Air Fryer Whole Chicken

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Air Fryer Whole Chicken is made easy with just 5 ingredients with incredible flavor and a full family dinner.

Turns out you don’t need a rotisserie-style air fryer to cook a whole rotisserie chicken. This is an easy roast chicken recipe we love to make at our house. It’s full of flavor, has a crispy skin, and tastes just like it was baked in the oven!

It’s also made with all dry seasonings you should have right in your house.

I recommend using an air fryer that is at least 5.8QT to complete this recipe as it will need room for air to circulate.

I used the Cosori 5.8QT Air Fryer as it allows a 4.5-to-5-pound chicken in the basket with no issues. That’s enough for my whole family of 4 and a Buffalo Chicken Wrap with the leftovers the next day!

You can use a small oven-roaster chicken or a larger young chicken in this air fryer whole chicken recipe. If the bird is smaller than 4.5 pounds, adjust for less cooking time.

In this post I will teach you:

• How to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer
• How to cook a frozen whole chicken in the air fryer
• Directions to reheat a rotisserie chicken in the air fryer
• Tips to get the best tender chicken while making sure your air fryer does not smoke while cooking this recipe

Love chicken? Check out these 40 delicious air fryer chicken recipes you can make including Air Fryer Orange Chicken, Air Fried Chicken Breasts, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, and even Air Fryer Fried Chicken!

How to Make an Air Fryer Whole Chicken

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.

STEP TWO: Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity then pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. The whole chicken needs to be dry to get that nice crispy outside skin.

STEP THREE: Mix the pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl and rub all over the outside of the chicken.

STEP FOUR: Place the whole chicken in the air fryer with the breast side down and cook for 40 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook it breast side up for another 15 to 20 minutes.

The chicken is done cooking when a thermometer reads 165 degrees F at its thickest point.

I like to use this Kizen Instant-Read Thermometer to get a quick read without keeping the bird out of the air fryer too long.

STEP FIVE: Remove the whole chicken from the air fryer, let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer

Please tell me I’m not the only one who has done this. I come for the day with the kids and realize the full chicken we had planned for dinner is sitting in the freezer… frozen.

Well, one day I decided to just put the whole frozen chicken in the air fryer to see what would happen and it worked!

While it does need more time to cook and prepare, it has saved dinner a few times in our house.

This also works for whole chickens that are only partially thawed.

1. Let the frozen chicken thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. After this time, the chicken will still be frozen, but that’s okay!
2. Add the rub as listed in the directions and place the frozen whole chicken in the air fryer breast side down and cook for 40 minutes.
3. Carefully flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Check the chicken with an Instant-Read Thermometer making sure it reads 165 degrees and its thickest point. Cook in additional 2 increments until done, then serve!

How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken in the Air Fryer

Whether you are using these cooking directions for reheating the above recipe or just reheating a rotisserie chicken you bought at the store, an air fryer is the best way to keep that crispy skin.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.
2. Place the leftover or cooked whole rotisserie chicken in the air fryer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until warmed all the way through.
3. Remove the rotisserie chicken from the air fryer and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken

• Pat the chicken dry before adding in the dry rub seasoning mix. This will allow the chicken to get extra crispy

• Add 1 to 2 pieces of bread under the basket inside the drawer to help catch any drippings. You can also add ¼ cup of water to the drawer instead. This helps keep your air fryer from smoking

• For an extra crispy skin, increase the temperature to 400 degrees for the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking

• To get the best tender air fryer whole chicken, tie the legs of the chicken together using cooking twine. While not mandatory, it does help to keep the inside of the chicken moist and keeps it from drying out.

How to Store Leftover Chicken

Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap well and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. I recommend storing it within an aluminum pan or something with a lip so the chicken does not leak.

We are a huge fan of leftovers and love using them for these 12 leftover chicken wrap ideas!

What to Serve with Whole Chicken

• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Check out these other Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes to serve alongside it as well.

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