The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (2024)

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Air fryer whole chicken is gluten-free, paleo, keto, low carb, and also Weight Watcher friendly! You can make a whole chicken and save leftovers for meals throughout the week.

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (1)

I recently just upgraded my air fryer to a Power XL 5.3 QT. My old air fryer was having issues in the back where the air vents out. Do not leave your air fryer near a wall or anything because one day it overheated and the back venting area started to melt. Plus the timer on it no longer worked. No way would this almost 5 lb whole chicken have been able to fit in that.

If you are on a hunt for an air fryer and have never bought one before do get one with a larger basket size like mine is. Mine is 5.3 quarts and holds way more. This Power XL air fryer is by far my favorite air fryer because of the digital temperature and time sets you can enter.

The air fryer is one of my favorite kitchen appliances. Check out some of these recipes! Air Fryer Omelette, Air Fryer Poutine, or Air Fryer Turkey Breast!

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
  • Best Air Fryer Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Great Air Fryer Recipes to Try
  • The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Do you wish you could have a chicken that tastes like it came right out of the rotisserie? Try this method for cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer.

After you try this method for cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer you will not buy any premade storebought ones anymore. I used my homemade seasoning to coat the chicken and sprayed it with some olive oil cooking spray.

Instead of deep frying your chicken in oil and fat, it is much healthier to air fry your whole chicken instead.

Ingredients Needed

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • 5 lb whole chicken - Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your whole chicken!
  • Seasoning - Use your favorite seasoning to flavor the chicken. Some of my favorites are Dano's or blackened seasoning.
  • Olive Oil or Cooking Spray - To help get the skin extra crispy!
  • See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer

Step 1: Take the whole chicken out of the packaging and pat it dry.

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Season it with your favorite seasoning. I used myeasy homemade seasoning. Sprinkle that stuff over the whole chicken. Then spray it with some Olive Oil Cooking Spray.

Step 3: Set the whole chicken in the basket and set your timer to 45 minutes and your temperature to 350. After the 45 minutes is up, take the birdand flip it over and cook for another 15 minutes.

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (5)

Recipe Tip: The temp of the chicken must read 165. If it is notup to the temp by then cook for 10 minutes longer.

I have only tested this air fryer whole chicken recipe in my Power XL air fryer. Some air fryers do not go up to certain temps and the degree listed below is in Fahrenheit. I get many questions if I've made this in such and such air fryer before and the answer to that is no. I do not have enough room in my house to buy all the different brands of air fryers there are out there but not everyone has the same air fryer. If you make this recipe, please let me know what type of air fryer you have when you leave a comment so that others reading this post might have.

Best Air Fryer Tips

The air fryer is so great for cooking simple basic food like air fryer steak, air fryer hard-boiled eggs, and air fryer bacon. Cook up some air fryer chicken breasts for the week and use it chicken quesadillas.

Some air fryers requirepreheatingand some do not. Be sure to check your air fryer manual.

Overcrowding:Do not overcrowd the basket. Place items in a single layer in the air fryer basket or some food will not cook properly or all the way through.

What air fryer do I use? Cosori 4 Qt Air Fryer- This air fryer doesn't require any preheating and has several different functions for cooking chicken, meat, frozen foods, etc. There are 5 different functions.

Recipe FAQs

How long does a whole chicken take to cook?

My 5-pound chicken was done in an hour. A whole chickenweighing 6.5 pounds takes 75 minutes. If you have any chicken that is more than 6.5 pounds please make sure to check if that will fit in your air fryer basket first. If your bird is bigger than your air fryer basket you might want to consider baking it in the oven instead. 🙂 For every chicken that is higher than 6.5 pounds add on 15 minutes.

Will an air fryer cook a raw chicken?

Yes it can, pay attention to the weight and size of a chicken. Some whole chickens might not fit into the air fryer basket. Then just cook it per pound.

Do you have to flip raw chicken in the air fryer?

No you do not. The air circulates all around the chicken while it's cooking in the basket. No flipping is needed!

More Great Air Fryer Recipes to Try

  • Air Fryer Filet O Fish (Mcdonald's Copycat)
  • Air Fryer Beef Enchiladas
  • Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
  • Air Fryer Oreos without Crescent Roll Dough

If you tried this Air Fryer Whole Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

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The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (10)

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Air fryer whole chicken is gluten-free, paleo, keto, low carb, and also Weight Watcher friendly! You can make a whole chicken and save leftovers for meals throughout the week.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 5 lb whole chicken
  • 2 tsp of seasoning (your choice)
  • Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Instructions

  1. Take the chicken out of the packaging and pat it dry.
  2. Season it with your favorite seasoning. If you are gluten-free look for seasoning without any gluten in it. I used myeasy homemade seasoning. Sprinkle that stuff over the whole chicken. Then spray it with some Olive Oil Cooking Spray.
  3. Set the whole chicken in the basket and set your timer to 45 minutes and your temperature to 350. After the 45 minutes is up, take the birdand flip it over and cook for another 15 minutes.
  4. The temp of the chicken must read 165. If it is notup to the temp by then cook for 10 minutes longer.

