The writer shares their experience of cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer for the first time and the results were impressive. The skin of the chicken was crispy, and the meat was tender. They explain that the air fryer is the perfect vessel for roasting chicken as it envelops the food inside with hot quickly moving air, resulting in crisp outer layers and moist, tender meat. The writer used a 4-pound roaster in a 6-quart air fryer oven and cooked it at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 55 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.
The writer recommends using a basic air fryer for this recipe, such as a $120 Instant air fryer or a $60 Gourmia model. The preparation for the air fryer chicken recipe is minimal, with a quick marinade of olive oil, grain mustard, salt, pepper, and Mediterranean seasoning blend. The chicken is stuffed with half an orange, green onion, and fresh parsley. The writer served the chicken with rice made in a rice cooker, but suggests adding diced root vegetables to the air fryer for a complete meal cooked in one basket. It’s important to monitor the chicken closely as the air fryer heat can be intense and easily burn the skin.
To make air fryer roast chicken, preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk together olive oil, mustard, seasoning blend, salt, and pepper, and rub the marinade over the chicken. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket breast down on a wire rack and cook for 25 minutes, then flip the bird breast up and cook for another 25 minutes. Remove the chicken when the juices run clear or an internal thermometer reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving and pour the juices from the air fryer basket over the sliced chicken. The writer recommends a 5-quart air fryer for roasted chicken.
