This Air Fryer Whole Chicken is so simple and delicious. In under one hour you can have a juicy and tender chicken, with an irresistible crispy skin. You’ll never want to buy a grocery store rotisserie chicken again!

For more delicious Air Fryer Recipes, be sure to check out my Air Fryer Shrimp, Air Fryer Meatloaf, and Air Fryer Steak Bites.

a whole cooked chicken in an air fryer basket.

Cooking a whole chicken is one of my favorite ways to knock out a couple of meals at one time. You can eat the delicious rotisserie style chicken for dinner one night, then use the leftovers to make something new the following night.

Plus with the air fryer, making a whole chicken is super easy and incredibly delicious. If you’ve never made an air fryer whole chicken before, I’m here to help you change that!

cut up chicken on a platter.

You only need three ingredients, y’all. Yes that’s it! Plus I have a secret tip to help you achieve extra juicy chicken every time.

The Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken – Rotisserie Style!

I absolutely love cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer, and I know you will, too. Here’s why:

  • Simple ingredients: only 3!
  • Easy: this recipe takes minimal prep and cooks in under an hour.
  • SO delicious! Super juicy chicken on the inside, with crispy skin on the outside.
  • Multi-use leftovers: any leftover meat from your air fryer whole chicken is perfect to use in other recipes throughout the week like sandwiches, soups, or salads. We also love it in Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas, and Chicken Cobbler.
a whole cooked chicken on a platter.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Whole Chicken (just 3!)

  • Raw, whole chicken: about 3-5 pounds, with the neck and giblets removed from the cavity and discarded.
  • Butter: this helps create seriously juicy chicken. Salted or unsalted butter is fine.
  • Seasoning blend of choice: I love Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub when making air fryer whole chicken. It has hints of coffee and garlic that translate into a really flavorful and crispy skin. You can use any bbq rub that you prefer, though!
a whole raw chicken on a plate next to seasoning and butter.

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer – Step by Step

Step 1: Prep chicken

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and put it on a clean work surface. Next, you’re going to loosen skin from the breast meat of the chicken by running a small spatula or your fingers gently underneath the skin. Spread about 2 tablespoons of softened butter all around underneath the skin on to both breasts.

step by step photos for making a whole chicken in the air fryer.

 Step 2: Season chicken

For this next step, I love to use Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning to season the chicken. It has hints of coffee and garlic that translate into a really flavorful and crispy skin. You can use any bbq rub that you prefer for this step though! Sprinkle two tablespoons of bbq rub all over the entire surface of the chicken and rub it in well so that it sticks.

step by step photos for making a whole chicken in the air fryer.

Step 4: Air Fry

Place the chicken breast-side down in the basket of the air fryer and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes is up, pull out the basket and flip the chicken breast side up. Place it back in the air fryer for 15-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Now you’re ready to enjoy some truly delicious chicken!

cut up chicken on a platter.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken – Expert Tips and Notes

  • Add butter under the skin: this is my favorite tip! Spreading softened butter under the chicken skin directly onto the breast meat before cooking creates super juicy chicken. I do this with my Thanksgiving turkey every year, too!
  • Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer whole chicken will cook up crispy and juicy.
  • Cooking time: this recipe will work for a chicken anywhere from 3-5 pounds, but all air fryers (like conventional ovens) cook differently and some cook hotter than others. Cook until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165 degrees. A smaller, 3 pound chicken, will be fully cooked around 45 minutes, while a larger 4-5 pound chicken will require closer to an hour to cook.
  • Start with your chicken breast side down: For a perfectly juicy chicken, begin air frying with the breast side down. After 30 minutes, you’ll flip it breast side up. This will prevent the chicken breast from drying out. 
  • Make sure it fits: I use a 6 quart basket style Air Fryer, and have no issues cooking a 4-5 pound whole chicken. An air fryer smaller than 6 quarts might not work depending on the size of your chicken. If you have a 6 quart or larger air fryer and are unable to push the basket back in all the way after adding your chicken, you can press down on the center of the chicken and break the breast bone to make it lay more flat in your air fryer.
  • Let it rest: Allow your chicken to rest after air frying for about 10 minutes. You want to allow the delicious juices to soak back into the meat before slicing.
  • Storing and reheating: Any leftover air fryer whole chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can place your prepared chicken in the air fryer for at 370 degrees for four minutes. You can also reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave.
cut up chicken on a platter.

