meat, allowing the juices to return to the center of the meat portions.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Once your chicken has cooled, remove the meat and put it in a shallow, airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing

Remove the meat from the bones and transfer it to an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw your chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat your leftover chicken meat in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

🍗 Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

You can use your rotisserie chicken in so many recipes. Sub the leftover turkey for chicken in my turkey a la king, turkey curry, or turkey tetrazzini.

Make some chicken noodle soup, creamy chicken wild rice soup, or my tasty Mexican chicken soup.

Shred your chicken for fabulous chicken enchiladas, or cube the chicken for an easy chicken spaghetti with rotel casserole dinner.

❓ Recipe FAQs

📖 Recipe Card