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GET IT NOWThis Air Fryer Whole Chicken Is My Best Way To Cook A Whole Bird
If you’ve never tried cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer before, you’re missing out on the fastest, easiest, and tastiest way to cook it. Whenever I have a whole bird and am just making a regular dinner for my family (and am not testing some other kind of recipe for you 😉), this air fryer whole chicken is unquestionably my favorite method. Here’s why:
- Fastest, easiest way to cook it – Compared to roasting a whole chicken in the oven, the air fryer cuts the time down by 1/3! The only other method I’ve tried that has a comparable time is my spatchcock chicken, but that’s a lot more work upfront. Air frying the whole chicken is so much easier.
- Flavorful, juicy meat with golden, crispy skin – The air fryer already works wonders on both fronts, but I’ve got a secret that adds extra flavor and juiciness. It’s garlic butter under the skin! It keeps the chicken extra moist, allows seasonings (especially salt, so important!) to flavor the meat, and only takes a few extra minutes to do.
- Prep it ahead – You can easily put the compound butter under the skin a day or two in advance. I do recommend waiting to season the skin until the day-of, so you can pat the chicken dry before seasoning and cooking.
This air fryer whole chicken comes out juicier and more tender than any other method, with loads of flavor and the crispiest skin around. Make it with me, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my whole chicken air fryer recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Whole Chicken – You can air fry a whole chicken up to 4 to 4.5 pounds. Any larger than that, and it probably won’t fit in the basket without touching the heating element when you close it.
- Garlic Butter Under The Skin – Let your (unsalted) butter soften to room temp, so it’s easy to mash. I mixed it with fresh minced garlic, parsley and dill, and sea salt. You can use any of my compound butter variations with different herbs, like rosemary, thyme, or oregano. And if you’re out of garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or 1/2 tablespoon of jarred garlic will do.
- Oil & Seasoning Over The Skin – Olive oil (or avocado oil works too), paprika, more sea salt, and black pepper. I don’t recommend using butter over the skin, because it will burn. You can add other spices, though — try onion powder, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, or lemon pepper seasoning for extra flavor.
How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Air Fryer
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the compound butter. Mash the butter in a small bowl. Add the garlic, herbs, and salt, and mash again.
- Rub the butter under the skin. Pat the chicken dry, then slide your hand under the skin to separate it from the meat. Spoon dollops of compound butter underneath the skin, then press on the skin to spread it around. Add a little inside the cavity, too.
- Season over the skin. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, making sure to coat both sides. I like to use a silicone brush from this set to spread it evenly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Air fry the whole chicken. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, breast side down (spine side up). Air fry until golden.
- Turn breast side up. Tie the legs, and continue air frying until golden brown and cooked through.
- Rest before carving. It takes 10-15 minutes for the juices to settle. Your air fryer whole chicken will be dry if you skip this step.
My Recipe Tips
- Make sure your chicken fits in your air fryer before you start. I had this air fryer before and now have this version. Both fit a 4-pound chicken perfectly. If your air fryer is smaller, you might have to choose a smaller chicken.
- Forgot to thaw your chicken? I never recommend air frying frozen meats, but you can actually use the same method I use for air fryer frozen chicken wings to thaw an entire chicken as well. Just air fry the bird (without any seasonings) for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees F to thaw it, then season and cook using my air fryer whole chicken recipe here.
- Forgot to soften your butter? I’ve got a shortcut! Fill a stainless steel bowl with boiling water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Empty and dry the bowl, then place upside down over the butter on a plate to soften.
- Don’t forget to butter the legs — a spoon helps. It’s a little more tricky to get the compound butter under the skin on the legs, but I think it’s a must! I find it helpful to use a spoon to slide the butter under the skin, then use your other hand to press on the skin and slide it off the spoon.
- Be careful not to tear the skin when buttering. The meat stays the juiciest if the breast isn’t exposed from under the skin. If you do tear it though (been there!), it will still be quite good. If it’s just at the edge of the skin, you can secure it closed with a toothpick.
- Try to avoid getting butter over the skin. Like I mentioned above, it will burn. Wipe it off if you get any on the outside of the skin.
- Why not tie the legs from the start? Because usually you can’t close the air fryer when they’re tied and the chicken is breast side down. That’s why I tie the legs after flipping.
- Do you have to preheat air fryer? Honestly, it doesn’t really matter for air fryer whole chicken. The cook time is long enough that the skin will crisp up either way.
- Use a meat thermometer — and stop cooking earlier than you might think. For perfectly juicy chicken, I take it out when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees F, not the target temp of 165! The internal temp will rise at least 5 degrees while resting. The easiest way to get the perfect temperature is a probe thermometer (I use and love this one), which beeps when it’s done and fits in the air fryer easily. An instant-read thermometer works too if that’s what you have.
