If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for new ways to prepare chicken. I love air fryers because they make cooking chicken sooo easy. In this blog post, I’m going to show you how to cook a whole chicken in your air fryer. For me, I won’t be cooking my whole chicken in the oven anymore, making it in the air fryer is so much easier and tastier in my opinion.
Why Make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
The first reason is that it’s delicious. A crispy, golden-brown chicken with a moist and juicy inside is always a welcomed addition to any meal. The second reason is that it’s healthy. Air frying your chicken instead of baking or grilling it significantly reduces the amount of fat and calories. Finally, cooking your whole chicken in the air fryer is incredibly easy. It only takes about 60 minutes, and there’s no need to dirty multiple dishes.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER WHOLE CHICKEN?
When it comes to cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, make sure that your air fryer is large enough to accommodate the size of your bird. Also, try using a meat thermometer to ensure doneness and adjust the cook time accordingly. You’ll want to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Ingredients
- Whole chicken
- Avocado oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Dried thyme
- Dried Sage
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Preparing the chicken
If required, beforehand remove neck and giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken and discard (or save for making chicken stock). Rinse the whole chicken with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel.
Instructions
1. Preheat your air fryer to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rub the chicken with avocado oil, then season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried sage, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
3. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket (breast side down) and cook for 1 hour, turning at 45 minutes. At 45 minutes, turn the whole chicken over and coat with some of the oils that have dropped down to the bottom of the air fryer tray. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Remove from the air fryer and let rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT AIR FRYER WHOLE CHICKEN
- Make sure your chicken is thawed before cooking it in the air fryer. Frozen chicken will not cook evenly and may be unsafe to eat.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. If you’re cooking more than one chicken make sure there’s plenty of space between them.
- Check the internal temperature of your chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure that it’s cooked through. 165 degrees Fahrenheit is the safe internal temperature for chicken.
- Let your chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute. This will help ensure that your chicken is juicy and flavorful.
- Experiment with different seasonings and cooking times to find what works best for you.
Substitutions
For the herb mix, you can use any combination of dried herbs that you like. My favorites are rosemary, thyme and sage.
You can also substitute melted butter for the avocado oil. This will add extra flavor to your chicken.
Variations
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try stuffing your chicken with herbs and cheese before cooking it. This will add extra flavor and a delicious crunchy texture.
You can also make a delicious sauce to serve with your chicken. My favorites are BBQ sauce, honey mustard sauce, or ranch dressing.
You can also spatchcook your chicken. Spatchcooking is a technique where you remove the backbone of the chicken so it cooks more evenly. To do this, simply cut along either side of the backbone with a sharp knife then remove it. You can find more information on spatchcooking chicken online.
Another option interms of flavor is air fryer buttermilk whole chicken. Follow my exact recipe but coat the whole chicken evenly with buttermilk, letting it sit overnight. The next day, remove the chicken from the bowl, discard any leftover buttermilk mixture and coat with seasoning.
Or, what about rosemary whole chicken? Replace the dried sage and dried thyme with dried rosemary.
FAQs
Either way is fine! Personally, I prefer leaving the skin on – you get that beautiful color contrast between the browned skin and moist meat! However, some people prefer removing the skin and cooking without it. It’s a personal preference!
I love serving this simple dish with potatoes and veggies such as asparagus or broccoli! I also recommend mixing some lemon juice with zest, salt and pepper to create a simple dressing that will enhance the flavors of your main dish. Also, you can make air fryer roasted vegetables (like carrots) and cook them in the same air fryer basket after removing the cooked chicken (at 150°F setting).
It really depends on few factors: size of your bird, thickness of meat etc. Try using a digital thermometer to make sure you cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
The chicken breast definitely won’t dry out when cooked in the air fryer if you follow these tips: use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness, let it rest for a few minutes after cooking, and use a marinade or sauce. If you’re still worried about it, you can always cook the chicken thighs which have more moisture and fat.
The short answer is no. However, this Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe is still really delicious and much healthier than a store-bought rotisserie chicken! You can customize the seasonings to your liking, and it’s a lot faster (and easier) to make than cooking a whole bird in the oven.
It would be best to let it thaw before cooking, but if you need to cook it frozen, increase the cook time by about 50%. You might also want to add a couple of tablespoons more of oil to help it crisp up. Be sure to use your meat thermometer.
If you have leftover chicken, I recommend storing it in a safe and airtight container. Make sure to store it away from pungent or odorous foods as this could cause your food to absorb those unwanted flavors.
Leftover cooked chicken should always be stored within 2 hours after cooking time has passed and kept at a safe temperature of below 40°F (ideally). If you plan on using your leftovers later on after those 2 hours have passed, make sure to transfer your dish into the fridge as soon as possible. Cooked meat such as chicken can stay fresh for 4 days when stored properly like this.
It really depends on the size of your air fryer. Some can accommodate a whole chicken, while others might only fit a half or a quarter bird. Make sure to read your instruction manual for specifics.
This is the air fryer I have, so follow these same instructions for cooking.
A rotisserie basket is not necessary to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer.
Again, this depends on the size of your air fryer. Some can accommodate a whole chicken, while others might only fit a half or a quarter bird. Make sure to read your instruction manual for specifics!
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3½ lbs Medium whole chicken
- 2 tbsp Avocado oil
- 2 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Dried thyme
- 1 tsp Dried sage
- ½ tsp Smoked paprika
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rub the chicken with avocado oil, then season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried sage, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket (breast side down) and cook for 1 hour, turning at 45 minutes. At 45 minutes, turn the whole chicken over and coat with some of the oils that have dropped down to the bottom of the air fryer tray. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the air fryer and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
If you’re looking for a delicious, healthy, and easy meal to make in your air fryer, look no further than this Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe. Not only is it simple to follow, but the end result is a juicy chicken that will have your taste buds singing with joy! Why not try it out today?
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