The Roast Chicken in the Air Fryer is a classic dish reimagined in a lighter and quicker way. A simple, fragrant, and irresistible main course, perfect when you want to serve something genuine without sacrificing flavor.
Thanks to the Air Fryer, the chicken turns out golden and crispy on the outside, yet tender and juicy inside, just like oven-baked… if not better! With less fat and reduced cooking times, it will become one of your favorite go-to dinner recipes.
The preparation is super easy: the secret lies in the marinade, made with a few ingredients, and in following it during cooking, turning and basting it every 10 minutes for perfect results. The acidic part of the marinade (wine, vinegar, and lemon) plays a key role: it helps make the skin super crispy and eliminates excess fats, leaving the chicken lighter and more digestible.
If you use an Air Fryer with a rotisserie, you will only need to baste it: it will do all the work itself.
For this Roast Chicken in the Air Fryer, I prepare two identical marinades: one for resting in the fridge for about 6 hours and one for cooking, essential to avoid cross-contamination. The flavors? Oil, wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, lemon, and bay leaf, but you can customize them based on your family’s taste.
Serve it with crispy potatoes, seasonal vegetables, or a fresh salad: it will be perfect for Sunday lunch, a family dinner, or when you want a complete meal without complicating your life.
The aroma that fills the air during cooking will make everyone’s mouth water 😍
Try it and see: the Roast Chicken in Air Fryer will become a staple in your kitchen ❤️
I will also provide instructions at the end of the recipe for oven cooking.
Also, check out these recipes that might interest you👇🏻
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: for 1 chicken of 2.2 lbs
- Cooking methods: Air Frying, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Air Fryer Roast Chicken
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 7 tbsps white wine
- 1/3 cup vinegar (1/2 glass)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 lemon (juiced + 2 slices)
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- to taste rosemary
- to taste thyme
- to taste salt and pepper
- 2.2 lbs chicken (whole)
Tools
Recommended Tools
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 2 Kitchen String
- 1 Plastic Wrap
Steps
Preparation of the Air Fryer Roast Chicken
Finely chop the rosemary and garlic
In a small bowl, prepare the marinade by combining oil, wine, vinegar, half the lemon juice, chopped rosemary and garlic, salt, and pepper
Take the chicken (mine was cleaned internally), sear and remove any feather and hair residue, and insert the bay leaves and two lemon slices inside
Transfer it to a bowl and drizzle it with the marinade you prepared, massaging it and ensuring it also goes inside the cavity. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours. Prepare the marinade you will need for cooking in advance
After resting, drain it from the marinade, tie the legs and wings with two pieces of string, and place the chicken on the grill of the air fryer.
Baste it with a bit of marinade and insert the drawer
Start the air fry cooking at 360°F for 45 minutes, taking care to baste it with the second marinade every 10 minutes. If you have an air fryer with a spit, you will only need to baste it. This operation will ensure even cooking, a tender, flavorful meat, and a crispy, golden skin
You can add potatoes after 25/30 minutes to have potatoes and chicken ready together
The Roast Chicken is ready to be enjoyed! Bon appétit 🤩
Did you like this recipe? You can rate it by giving lots of stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 after the tips section!
Follow me also on Facebook! Here is my page👉🏻 Amiche Friggy e Non Solo
and join my Facebook group ➡️I’ll snatch you a recipe
Follow the Amiche Friggy e Non Solo channel on WhatsApp to stay updated by clicking the red link👉🏻 Amiche Friggy e Non Solo WhatsApp Channel or activate push notifications in the box found within the recipe, you will be notified every time I publish something new😊
You can also find me on Instagram – YouTube – TikTok
If you want to discover all the other recipes on my Blog click to return to the Home
Oven Cooking
If you prefer to cook the roast chicken in a traditional oven, no problem.
After marinating, place the chicken in a baking dish (preferably on a rack with a tray underneath) and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 75-90 minutes, depending on the weight. Turn it and baste it with its cooking juices every 20 minutes to keep it tender and juicy.
For even crispier skin, increase the temperature to 400°F in the last 10 minutes or use the grill function.
Storage and Tips
STORAGE
The cooked roast chicken can be stored in the fridge for 2 days, in an airtight container.
Before consuming, heat it in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes, so it becomes fragrant and flavorful again.
You can also debone it and store it in pieces, perfect for stuffing sandwiches, enriching salads, or preparing quick and tasty dishes.
TIPS
It’s important to know that marinade in contact with raw chicken can be contaminated with naturally occurring bacteria in the meat. For this reason, it should never be reused in cooking or as a final sauce.
Therefore, I prepare two identical marinades:
the first is solely for the chicken rest in the fridge, the second is used during cooking, to brush and baste the chicken safely
This way, you avoid contamination, ensure a safer preparation, and still get a juicy, fragrant, and crispy chicken.
