Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer is the easiest way to cook a whole chicken with a crispy and salty skin, and tender, juicy center. You’ll love my method for ensuring a juicy chicken breast, because it's perfect for meal prep, using in recipes, or making a delicious dinner any night of the week.

⏱️ Total: 55 mins 🔪 Prep: 5 mins 🏷️ Main course
Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 lbs to 5 1/2 lbs*)
  • 2-3 Tbsp extra light olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or kosher salt)
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

  1. Prep the Chicken - Set the chicken over a baking sheet or platter. Remove the neck and any giblets present inside the chicken cavity and discard them. Thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels — dryness equals crispiness. Rub oil all over the skin. In a small bowl, stir together all of the seasonings. Sprinkle seasonings all over the outside of the chicken.
  2. Place in Air Fryer basket- If your chicken is larger than 4 lbs, remove the rack from the air fryer basket. Place the chicken breast-side down in the basket - this also keeps the chicken breasts juicier as it self-bastes.
  3. Cook at 350 °F for 30 minutes, then use tongs and a spatula to flip the chicken breast-side up. Continue cooking 15-35 minutes (*see timing chart below) or until a thermometer reads 165 °F in the thickest part of the breast. Thighs will usually read 175˚F+, which is ideal.
  4. Rest - Let the chicken rest 5–10 minutes to redistribute juices before carving.