American · 375°F · 16 min
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Juicy boneless chicken breast with a clear temp-and-time path: even thickness, 375°F, pull at 165°F.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
A whole chicken in the air fryer is Sunday roast energy without heating the big oven. Stuff the cavity with lemon and onion, rub on a simple rotisserie spice mix and cook breast-side down first so the white meat stays juicy. Flip halfway, rest before carving and you get crackly skin with almost no babysitting.
Size the bird to the basket
A 4 lb chicken fits most 5.8-6 qt baskets. A 5 lb bird can work if nothing presses the heating element. If the chicken touches the top, use a smaller bird.
Breast-side down first
Starting on the breast protects the lean meat while the dark meat gets a head start. Flip carefully at the halfway mark with tongs and a spatula.
Rest before carving
Ten minutes on a board keeps the juices in the meat instead of on the cutting board. Use the time to warm a side.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Prep 10 min · Cook 60 min · Total 70 min · 4 servings
Crowding. One bird only. Leave clearance under the heating element.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow each step in order. Photos show what to look for so the basket finish matches the plate.
Season
Pat the chicken dry inside and out. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves and onion. Rub the skin all over with olive oil.
Whole chicken rubbed with oil and spices before air frying Mix paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle and rub the seasoning over every side of the bird, including the legs and wings.
Air fry
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F (182°C). Place the chicken breast-side down in the basket. Cook 30 minutes.
Seasoned whole chicken breast-side down in the air fryer basket Carefully flip the chicken breast-side up. Cook another 25-35 minutes until the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F (74°C) and the thigh is closer to 175°F (79°C).
Whole chicken flipped breast-side up continuing to cook in the air fryer Rest the chicken on a board for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with the juices from the board.
