Air Fryer Whole Chicken
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Learn how to make a whole chicken in the air fryer! This easy Air Fryer Whole Chicken is bursting with flavor from a homemade rub, is cooked perfectly so it’s tender, juicy and delicious. It will remind you of a rotisserie chicken because of the crispy skin and juicy chicken meat inside. So easy to make for dinner or meal prep!
Yes, yes…you read that title right! Air fryer whole chicken. You can cook an entire chicken right in your air fryer! It’s become one of my favorite methods to cook chicken. The skin is perfectly crispy and the meat just falls right off of the bone. Not to mention, the flavor is just incredible!
If you need an easy meal that will serve a large number of people, this is just the thing. Just serve it up with a quick and easy side dish like 7 layer salad or smashed potatoes and dinner is ready to go. Skip the rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and make a whole chicken in the air fryer instead!
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer is a no-fail way to get tender and juicy chicken every time. The crispy skin locks in the juices of the meat and makes the most flavorful chicken!
- It only takes 5 minutes to prep this chicken. The air fryer will do the heavy lifting for you!
- Clean-up is quite easy when you make this chicken in your air fryer. Say goodbye to a sink full of dirty dishes after dinner!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Whole chicken – Whole chickens can range anywhere from 3 pounds to 5 pounds. Choose one that you know will fit in your air fryer! I typically like to find one in the middle ground.
- BBQ rub – Make your own BBQ chicken rub to season this chicken or grab your favorite seasoning from your spice cabinet. Of course, you can always hop over to Gimme Some Grilling and purchase our delicious BBQ rub too!
- Olive oil – If you don’t have olive oil on hand, you can use avocado oil or vegetable oil. Melted butter would work well too!
Helpful Tools
How to Make Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
Empty the cavity of the whole chicken and then dab the skin dry with paper towels
Rub the skin with a generous amount of olive oil and then cover it with BBQ rub. Gently lift up the skin to apply oil and seasoning in between the skin and chicken to add extra flavor.
Place the seasoned chicken, breast-side down, into the air fryer basket and secure it into the air fryer. Turn the air fryer on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook the chicken for 30 minutes, then flip it and cook for another 30 minutes.
Check the chicken with an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of the breast. If it reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s good to go!
Keep in mind, the cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken. So make sure you’re watching it closely.
Remove the cooked chicken from the air fryer and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
What to Serve with Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
Chicken can pair with many different side dishes like stovetop mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, air fryer roasted broccoli, or green beans.
A nice pasta salad goes delightfully well with some warm chicken too. Oh, and these buttery dinner rolls and crescent rolls are a great pairing as well!
This cheesy carrot casserole is a hearty comfort food side dish that would pair great with this easy air fryer whole chicken. And of course, some oven roasted potatoes are great to eat alongside chicken.
Wrap up your meal with a sweet treat like chocolate cake mix cookies for dessert.
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Whole Chicken
It is best to carve a chicken while it is still warm and store the leftover meat. Don’t throw out the bones though! You can make a chicken stock or bone broth with the leftover bones.
FRIDGE: Place leftover chicken into an airtight container or zip top bag and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FREEZER: Leftover chicken stored in an airtight container or freezer bag can be frozen for up to 2 months. Chicken bones can be frozen for 4-6 months.
How to reheat leftover chicken
Reheat chicken in the microwave or in the oven with a splash of water in the baking dish. Heat until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
What can I add to this air fryer whole chicken?
Citrus always goes well with roast chicken! Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the whole chicken and stuff the rind into the cavity before roasting it. Minced garlic and fresh herbs also add wonderful flavor to roast chicken.
Feel free to add some fresh onion to the air fryer basket with the chicken to give it extra flavor.
Pro Tips!
- To keep the chicken from sticking, spray the basket of the air fryer with non stick cooking spray.
- For an easy clean-up, line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
- Add some spice to the chicken with a bit of red pepper mixed into the BBQ rub.
You’re going to love how easy it is to cook an air fryer rotisserie chicken!
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
- Need some easy appetizers? Then make these delicious Air Fryer Fried Pickles!
- Make lunch extra easy with these Air Fryer Corn Dogs.
- Save some calories and make crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders instead!
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges are a tasty and easy side dish for so many different main dishes.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Whole Chicken in Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3 ½ – 5 pound whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons BBQ Rub
Equipment
Instructions
- Ensure the cavity of the chicken is empty and dab the skin dry.
- Rub the skin with olive oil and rub the whole chicken with the BBQ Rub. If you can gently lift skin up and apply rub in between the chicken and skin for extra flavor.
- Place the chicken breast-side down into the air fryer basket. Turn the air fryer on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook for 30 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for 30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the chicken breast. Cooking time will depend on the chicken size.
- Remove from the air fryer and rest 10 minutes before cutting.
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