How to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer

Learn how you can use your air fryer to cook a whole chicken for a delicious and easy homemade family dinner. You will love how the skin becomes so crispy while the meat stays juicy and tender.

With just three ingredients, cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer could not be easier. It's a set and forget meal as the air fryer does all the hard work. Simply roast or steam some vegetables to serve alongside for a delicious family dinner.

The skin becomes so incredibly crispy and delicious while the inside stays juicy and tender. No dry chicken here!

The size of your airfryer will determine the size of the chicken you can cook so you may need to adjust your cooking times accordingly. For this recipe I have used a 1.8 kg (4 pound) chicken.

Never throw away the bones. You can turn them into a wonderful homemade bone broth and use this as the base for another meal.

Three simple ingredients

• Whole chicken
• Olive oil
• Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment you will need

• Air fryer
• Large bowl
• Common kitchen utensils such as measuring spoons

I love my Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer available from Amazon.com.au (AU readers) and Amazon.com (USA and other readers).

I am not exaggerating when I say this is a life changing appliance. I can air fry, roast, slow cook bone broth and make long-fermented yogurt all in one appliance.

Plus this air fryer is huge! With dual-layer cooking, I can fit twice as much as my old air fryer.

If you're looking for more quick and easy air fryer recipes try my chicken drumsticks and lamb chops recipes.

How to cook a whole chicken in the air fryer

Unwrap the chicken and allow it to drain over the sink.

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt and rub the mixture into the skin.

Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature setting to 200 °C (392 °F) and cook for 60 minutes.

At the end of the cooking time, check the chicken is cooked. You will know the chicken is cooked when the flesh between the leg bone and the body is no longer pink and the juices are running clear. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 73.9 °C (165 °F).

Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the air fryer and size of the chicken. Check the manufacturers handbook for more information and adjust accordingly.

Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving.

How to store cooked chicken

Store leftover cooled cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thanks for following along. If you love this recipe please give it five stars in the recipe card and leave me a review there. Your support means so much and helps me share my recipes for free.

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