Here’s how you do it:
Check the size – First and foremost, check the size of your air fryer. You’ll need at least a 6 quart fryer to fit a whole chicken. Our 6-quart Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer will fit a whole chicken up to 6 lbs. Check your air fryer size and make sure your whole chicken will fit.Pat dry – Remove any excess moisture from the chicken by patting it dry with a paper towel.Oil it – After patting dry, rub the chicken with cooking oil. This helps the seasoning rub to stick to the skin and also helps to get that perfectly crispy skin.Season it – Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken, making sure to get it over the wings, drumsticks and all the the crevices.Cook it – Let the air fryer do its thing! Details on cooking times for different sizes of chicken are below.
Want more seasoning ideas? Check out these 10 Easy DIY Spice Blends.
How long to air fry a whole chicken
Depending on the size of the chicken, it will take about 1 hour to get a perfectly roasted chicken. Here are the approximate cooking times by size:
4 lb chicken: 20 minutes at 400° + 25 minutes at 350° = 45 minutes total5 lb chicken: 20 minutes at 400° + 35 minutes at 350° = 55 minutes total6 lb chicken: 25 minutes at 400° + 35 minutes at 350° = 60 minutes total
Roasting the chicken at 400° for the first 20 minutes helps it to cook a little faster without burning the skin. Be sure to turn the air fryer down to 350° when you flip the chicken to get that perfectly crispy air fried chicken skin on top. Each air fryer is a little different, so these times are approximate. Watch the chicken carefully at the end of the cooking time and use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature.
What to serve with this perfectly cooked chicken
We like making a whole chicken almost once a week because you can eat it with just about any healthy side dish for a complete meal! Here are some perfect pairings for this juicy chicken, you can make them while the chicken is cooking 🙂
Easy Pan Fried PlantainsAsian Cucumber SaladLow Carb Baked Jicama FriesBrown Butter MushroomsCrispy Oven Roasted Spanish Potatoes
Don’t forget to save the chicken carcass to make some easy crockpot bone broth!
Your turn to air fry some chicken
Plan on making a whole chicken for dinner this week! We know you’ll love how it turns out perfectly crispy in the air fryer. If you make this recipe, take a pic to share on Instagram and tag us @realsimplegood so we can check it out! We love to seeing you make our recipes and sharing them.
