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Crispy Lemon Herb Whole Chicken in the Air fryer

Crispy Lemon Herb Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 6 People

Equipment

  • Air fryer or air fryer oven A large-capacity basket that can accommodate a 4 lb chicken comfortably—typically 5.8 qt/5.5 L or larger.
  • Instant-read thermometer Essential to ensure safe internal temperature (165 °F / 74 °C at the thickest part of the thigh).
  • Kitchen twine To truss the chicken for even cooking.
  • Mixing bowl For whisking together the lemon-herb marinade.
  • Tongs or sturdy spatula For turning the chicken when necessary.
  • Optional alternatives If you don’t have an air fryer, you can adapt this as an easy oven roast chicken. Some ovens even have an air fry mode—just adjust temps and time slightly.

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken about 4 lbs (approx. 1.8 kg), giblets removed and patted dry
  • 2 lemons: 1 zested and juiced 1 quartered and tucked inside the cavity
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Optional: a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary to place inside the cavity for extra aroma

For Serving (Optional)

  • Lemon wedges
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Pan juices or a quick pan gravy

Instructions
 

Prep and Marinate (5–10 min)

  1. Rinse and pat dry the chicken.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
  3. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs, then rub in half of the marinade underneath the skin.
  4. Rub the remaining marinade all over the outside of the chicken.

Truss the Chicken (2–3 min)

  1. Tuck the quartered lemon halves and optional herb sprigs into the cavity.
  2. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together and secure the wings close to the body. This helps the chicken cook evenly.

Preheat the Air Fryer (1 min)

  1. Preheat air fryer to 360 °F (182 °C) for best results—this creates that beautiful crispy skin we all love in an airfryer roast chicken.

Air Fry the Chicken (35–40 min)

  1. Place chicken breast side down in the basket.
  2. Cook 25 minutes at 360 °F, then carefully flip the chicken so the breast side faces up (use tongs or spatula).
  3. Increase heat to 380 °F (193 °C) and cook another 10–15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads at least 165 °F (74 °C).

Rest Before Carving (10 min)

  1. Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes tented with foil.
  2. Resting preserves juiciness and makes carving easier.

Carve and Serve

  1. Carve into breast, thighs, legs, and wings.
  2. Plate and garnish with lemon wedges, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a drizzle of pan juices or quick gravy, if desired.