Serving Suggestions

The side dish possibilities are endless with an air fryer whole chicken. I like to keep it simple by serving with a fresh green salad and some fried potatoes or rice. Here are a few other good veggies side dishes to pair with your chicken:

cut up chicken on a platter.

FAQs

Can you cook whole chickens in an air fryer?

Yes, cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer is the best choice! You’ll get crispy skin all around, and the white meat stays juicy and tender. Don’t forget to let it rest for a bit so the juices soak back into the meat.

Is it ok to air fry raw chicken?

If you make sure to cook your chicken until it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees, it’s totally safe to cook raw chicken into an Air Fryer.

How long does the air fryer take to cook chicken?

It takes approximately 45-60 minutes to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For chicken breasts, you will need to allow 10-15 minutes of cooking time, depending on the size of your chicken.

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!

a whole cooked chicken in an air fryer basket.
4.99 from 61 ratings

Recipe: Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
This Air Fryer Whole Chicken is so simple and delicious. In under one hour you can have an incredibly juicy and tender chicken, with an irresistible crispy skin. You'll never want to buy a grocery store rotisserie chicken again!

Ingredients

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Instructions
 

  • Remove chicken from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Remove and discard neck and giblets from cavity of chicken.
  • Loosen skin from the breast meat of the chicken by running a small spatula or your fingers gently underneath the skin. Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter underneath the skin on both breasts. Use your fingers to spread it around under the skin.
  • Liberally sprinkle the bbq seasoning over all sides of the chicken and rub into the skin so that it sticks. Place the whole chicken breast-side down in the basket of your air fryer.
  • Set the air fryer to 350 degrees and cook the chicken for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes is up, pull out the basket and flip the chicken breast side up. Place back in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
  • Allow chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Add butter under the skin: this is my favorite tip! Spreading softened butter under the chicken skin directly onto the breast meat before cooking creates super juicy chicken. I do this with my Thanksgiving turkey every year, too!
  • Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer whole chicken will cook up crispy and juicy.
  • Cooking time: this recipe will work for a chicken anywhere from 3-5 pounds, but all air fryers (like conventional ovens) cook differently and some cook hotter than others. Cook until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165 degrees. A smaller, 3 pound chicken, will be fully cooked around 45 minutes, while a larger 4-5 pound chicken will require closer to an hour to cook.
  • Start with your chicken breast side down: For a perfectly juicy chicken, begin air frying with the breast side down. After 30 minutes, you’ll flip it breast side up. This will prevent the chicken breast from drying out. 
  • Make sure it fits: I use a 6 quart basket style Air Fryer, and have no issues cooking a 4-5 pound whole chicken. An air fryer smaller than 6 quarts might not work depending on the size of your chicken. If you have a 6 quart or larger air fryer and are unable to push the basket back in all the way after adding your chicken, you can press down on the center of the chicken and break the breast bone to make it lay more flat in your air fryer.
  • Let it rest: Allow your chicken to rest after air frying for about 10 minutes. You want to allow the delicious juices to soak back into the meat before slicing.
  • Storing and reheating: Any leftover air fryer whole chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can place your prepared chicken in the air fryer for at 370 degrees for four minutes. You can also reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main
Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 105mg, Sodium: 123mg, Potassium: 240mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 296IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know! Mention @TheBelleoftheKitchen on Instagram or tag #BelleoftheKitchen.