This air fryer whole chicken is an easy and flavorful, go-to chicken dinner that the whole family will love! It's practically effortless to quickly season this bird and have it fully cooked to tender, juicy perfection and on the table in about an hour! In fact, it's so delicious and simple that it will easily be added to your weekly dinner rotation!
Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Growing up, every Sunday my mom made a whole chicken with all of the trimmings for dinner. The whole house smelled like juicy and delicious chicken and my favorite part was the crispy, melt-in-your-mouth skin.
It’s a meal that I love to create for my family, but I don’t have all day on Sundays to spend in the kitchen. And this is reason number 101 I love my air fryer!
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Whole chicken roasted in the air fryer cooks in half the time and is equally as succulent and moist with that golden and crispy skin! All you need is a little seasoning for a perfect chicken dinner and this recipe is almost effortless.
You don’t have to have this air fryer chicken once a week as my family did – but I’ll bet no one will complain if you do! This super easy, moist, tender, and scrumptious whole chicken recipe gives new meaning to the phrase, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!”.
🥘 Air Fryer Whole Chicken Ingredients
In addition to your air fryer, there are only a few things that you'll need for this perfectly tasty air-fried chicken! Aside from the chicken itself, you might already have everything else at home!
- Whole Chicken – One 3½-pound whole chicken. Try to find one that is at around 3.5 lbs but that will still fit into your air fryer basket.
- Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has the best flavor, but you can use your preferred cooking oil.
- Salt & Pepper – ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper to taste. These base spices add so much flavor!
- Garlic Powder – ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. The flavor is a bit more intense than fresh garlic and rubbing it into the chicken skin really infuses the flavor throughout your chicken.
- Onion Powder - ¼ teaspoon of onion powder. Dried onion flakes can also be substituted.
- Paprika – ⅛ teaspoon of paprika. This spice is a great visual garnish for the chicken but also gives a wonderful peppery flavor.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Air Fryer
This air fryer chicken is beyond easy to make! Use pantry-staple spices to coat the whole chicken then plop it into your air fryer basket and set the timer and get a perfect roast chicken!
Depending on the size of your chicken, you will have about 4 servings of meat.
- Prepare the chicken. If the chicken has been frozen, be sure to thaw completely in the refrigerator (about 12 hours). If the giblets and the neck are in the body cavity, remove them and then trim any fat from the body. Pat the chicken until dry with paper towels.
- Season. Rub the 3½-pound whole chicken with olive oil, followed by the mixture of ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper, ¼ teaspoon of onion and garlic powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of paprika. Rub the seasonings in until every inch is covered.
- Cook. Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer with the breast side facing downward. Set the fryer at 350°F (175°C) and cook for 30 minutes. This method of cooking creates the best presentation on the table, but you can also start with the breast side up and this makes the breast meat incredibly tender and extra juicy.
- Flip. Next, remove the basket and flip the chicken over. Replace the chicken and basket and cook for about 25-30 minutes more.
- Check. Check the internal temperature using a digital meat thermometer and once the chicken is 165°F (74°C), it’s done. * I prefer to cook any bone-in chicken to 180°F (82°C).
- Rest. Remove the basket from the air fryer and let the chicken rest in it, or on a clean surface for 10 minutes. FYI – there will be a lot of juice running off the chicken while it rests, so it's best to put it on a curved cutting board or leave it in the basket. Carve and serve!
At my house, we almost always serve whole roasted chicken with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. The drippings and the juice from the bird can also be used to make an aromatic and tasty gravy! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- You can also use the extra meat to make a killer chef salad for lunches! Or use the leftover chicken in my chicken spaghetti with rotel or chicken noodle soup!
- There will be a lot of juices coming from the chicken while it is resting, so I prefer to keep it in the air fryer basket for easier cleanup.
- A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure that your chicken is fully cooked. Take a look at my guide to internal chicken temperatures to learn more.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If there are leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If stored properly, the frozen chicken will last up to 6 months but is best used within the first 4 months.
Reheating Air Fryer Chicken
To reheat, the best method is to microwave or return to the air fryer until warm.
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❓ FAQ
For air frying a whole chicken, you will want to use an air fryer that falls into the 6-10 quart range. Of course, it also depends on how large your chicken is!
Absolutely! Just make sure that you have an air fryer basket that will fit the chicken. This method of cooking is effortless, easy, and will yield a tender and flavorful chicken every time!
At 350°F (175°C), your whole chicken will take about an hour to cook in total. This includes flipping the bird over halfway through cooking. If your chicken is larger or smaller, you will need to adjust the time accordingly.
