Go Back
Crispy and golden brown, air fryer whole chicken.

Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer

This Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer provides all the easy steps for making juicy chicken with golden brown crispy skin flavored with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and poultry seasoning.
Servings: 4 servings
Chef Alli
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Save this Recipe

Get the recipe emailed to you + sign up for all our latest!

Ingredients
 

  • 2 Tbs. vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 5 lb. whole chicken giblets removed

Instructions
 

  • Unpackage the chicken; remove the giblets and any organs that may be tucked inside the cavity. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Use your favorite kitchen shears to trim any excess skin or fat blobs that may be hanging out around the cavity opening of the chicken.
  • In a small bowl, combine the seasonings with the salt and pepper; reserve.
  • Place the oil into a small work bowl; using your fingers, gently and liberally rub the oil all over the chicken skin and even into the cavity of the chicken wherever you can reach; discard any remaining oil in the bowl,
  • Rub the seasoning blend all over the exterior and interior of the chicken. If possible, use your fingers to separate the chicken skin from the breast meat; rub seasoning blend directly over the breast meat.
  • Tuck the wings underneath the chicken. You can cook the chicken now, or place it into the refrigerator to marinate, cooking it up to 48 hours later.
  • Brush the air fryer basket with a bit of vegetable or canola oil. If your chicken is on the larger side, remove the bottom rack in the air fryer basket.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
  • Once the air fryer is preheated, place the seasoned chicken breast-side-down into the air fryer basket; air fry for 30 minutes.
  • Using two large meat forks placed on either side of the chicken, turn the chicken over; air fry for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the skin is a deep golden brown in color.
  • The chicken is fully cooked and done when the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees F. at the center of the breast when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer.
  • Carefully lift the chicken from the air fryer to a large cutting board and cover with foil; let the chicken rest for 15-20 minutes to allow redistribution of the juices back into the meat and so the protein fibers can relax.
  • Carve the chicken as desired, or once the chicken has cooled, use your fingers to pull the cooked meat from the bones. **This is easiest to do while the chicken is still warm, but you can do it later, too, once the chicken is has chilled in refrigeration.
  • Store the chicken meat in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 53gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 677mgPotassium: 579mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 4mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Chef Alli is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!