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If you love a quick and easy chicken dinner, this air fryer roast chicken recipe will not disappoint! It’s tender, juicy and flavorful with extra crispy skin and takes just 50 minutes in the air fryer!
It’s no secret that we love our chicken dinners! Whole chickens are perfect for serving at dinner parties, holiday gatherings or for everyday meals. This Indian roast chicken is a favorite to serve friends and family, and this sous vide whole chicken or soy garlic chicken has quickly become a go-to!
This is the most perfect roast chicken and is ultra easy to make in the air fryer (like this air fryer chicken thigh recipe) and cooks faster than if you were to roast it in the oven. Plus, now you have room for other things in the oven, OR you can keep your house cool by not having to turn the oven on at all.
The chicken is perfectly seasoned with a simple seasoning and left to brine in the fridge overnight which helps it to get that nice crispy skin and juicy, flavor packed meat.
We love to cook a full chicken just for the two of us so we can have leftovers for easy lunches and dinners during the week. Leftovers work great for chicken salad or chicken sandwiches! Like when we make this Dutch oven roasted chicken.
Adding leftover chicken to this spicy chicken ramen is a must try! And don’t forget to save the chicken bones to make this Instant Pot chicken bone broth!
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Why this air fryer whole chicken recipe works
- It’s quick enough for an easy weeknight dinner and hands off enough for dinner parties. Not to mention, it frees up your oven to prepare side dishes and dessert!
- This easy air fryer rotisserie chicken turns out unbelievably tender and juicy, and the skin is ultra crispy without using a lot of oil.
- Air frying a whole chicken is faster than cooking one in the oven. It also tastes like a rotisserie chicken without the extra effort!
- It’s the perfect recipe for meal prepping. Just air fry your chicken on a Sunday and enjoy it in salads, sandwiches and soups during the week!
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Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You’ll need 1 whole chicken for this recipe. I usually go with a 3-5 pound chicken depending on how many people we’re serving. Just make sure whatever size bird you buy that it fits in your air fryer. **And don’t forget to remove the giblets before cooking!
Before air frying the chicken, you’ll want to season it with a homemade rub and let it sit overnight in the fridge.
The rub is made with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
If you don’t have liquid smoke, try substituting with smoked paprika or chipotle powder, which both have a distinct smoky flavor.
Variations and substitutions
- Omit the liquid smoke if preferred.
- Use any combination of seasonings you like - try this homemade Creole seasoning or even this Indian spice blend. Also try lemon pepper, Montreal chicken seasoning or any seasoning blend.
- Use any combination of dried herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or basil.
- Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of onion powder to the seasoning mix.
- Substitute bacon fat, butter, or any other type of fat for the olive oil for a richer flavor.
Step by step instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a small bowl to make a wet rub.
- Rub all over the chicken. Put the chicken in the fridge, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight for best results.
- Place 1 tablespoon of water in the bottom of the air fryer. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place it on a trivet in the air fryer basket (so you can easily lift it out), breast side down.
- Cook at 360°F degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and flip the chicken over.
- Cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F degrees.
Remove and let it rest for 10 minutes, carve and serve. Serve this chicken with roasted leeks and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Expert tips to make a whole chicken in the air fryer
- If your air fryer model requires preheating, you should do so before adding the chicken.
- Make sure you buy a chicken that fits your air fryer. I use a 5.5 quart air fryer and it fits a 5 pound chicken. If your air fryer is smaller, you’ll need to buy a smaller chicken and even reduce the air frying time slightly.
- For the best results, start by air frying the chicken breast side down. This will keep the chicken moist and help prevent the breast from drying out.
- Each air fryer cooks a little differently, so you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly.
- I always use a trivet when cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer as it makes it easier to lift it out of the basket.
- Don’t forget to add the water to the bottom of the air fryer as it will help prevent your air fryer from smoking.
- Be sure to remove the giblets before cooking, and hold onto the chicken carcass to make this Instant Pot chicken bone broth.
Make it a meal
Here are some of our favorite side dishes to pair with chicken:
- Sous vide carrots
- Sous vide brussels sprouts
- Sour cream mashed potatoes
- Garlic butter broccoletti
- Honey roasted parsnips
Frequently asked questions
It’s not absolutely essential, but I recommend doing it to allow the chicken to absorb the flavors of the rub. This will help it get tender and juicy. The salt also draws moisture out of the skin, so the skin gets extra crispy in the air fryer. If you can’t let the chicken sit overnight, try for at least 6 hours.
To ensure the chicken cooks completely without burning, you’ll want to set your air fryer to 360°F degrees. If you set it higher, you risk the skin of the chicken browning too much before the chicken is fully cooked and reaches a safe internal temperature.
At 360°F degrees, a 3-5 pound chicken will take about 45-50 minutes in the air fryer. As air fryers can vary, you should use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F degrees.
I use a 5.5 quart air fryer which holds a 5 pound chicken. If you have a smaller air fryer, just make sure you buy a smaller chicken and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
You can store the leftover chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in the oven at 400°F degrees for 10-15 minutes or place it in the air fryer for a few minutes.
You can also freeze the chicken. Just let it cool, then remove it from the bones and place it in an airtight container or freezer safe bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 3-5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl to make a wet rub.
- Rub all over the chicken. Let the chicken sit in the fridge, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight for best results.
- Place 1 tablespoon of water in the bottom of the air fryer.
- Place the chicken on a trivet in the air fryer basket (so you can easily lift it out), breast side down.
- Cook at 360°F degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and flip the chicken over.
- Cook another 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F degrees.
- Remove and let rest for 10 minutes, carve and serve.
Expert Tips:
- If your air fryer model requires preheating, you should do so before adding the chicken.
- Make sure you buy a chicken that fits your air fryer. I use a 5.5 quart air fryer and it fits a 5 pound chicken. If your air fryer is smaller, you’ll need to buy a smaller chicken and even reduce the air frying time slightly.
- For the best results, start by air frying the chicken breast side down. This will keep the chicken moist and help prevent the breast from drying out.
- Each air fryer cooks a little differently, so you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly.
- I always use a trivet when cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer as it makes it easier to lift it out of the basket.
- Don’t forget to add the water to the bottom of the air fryer as it will help prevent your air fryer from smoking.
- Be sure to remove the giblets before cooking, and hold onto the chicken carcass to make this Instant Pot chicken bone broth.
Nutrition
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
This is a great way to cook chicken. I love the idea of moist meat and a crispy skin without lots of mess in the oven too. The rub is so delicious!
Danielle says
It's so simple and the cleanup is super easy!
Dannii says
I have done a whole chicken in the slow cooker, but never the air fryer. It looks so perfectly cooked! I can't wait to try it.
Danielle says
You should totally try the air fryer version! I'm def going to try the crockpot version 🙂
Gina says
I can attest to how amazing a whole chicken is in the AF, I did it last Thanksgiving using the rotisserie function of my oven model AF and it was the most succulent chicken ever! Can't wait to try this simple seasoning in your recipe next time!
Danielle says
The air fryer just works awesome for this!
sonia says
I really need to purchase the air fryer to make this and many other recipes!
Danielle says
For sure!
Jessica Stroup says
Perfectly crispy skin and super moist chicken! This was a big hit last night!
Danielle says
So glad you enjoyed it!