🍗 More Awesome Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Chicken - Check out this recipe to learn how to make some frozen popcorn chicken in your air fryer!
- Crockpot Chicken Recipes - This is a collection of all of my favorite slow cooker chicken dishes!
- Bacon Wrapped Baked Chicken Drumsticks - Seasoned drumsticks are wrapped in bacon and popped in the oven for an effortless dish!
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings - These crispy and flavorful wings are the perfect appetizer or snack for game day!
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken - Use your Instant Pot to make some quick shredded chicken that can be used in any recipe!
- Doritos Chicken Casserole with Cream Cheese - Crunchy nacho cheese Doritos and a creamy and rich sauce are the stars of this chicken casserole!
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 ½ lb whole chicken (thawed, if frozen)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Make sure that your chicken is completely thawed if using a frozen chicken. Remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity if they are present. Remove the tail and trim any fat or excess skin if desired. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Rub the entire chicken with the olive oil, then sprinkle the chicken with seasoning and rub that in as well.3 ½ lb whole chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- Place the chicken into your air fryer basket with the breast facing downward. Cook at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the basket and flip the chicken so that the breast is facing upward. Return the basket and chicken to your air fryer and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes. The chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165°F (75 °C).
- Remove the cooked chicken from your air fryer and allow it to rest in the basket, on a serving tray, or on the cutting board for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- You can also use the extra meat to make a killer chef salad for lunches! Or use the leftover chicken in my chicken spaghetti with rotel or chicken noodle soup!
- There will be a lot of juices coming from the chicken while it is resting, so I prefer to keep it in the air fryer basket for easier cleanup.
- A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure that your chicken is fully cooked. Take a look at my guide to internal chicken temperatures to learn more.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Donna Snoke says
I assume this recipe is good for a large oven air fryer?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Not necessarily! If you look at the process photos, I squished this chicken down into my basket air fryer (and that was before upgrading to an XL capacity)! It works wonderfully. Enjoy!
Rodie says
De hele kip in de airfryer is verrukkelijk! Lekker knapperig velletje. Ziet er ook heel smakelijk uit. Zal het recept zeker vaker gebruiken. Heb de gekruide kip een nacht in laten trekken. Zal de volgende keer wel wat meer van het kruidenmengsel maken om ook de holte van de kip te kruiden.
"The whole chicken in the airfryer is delicious! Nice crispy skin. Also looks very tasty. Will definitely use the recipe again. Let the seasoned chicken soak overnight. Will make a little more of the spice mixture next time to season the cavity of the chicken as well."
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hartelijk dank voor uw vriendelijke woorden! Ik ben het daar natuurlijk mee eens en vind dit een erg lekkere manier om kip te maken. Ik ben erg blij dat je genoten hebt van het recept, bedankt voor het delen van je resultaten!
"Thank you very much for your kind words! Of course, I agree and think this is a very tasty way to make chicken. I am very happy that you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for sharing your results!"
Cor & Thea van Biljouw says
Wij Cor & Thea hebben een AIRFRYER maar we weten niet hoe je een KIP moet braden in de airfryer hoe lang en wat moet je doen dat het goed gaat, in afwachting van uw bericht Hartelijk dank hiervoor Cor & Thea
We Cor & Thea have an AIRFRYER but we don't know how to fry a CHICKEN in the airfryer how long and what do you have to do to make sure it goes well, waiting for your message Thank you very much Cor & Thea
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hallo! De kooktijden voor een hele kip staan hier op de receptenkaart. Hoop dat dat helpt! Angela
Hello! The cooking times for a whole chicken are here in the recipe card. Hope that helps! Angela
Clancy says
After discovering your roasted split-chicken breast recipe, which was is a Keeper, I began reading ALL your recipes. I have a general question regarding this one and your other recipes about using paprika. You use it quite a bit, mostly your chicken recipes. My question is do you use regular/sweet paprika or smoked paprika? Both have different tastes with the smoked giving a smoky taste. I sure would like to know your preference. Thanks in advance.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I do love paprika, especially for seasoning meat in general. Not only does it add great flavor, but it can also save your meaty main from looking bland too! For seasoning meat, I would happily use smoked over regular or sweet paprika. When seasoning meats that I intend to smoke, I always opt for regular paprika. (Just about every spice blend that I make homemade + my BBQ sauces also have paprika in them) The preferred use of paprika actually started after using it to add a great caramelized color to pan-seared steaks a long, long time ago now 🙂