- The drippings are perfect for making gravy. Just pour them out of the basket into a saucepan with some butter and cornstarch (or your favorite cornstarch substitute), and simmer until thick.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken (Crispy & Juicy)
My air fryer whole chicken recipe with garlic herb butter has juicy, flavorful meat and extra crispy skin. Easy to make and so fast!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Chicken:
Garlic butter:
Seasoning:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
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In a small bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Add the garlic, parsley, dill, and sea salt. Mash again. Set aside.
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Run your hands under the chicken skin on the breast and legs to separate it from the chicken underneath. Place dollops of garlic butter all over underneath the skin and then press down over the skin to spread around underneath. Spread a little butter inside the cavity as well.
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Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, over the skin, on both sides. Spread with a brush if needed. Sprinkle with sea salt, paprika, and black pepper, also on both sides.
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Place the whole chicken in the air fryer basket, breast side down. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
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Flip the chicken over and tie the legs if you like. Air fry for 25-35 more minutes, until a thermometer (I recommend a probe thermometer like this) inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). The temperature will rise about 5 degrees while resting.
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Remove the chicken from the air fryer and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 of the entire chicken
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Air Fryer Bundle!
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get butter under the skin more easily, get the juiciest result, and notes about preheating and tying the legs. I’ve also got shortcuts to thaw your chicken and soften the butter if you forgot to do it ahead of time.
- Store: Keep leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I usually repurpose it for creamy salads (like my classic chicken salad or Mediterranean chicken salad), topping meal salads (like Cobb salad), soups (like spaghetti squash soup, low carb white chicken chili, or chicken pot pie soup), or casseroles (chicken bacon ranch casserole is my go-to to use up fridge leftovers).
- Meal prep: You can make the compound butter and rub under the skin a couple days in advance. It’s best to wait to season the skin until the day-of, so you can pat dry right before cooking, but that part is quick.
- Reheat: The air fryer again works best, but I recommend heating individual pieces rather than placing the whole chicken in the air fryer to warm up. You won’t have to heat them as long, so they won’t dry out.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Note on nutrition info: This is an average for the whole chicken, but will vary depending on which part of the chicken you eat.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Serving Ideas
One of the reasons I love this air fryer whole chicken is it goes with everything! Try it with one of my healthy side dishes for a tasty chicken dinner:
- Air Fryer Veggies – This is my favorite option, because I can prep them while I air fry the chicken and cook them while the chicken rests — and cleanup is easy. Try my air fried brussels sprouts, air fried cauliflower, or air fried corn.
- Other Vegetables – If you prefer to cook your veggies while you’ve got the whole chicken in the air fryer, make my honey roasted carrots or brussels sprout casserole (pictured above) in your oven, or saute cabbage, zucchini, or eggplant on the stovetop.
- Potatoes – If you’re making gravy with the chicken drippings, mashed or roasted potatoes are a classic choice. Try my mashed cauliflower for a lighter option.
- Salads – For a light meal, serve the chicken with my creamy cucumber salad, Greek salad, or in the cooler months, fall salad.
20 Comments
Pamela
0If you do not own an air fryer, how can you convert this to a regular oven temperature and cooking time?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pamela, You can still season it the same way and use my oven roasted chicken recipe or spatchcock chicken recipe to cook it in your oven.
Patt
0Love the delicious sound of this recipe. I don’t have an air fryer. Will it work in a conventional oven or slow cooker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Patt, You can use my recipes to roast chicken in the oven or cook the whole chicken in the Crock Pot instead.
Katie
0I love that I can do this all in the air fryer! So convenient and the chicken turns out great.
Amy
0This is the only way to make chicken. The crispy skin and juicy inside is so delicious!
Kristyn
0I love all your leftover ideas!! I actually have a chicken in the fridge, so I know what I’ll be cooking up this weekend!
Natalie
0Favorite way to cook chicken!! I do it almost weekly for meal planning!
Andrea Thueson
0I am so glad I found this recipe! I will never cook a whole chicken any other way.
Matt
0I would have never thought to cook a whole chicken in my air fryer. I love my air fryer too and am always looking for new recipes to use it. This one is fantastic and turns out so good. Thank you!
Scarlet
0Turned out great with the air fryer! The whole roast chicken was tender with crispy skin.
Donna Burke
0This comes out perfect every time! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Katie
0I love how seamless this is to throw together, and it turns out great! We all love it.
Debbie
0Easy and delicious!
Kristyn
0The seasonings are perfect & the chicken tastes delicious!! The air fryer makes it so easy!
Andrea
0I was blown away. I had never thought to put an entire chicken in my air fryer, but I thought it was worth a shot. I am so glad I gave it a chance! So crispy and delicious, I’m never going back to oven cooking it again,
Natalie
0What an easy & delicious recipe!! You can use this chicken for so many recipes.
Doris
0Simply brilliant! This is now the only way I will make a whole chicken from now on.
Amy
0This is the only way to cook chicken. So tender on the inside and so crispy on the outside!
Liz
0Whoa, I’ve roasted a lot of chickens, but this method is my new favorite! The meat was so tender and succulent! Terrific recipe!