Who knew you could air-fry a whole chicken?
Nothing says “feast” quite like a whole chicken, beautifully crisped and juicy throughout. The aromatic allure of delicious herbs and mouthwateringly tender meat of perfectly roasted chicken can feel like a lot of work, what with oven temperatures, cooking thermometers, sheet pans, basting, and every other careful step that goes towards making fantastic fowl. But what if there was an easier way? What if, sitting on your kitchen counter, was the answer to your poultry prayers?
Your air fryer is, fundamentally, a convection oven that’s small enough to sit on your countertop. That’s not to say that it’s not capable of a lot of things—I’ve been whipping up all kinds of air-fryer goodies here at FFF. But the reason an air fryer can do all these things is the same as an oven—except it does them better for all the ways an oven simply can’t!
Some people might think that I’m crazy for consistently calling the air fryer a countertop convection oven—but it is, and I’m tired of pretending that it isn’t. If it weren’t, there’d be no way you could cook a crispy chicken in it. That’s just what we’re doing today with our air-fryer whole chicken. Perfectly roasted, aromatic, and deliciously juicy, it’s a winning dish the whole family will love.
Is This Air-Fryer Whole Chicken Healthy?
A whole chicken is composed of two types of meat: white and dark meat. White meat is how we refer to the chicken breast and wing meat, and it’s brimming with bountiful nutrients like B vitamins and protein. Dark meat (that’s the meat in those juicy drumsticks) is additionally rich in niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and minerals like zinc (it also has more fat). Composed entirely of meat with no carbs to speak of and using a simple cooking method, this air-fryer whole chicken is a relatively healthy dish. It’s also keto, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly.
The Convection Cooking Conspiracy
So, what is the deal with air fryers? If your oven does the same thing in the same way, why bother owning an air fryer at all? It can seem like a conspiracy to sell you more kitchen appliances when it’s explained so simply. However, there is a distinct difference that defines the air fryer’s necessity.
Air fryers are, naturally, smaller in scale than a whole oven. With less air and closer application of its heat source, an air fryer comes up to temperature significantly faster than a regular oven can, conveniently cutting your cook time. That said, by sacrificing space, air fryers can’t handle many of the tasks that a classic oven can simply for the lack of room inside. Next time you’re doing a small batch bake in a limited time, whip out the air fryer and surprise yourself!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
A whole chicken is typically a pretty awkward shape, meaning that you’ll have to cloak it tightly in tinfoil before storing it in your fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also break the chicken down into sections (breast, wings, thighs, etc.) and store the bird that way. Make sure to cool and store leftovers within 2 hours.
Serving Suggestions
A whole chicken makes a beautiful centerpiece on any dinner table, but especially when surrounded by complementary flavors like those found in Twice-Baked Potatoes. Roasted vegetables couple nicely with air-fryer whole chicken too, whether it be Roasted Broccoli And Carrots or Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Asparagus. While your air fryer is hot, go ahead and whip up a delicious Blooming Onion or Avocado Fries to keep things crispy!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken approximately 3 1/2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Ensure the cavity of the chicken is empty; remove any giblets, and pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels for better crispiness.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and dried thyme leaves. Rub this mixture all over the chicken skin, ensuring even coverage for flavor.
- Place the chicken breast-side down in the air fryer basket to promote even cooking. Set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the chicken for 30 minutes, then carefully flip it over to cook breast-side up for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and tender.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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