Air Fryer Chicken - Deliciously moist chicken that's flavorful and crispy on the outside! So easy to make in your air fryer in no time at all!
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How has it taken me this long to tell you about one of my favorite Christmas gifts I received? It's my air fryer. How much do I love thee? Well, let me count the ways.
I've made so much in the air fryer already. Baked potatoes, pork chops, chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, corn on the cob and the list goes on.
Today, however, we're roasting a whole chicken, and let me tell you what. . .it's completely delicious.
Can I make a confession? I never roasted a whole chicken EVER before I got my air fryer. Josh has always been the one to make them in our Big Easy oil-less deep fryer. And when we use that, we're usually cooking two chickens at a time and serving a crowd.
I love that it's so easy to make a small chicken in the air fryer.
I used a 4.25 pound bird and it was the perfect size for our family of four. If you're cooking for less, just get creative with the leftovers and make something like this Chicken & Potato Chip Casserole.
For seasoning, I use my favorite dry rub recipe.
For an air fryer, dry rubs, breadcrumbs and Panko work best. Liquid marinades can be used but they're more messy and have the potential for causing some smoke in the house when they drip through to the bottom of the fryer.
My air fryer is a 5.3 quart and big enough to feed a family of four. This particular brand also makes a 3.4 quart model but I wasn't sure the basket was going to be big enough for us. I have to say, I'm really happy I went with the larger size.
HOWEVER, right now it has a permanent home in our basement closet. I'm carrying it up and down the stairs multiple times each week. It's just another sign that I need a bigger kitchen, right? 😉
I normally flip the chicken about 30 minutes into cooking and then roast for another 20 or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
I love surrounding the air fryer chicken with these honey roasted carrots. It's the perfect weekend or even weekday meal.
If you have an air fryer and haven't used it much yet, I encourage you to get it out! It's not just for heating frozen food like chicken nuggets and french fries.
You can make REAL food in this gadget. I promise. One of my other favorite recipes in the air fryer is this
5-ingredient lemon chicken. It's quick and it's delicious.
If you've been thinking about purchasing an air fryer but were on the fence before, I hope this post today inspires you to go out and pick one up. . . or order it online. They are wonderful, and all of the food comes out crispy and flavorful.
Do you already have an air fryer? If so, let us know how you're enjoying yours and what you've made so far!
Ready for More Delicious Air Fryer Recipes?
Air Fryer Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4.25 pound whole chicken
- Ingredients for dry rub recipe or your own seasonings
Instructions
- Clean chicken and pat dry.
- Sprinkle generously with dry rub or own seasonings.
- Spray fry basket with cooking spray and place chicken into the basket with the legs facing down.
- Roast chicken for 330 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
- Flip chicken.
- Roast for 20 more minutes at 330 degrees Fahrenheit or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
- Ensure Even Coating: For optimal flavor and seasoning, ensure the dry rub or seasonings are evenly distributed over the entire surface of the chicken. Rub the seasoning mixture both on the outside and inside cavities of the chicken, ensuring every part is well seasoned.
- Check for Doneness: While the recommended cooking time and temperature provide a good guideline, it's essential to check the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the meat. This guarantees that the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Let it Rest: After removing the chicken from the air fryer, allow it to rest for 5–10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful roast chicken.
Lynn Braynard
Just got an air fryer. I want to make your dry rub but cannot have the brown sugar. Will it still taste o.k. without that?
Sara
It just will taste a little less sweet. It should still be okay. Good luck!!
Mary
Can I cook a whole stuffed chicken
Sara
I've never stuffed any of the chickens I've made in the air fryer so I can't answer that question. If you do end up trying, please let us know how it turned out!
Alice
Does the chicken need to be thawed since it's so large? It sounds like a crazy question as I would think yes.. but I've seen post that says you can put stuff in frozen so I didn't want to assume.
Sara
Yes, the chicken should be thawed. Good luck!
Lori
When during the chicken cooking would I add potatoes and onions?
Sara
In my air fryer I don't really have room for potatoes, onions and the chicken. If you can fit them in with your chicken, check your air fryer cooking guide for suggested time and temp for the onions and potatoes.
Glen
I just got a brio air fryer. It says no oil needed and the instructions say do not use oil. But one recipes say to rub oil on the chicken. Yours did not mentioned that and just to spray the pan with non stick. That's to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan but other than seasoning do you put anything else on the skin?
Sara
I just spray the pan with nonstick spray. Rubbing oil on the chicken makes the chicken brown faster. I wouldn't advise it unless you wanted to do it further into the cooking process for additional browning.
Raquel
Just made this recipe. First time I made a whole chicken. It taste good. Another recipe to add.
Sara
So glad you enjoyed it, Raquel!
Diana
The best Roasted Chicken ever and the carrots were excellent. Really glad I bought the air fryer. Your rub was super great. TY TY
Sara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Diana! Wasn't it super easy? I have two other chicken recipes I'll need to share for the air fryer. I'll add them to my list for this fall/winter to post!
Diana
I will be making your Roasted Chicken and honey carrots tomorrow. My first meal in my new air fryer. I will let you know how it comes out.
Christie
I would love to try this recipe can you tell me how long i should cook my whole chicken?
Sara
Well, the chicken I roasted was 4.25 lbs. I put it in at 330 degrees for around 50 minutes, flipping the chicken after about 30 minutes. You'll need to adjust time based on how large your bird is. Just make sure the internal temp is 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you take it out of the air fryer.
Jenn
I have a 8lb whole chicken. wondering how long to cook cause all I see is smaller ones?
Sara
Do you think your air fryer is large enough to roast a 8 lb chicken? It very well could be. The one I made was 4.25 lbs. You basically need to increase the time for each side of the chicken and continue to monitor the temp with a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when the internal temp is 165 degrees.
Karen McCutcheon
Awesome recipe. Love the dry rub. Made this today. My Son & I LOVED IT!!!
Sara
I'm so happy to hear that!
David Air Fryer
I own the power air fryer but have never used it for chicken but after reading this article I want to try this because it looks delicious I need to get more adventurous.
Julie
I love my air dryer. I've made French fries, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, steak, chicken, salmon & heated cold pizza. I try almost anything in it. My only problem is when I have to bread things, such as fried chicken wings the breading doesn't come out the same as it would be pan fried. Do you have any suggestions? I see you make lemon panko chicken in the air fryer. Do you do anything special to the panko bread?
Sara
Well, I always make sure to flip the meat halfway through the cooking time to ensure both sides of the meat crisp up. When I make the lemon chicken I dredge it in egg before I add the breading so it sticks to the meat better as well. You want a good coating so the outside of the meat is crispy all around.
Joy
Julie, I had the same problem with the breaded items. I found if I sprayed the food item with cooking spray they turned golden and crispy.
Dru
I used my XL fryer for the first time yesterday. Chicken wings, of course. Delicious. Today I am making this chicken! I am thrilled! I also want to roast veggies after. I need to play around with the times. Thank you for the recipe!
Sara
You have to let me know how your chicken turned out, Dru! I can't wait to hear!
Anna
I own the Philips XL but have never used it for chicken. I need to get more adventurous. Am going to give it a go! Thanks for the suggestion!
Sara
Yes, you need to try to make a chicken in your air fryer, Anna. You may never make one in your oven again! I can't wait to hear if you try it out!
janet ducharme
They say not to spray oil in the air fryer? I have a XL power and on the bottom of the basket is a non stick coating. So can I use it or just spray my food
Sara
They recommend using oil in a glass spray bottle vs. canned sprays like Pam. Pam is said to ruin the non-stick coating if used regularly over time.