Notes

4 oz of chicken is 7 smart points

  • Prep Time: 5min
  • Cook Time: 60min
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Air Fry
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 338
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 4g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 74g
The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

What is the best air fryer to cook a whole chicken? ›

Best of the rest
  1. Best air-fryer for chicken: Lakeland Dual-Basket air-fryer, £89.99.
  2. Best air-fryer for large households: Proscenic T31 air-fryer, £151.28.
  3. Best WiFi-enabled air-fryer: Cosori Air-Fryer Lite 3.8L, £59.99.
  4. Best air-fryer with grill attachment: Tefal EasyFry Precision 2-in-1 air-fryer and grill, £114.

How much time does it take to cook chicken in air fryer? ›

Place the chicken on the air fryer basket / grate in an even layer, leaving a bit of space for air to circulate around. Air fry the chicken at 415 degrees for 10 minutes. If you have larger pieces of chicken, you'll want to go closer to 13 minutes. You're looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

How do you keep chicken from drying out in an air fryer? ›

The #1 tip for the best chicken breasts in an air fryer is: Don't overcook them! Chicken breasts should be cooked to 160°F, but if you cook them all the way to that temperature in the air fryer, carryover cooking will take them beyond that temp and cause them to dry out.

What is the best temperature to cook chicken in an air fryer? ›

After testing a variety of temperatures, I found that 375 degrees F is the best temperature for air frying chicken. Because the air fryer uses convection heat, you do not need to set it as high as you would an oven (in a regular oven, 425 degrees F is best for baking chicken, like Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast).

Why are people getting rid of air fryers? ›

Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

Can I put raw chicken in the air fryer? ›

You sure can. The first time I did it felt strange because all I'd ever cooked in there was vegetables and pre-cooked foods like chicken nuggets, tater tots, etc. As long as you cook your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, it is perfectly safe to put raw chicken in an Air Fryer.

Does chicken need to be flipped in Airfryer? ›

Even if your air fryer has top-notch air circulation from its fan, you need to give most larger pieces of food (such as pork chops, burgers, and chicken cutlets) a turn about halfway through cooking.

Why is my chicken not getting crispy in the air fryer? ›

If your food is not crispy when coming out of an air fryer, you may not have patted it dry before putting it in to cook. Meat or proteins, or foods you may have washed, will fry better without the added moisture.

How do I get my chicken to brown in the air fryer? ›

Flour — All-purpose flour or bread flour is perfect for fried chicken as it gives the chicken a golden-brown coating after being air-fried. It is also neutral in flavor, so it doesn't compete with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika added to it.

Does chicken brown in the air fryer? ›

Air fryer chicken is golden brown, juicy and flavorful. The meat stays tender, but gets nice and crispy. This healthy take on fried chicken is recipe you'll have to try!

How healthy is air fried chicken? ›

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

What is better than an air fryer? ›

TOASTER OVEN. An air fryer is usually limited to the convection-like air frying function, while a toaster oven or countertop oven can offer a wider range of functions such as broil, roast and bake. Some countertop ovens even feature an Air Fry setting, maximizing your appliance's functions.

Why is air fryer chicken so good? ›

The fryer uses electrical elements to heat the air and circulate it through the food. This process cooks the chicken quickly without drying it out, leaving you with crispy skin and juicy insides.

What size Airfryer do I need for whole chicken? ›

Whole chicken – Any size (large or small) can be used. Just make sure it fits your air fryer tray! I have an air fryer with an 8-litre capacity and for my family, I use a large chicken that weighs around 2.8kg (6.2lb) to get about 6-8 serves.

Is a Ninja air fryer big enough for a whole chicken? ›

You can fit a 2kg chicken or up to 1.4kg of fries in each 4.75L drawer – that means you can easily create a complete meal of a whole roast chicken and crispy air fried chips, cooked in one appliance and ready to eat at the same time!

What air fryer is best for rotisserie chicken? ›

Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven

It can bake, broil, air fry, and even dehydrate, thanks to the consistent air circulation and powerful heating elements. The size accommodates a 12-inch homemade pizza, a rotisserie chicken, or even a 9 x 13 snacking cake for baking.

Is chicken in the air fryer good? ›

Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are honestly phenomenal with a dash of homemade seasoned salt and pepper, but if you have even 10 minutes to marinate them, they do come out extremely flavorful. My favorite chicken marinade is Italian Dressing! Use about 2 Tablespoons dressing per chicken breast.

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