How To Roast a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer: Hassle-Free Recipe Creates Juicy Meat in Just an Hour
Even when you're short on time, you can still prepare a flavorful roast chicken for a hearty main
Roasted chicken is a guaranteed hit before you set it on the dinner table as it fills your kitchen with its savory aroma. Sometimes it may feel like your chicken takes a while to cook until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender. So, for times when you want to whip up dinner faster, simply cook the chicken in your air fryer. This appliance allows the bird to cook evenly in just an hour. On top of this, you can season the chicken while the air fryer preheats, place it inside and let the machine do the rest. The result will be juicy and golden brown chicken that your dinner crowd will love. Keep reading for the scoop on air fryer whole chicken and a simple recipe you’ll want to add to your recipe repertoire!
The basics of roasting chicken
Preparing roasted chicken usually involves seasoning the chicken and then placing it on a baking dish to cook in the oven. Depending on how large the chicken is, this could take well over an hour as the legs and thighs take longer to cook than the breast. This method still produces a tasty roasted chicken, however, if you want to achieve the same result in a quicker fashion, cooking it in the air fryer is the way to go.
How the air fryer works to roast chicken in less time
Air fryers have a circulating heat function, which spreads hot air around foods such as chicken. For a whole chicken, this allows the inside and outside of meat to cook thoroughly and much faster. A chicken that’s about four pounds should take an hour to cook in the air fryer. But, it’s always a good idea to check the internal temperature because it’s a precise way to tell when the meat is done. Aim for a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing the chicken from the air fryer and letting it rest. I’m not saying you’ll ditch the oven method entirely—but you’ll definitely wish you used your air fryer sooner to roast chicken on busy nights!
Should I use aluminum foil when air frying chicken?
You can place a sheet of foil inside of the air fryer basket to catch any chicken fat and juices. Just make sure that the foil isn’t directly touching the heating element because it could damage your air fryer. Similarly, an air fryer liner is fine to use and prevents the chicken from sticking.
How to roast a whole chicken in the air fryer
Ready to roast your best-ever chicken? Here’s an Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe from blogger Becky Excell. Her air fryer comes with dual cooking slots, which allows her to cook the chicken and a side of rosemary Parmesan fries at once. However, you can serve it with other sides like this Air Fryer Baked Potato or these Air Fryer Carrots.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 (approximately 4 lb.) whole chicken, thoroughly washed and patted dry
- 3 Tbs. garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
Directions:
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F.
- In small bowl, whisk together oil, paprika, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper until well combined. Brush the oil and spice mixture onto chicken so it’s fully coated. Transfer chicken to air fryer basket, breast side down.
- Cook 30 minutes. Flip chicken so breast is facing up and continue cooking another 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove from air fryer and rest 10 to 20 minutes. Carve chicken and arrange on serving platter. Enjoy!
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