Name: Ridiculously Easy Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 3 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 5lb. whole chicken, giblets removed; 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

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Say goodbye to overly complicated (and sometimes messy!) methods for a roasting a whole chicken in the oven! My 1-hour, well-tested recipe for roasting a whole chicken in the air fryer guarantees crispy, golden-brown skin and tender meat every time. It’s such a great, mostly hands-off recipe to keep in your back pocket for easy chicken meal prep for dinners and lunches too!

close up crispy whole air fried chicken in black air fryer

There’s nothing better than extra crispy chicken. But frying a chicken in a bat of oil sounds messy and kind of dangerous (I can see the splattering oil burning my skin now).

Enter the air fryer! It’s SO easy to fry a whole chicken in the air fryer. It only requires a few steps and an hour of cook time (maybe less, depending on the size of your chicken!). You’ll definitely want to add this to your list of easy and fast air fryer recipes!

My husband said this is the best chicken we’ve ever cooked. EVER. And if my husband is excited about how a dish turns out, I know you will be too.

Enjoy this chicken in the air fryer on a Sunday night for dinner or meal prep it on a Sunday to have chicken for lunches throughout the week (see more meal prep ideas below!). As a registered dietitian and Mom, I love having protein prepped ahead of time to easily grab throughout the week!

If you’re inspired with this recipe and want to try cooking more proteins in the air fryer, check out how to air fry salmon filets next!

Or if you’re vegetarian, vegan, or trying to eat more plant-based, you can try my favorite veg recipe – air fried cauliflower!

For a quick step-by-step, check this recipe out in Web Stories!

Ingredients You’ll Need

whole raw chicken on white plate with poultry seasoning on it

Notes on Ingredients

Whole Chicken: Make sure the size of your chicken will fit in the size of your air fryer first. For reference, we cooked a 5 lb chicken in a Phillips XXL Air Fryer with 3 lb / 4 qt capacity (affiliate link – at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase).

Seasoning: We like Bosari seasoning for chicken. Their original and citrus varieties are perfect on poultry, meat, even seafood. I recommend using your seasoning of choice for this recipe. Ideally some combination of salt, dried herbs, and pepper.

How to Make Chicken in the Air Fryer

raw whole chicken with poultry seasoning on white plate

raw whole chicken with poultry seasoning in black air fryer basket

Step 1: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place on a clean surface. Remove giblets from cavity. You can save or freeze giblets to make broth at a later time.

Step 2: Rub seasoning all over chicken.

Step 3: Place chicken, breast-side down, in air fryer. Set temperature to 350 degrees F.

Step 4: Set air fryer timer to 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, flip chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes, or until chicken has an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.

Step 5: Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Expert Tip: Be sure to check the size of the chicken you are buying to ensure it will fit in your air fryer!

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take to make chicken in the air fryer?

It takes about one hour for a 5 lb chicken, maybe less for a smaller bird.

What size air fryer do you need to cook a whole chicken?

We have a Phillips XXL Air Fryer that has a 3 lb / 4 qt capacity and we are able to fit a 5 lb chicken in there. If you have a smaller air fryer than 3 lb / 4 qt, I’d recommend getting a smaller chicken around 3 or 4 lbs.

What is breast-side down for chicken?

How it’s pictured below with the legs tucked underneath, not facing up.

Do the legs need to be tied together?

I don’t think it’s necessary. Some will tell you this will help keep the chicken more moist but ours was super juicy and moist without tying them.

What can you serve a whole chicken with?

Anything! I’d recommend serving it with a starch and vegetable. Here are some ideas:

mashed potatoes and green beans
roasted potato salad and corn and tomato salad
butternut squash and kale
air fryer baked potatoes and broccoli
Caprese pasta salad with pesto and green salad
cornbread and no mayo coleslaw

How do you make your own chicken seasoning?

Use a combination of salt, pepper, spices and dried herbs such as onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

whole air fried chicken in black air fryer from top view

Storage and Preparation

This chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months!

To reheat, preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F and cook until heated through, about 3-5 minutes, or reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

Meal Prep Ideas

This air fryer roast chicken recipe makes for easy meal prep! Here are a handful of ideas for using this chicken throughout the week:

Chicken salad
Protein for greens salad
Chicken tacos or enchiladas
Throw in soups or stews
Add to pasta or rice bowl

For more air fryer inspiration, check out my recipes below!

whole air fried chicken on white platter with four whole and sliced lemons around it

If you like this recipe, please be sure to give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

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