How Long to Cook a Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer
Cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer is fast and easy! It only takes about an hour to cook a 4 lb. whole chicken in an air fryer. The key is to pick a chicken that fits in the air fryer and pat the whole bird dry with paper towels and set it in the air fryer. Stick the chicken in the air fryer breast side down for the first 40 minutes and then flip it over for the remaining 20 minutes to ensure that the whole chicken has perfectly crispy skin all the way around.
If your chicken is over 4 lbs., let it cook in the air fryer for another 5-10 minutes, breast side up. You can be sure that your chicken is cooked to perfection in the air fryer when a meat thermometer indicates that the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The drawback of most air fryers is the size limitation. If you need to cook a whole chicken, but it won't fit in your air fryer, try a classic whole roasted chicken instead.