Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Juicy air fryer whole chicken with a secret technique - The meat is juicy with crispy skin, all seasoned with basic pantry spices. The easy and flavorful roast chicken comes together in under one hour!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer roast chicken, air fryer whole chicken

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Total Time 5

Servings Servings

Calories 580kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

3 ½ pound whole chicken
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 to 2 teaspoons salt (I used 2 teaspoons - refer notes)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 lemon cut into 4

Instructions

Before starting 👉 Make sure your chicken will fit in the air fryer basket without touching the top when closed. I used a 6-quart Instant Vortex Air Fryer and was able to fit 3 ½ pound chicken comfortably.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
Prep chicken. Make sure the chicken cavity is empty, then pat the skin dry with paper towels. Gently slide a spoon under the skin over the breasts to loosen it, being careful not to tear the skin.
Season. Mix 4 tablespoon melted butter, 1 to 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning in a bowl. Drizzle some of the mixture under the skin and rub the rest all over the outside of the chicken. Stuff the lemon wedges into the cavity.
Air fry. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F. When hot, pour ⅓ cup water into the basket (this creates steam when cooking and keeps the meat super juicy). Place the chicken, breast side down, and cook for 30 minutes.
Flip and finish. Gently flip chicken over and cook at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F.
Serving. Remove from the air fryer and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Air Fryer - We used a 6-quart Instant Vortex air fryer for this recipe.

Chicken size - Select a chicken that is approximately 3 to 4 pounds. You want to make sure that the bird does not touch the top of the air fryer when placed inside the basket and closed.

Salt -The 2 teaspoons of salt make the chicken flavorful, but most of it drips into the basket. But reduce the quantity if you wish to!

Stuffing - Use cut garlic and fresh herbs along with lemon wedges.

Nutrition