How to Air Fry a Whole Chicken

My world has been rocked by an air fryer whole chicken. I’m talking about a whole chicken cooked to crispy-skinned, succulent, flavorful deliciousness.

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Confession: I am a gadget freak. I’m almost embarrassed by how many kitchen gadgets I own. I said almost. I just happily added one more large cooking appliance to my kitchen, and I’m not sorry about it. Not sorry at all.

It’s an air fryer. A big, beautiful GoWise 5.8-Quart Air Fryer. And although it has to live in the basement due to space issues, it is pretty much my new BFF.

The air fryer is, of course, great for cooking all your favorite crispy, crunchy fried foods like French fries, egg rolls, and donuts. They turn out light and crisp, and you don’t have to deal with a vat of piping-hot cooking oil.

And skipping all that oil makes even the naughtiest junk foods much lower in fat and calories.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken Is the Best

But the thing I love to cook most in my air fryer the most is a surprise—a simple whole chicken. Rub some spices and olive oil on the bird, stick it in the basket, and cook it for an hour (flipping it once) and you get super tender, flavorful meat and skin so crispy it crackles.

The best part? Because of its totally enclosed cooking area, you don’t end up with chicken grease all over your oven—or anywhere else. And, as if I needed more reasons to love my new air fryer, it’s incredibly easy to clean, too.

I love to use the juicy and tender meat to make this Classic “Chicken Salad Chick” recipe. Air fryer whole chicken also makes a great filling for Homemade Chicken Enchiladas, Tamales, and Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie. Or serve it with this delicious chicken cordon bleu sauce.

Great gift ideas!

Sizzle to Success: Must-Have Accessories for Your Air Fryer

From muffin pans and racks that fit inside your basket to oil sprayers, tongs, skewers, racks, and more, these are the accessories we use the most with our air fryers.

Have a look

Air Fryer vs. Convection Oven

You might be thinking, well, I already have a convection oven. Doesn’t an air fryer do the same thing? The answer is yes… and no. Yes, an air fryer is essentially a convection oven.

You can do pretty much the same things in an air fryer that you can in a convection oven. You can bake, fry, and roast in it. But because of its design, the air fryer makes foods much crisper and cooks them faster than most convection ovens.

I still use my convection oven for plenty of foods—like pizzas, cakes, and other items too large for my air fryer basket. But when I want that crispy, crunchy, fried exterior, I choose my air fryer every time.

What to serve with it

This Air fryer Whole Chicken makes a great Sunday dinner or holiday meal. Serve it for Easter with Coleslaw, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, and Hasselback Potatoes. Or for Thanksgiving or Christmas with Pommes Duchesse or Potatoes au Gratin, Green Bean Stuffing Casserole or Green Bean Salad, Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Cheesecake for dessert.

Air fry a whole chicken for Thanksgiving or Christmas if you’re having a small group. Air Fryer Turkey Breast is another great choice for a smaller holiday gathering.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Robin Donovan

I love to cook a whole chicken in my air fryer. The skin comes out shatteringly crisp and the meat is succulent and flavorful. I rub a simple spice blend and a bit of olive oil on the outside for flavor. This version has a bit of a Mexican twist, but you can substitute any spice rub you like. I like to dry brine my chicken (generously salt it and let it sit in the fridge, uncovered, for anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight), but this step is optional. If you want to cook your chicken straightaway, just start with Step 3 of these instructions. I often serve the chicken straight out of the fryer or shred the meat and set it aside for other meals. It makes a great filling for Homemade Chicken Enchiladas, Tamales, Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie, or any number of other dishes.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Air Fryer Recipes

Cuisine American

Calories 179 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds, rinsed and patted dry
• Kosher salt

Instructions

 

• Trim any excess skin or fat from the chicken and then shower it generously all over with salt. Separate the skin from the breasts and rub some salt underneath the skin, as well. Place the chicken in a large baking dish or roasting pan and then refrigerate it, uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• To make the rub, in a small bowl, stir together the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper.
• Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil and then with the spice rub, rubbing some of the mixture underneath the skin.
• Place the chicken into the basket of the air fryer with the breast side down. Cook on 350ºF for 30 minutes.
• Remove the basket from the air fryer and carefully flip the chicken over (I use large spring-loaded tongs). Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove the chicken from the basket and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 179kcalProtein: 20gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 134mg

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