Sometimes I just want a juicy, golden rotisserie-style chicken without turning on the oven or heading to the store. This air fryer rotisserie chicken hits the spot every time. It's tender on the inside, full of savory flavor, and the skin gets perfectly crispy. With just 10 minutes of prep, the air fryer does all the work!
One bite of this delicious air fryer rotisserie chicken, and you will never buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store again. You get a delicious rotisserie-style chicken every single time. It's the perfect easy dinner for the entire family, and leftovers go great in Italian Pastina Soup!
If you are looking for an oven-baked chicken, you will love my Dutch Oven Whole Chicken and Potatoes. It's equally as easy and flavorful and cooked to juicy and tender perfection.
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Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
How to Prep the Chicken
Before getting started, bring the chicken to room temperature. I recommend removing it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Once the chicken has come to room temperature, remove the giblets from inside the cavity and any excess fat, skin, and leftover feathers. Lastly, pat the chicken dry with paper towels (this is essential to getting the skin nice and crispy).
Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and rosemary.
Step 2: If your air fryer has a rotisserie spit, skewer the chicken firmly onto the spit. Truss the chicken with kitchen twine to tie the legs and wings close to the body of the chicken. This is going to help keep the lemon wedges inside the chicken cavity as well as help it cook through evenly.
Step 3: Massage the seasoning all over the entire chicken, then place the remaining lemon wedges inside the cavity.
Step 4: Place the chicken in the air fryer, set it to the rotisserie function and cook for 50-60 minutes or until the breasts reach 165 degrees F and thighs are 175.
Tips for Crispy Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
- Stick to a 3.5-4 lb whole chicken to ensure it fits comfortably in your air fryer. Anything larger may overcrowd the space, leading to uneven cooking and less crispy skin.
- Always pat the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning. Brushing or rubbing the skin with olive oil helps the spices stick and promotes crispiness. If the skin isn't quite crispy enough at the end, increase the air fryer temperature to 375°F for the last 5 minutes.
- For more flavor, rub some of the seasoning under the skin or marinate the chicken overnight. You can also swap in spice blends like Cajun, lemon-pepper, or Italian seasoning for variety.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. This keeps the juices locked in and ensures moist, flavorful meat.
- If you don't have a rotisserie function on your air fryer, just place the chicken in the basket breast side down and flip halfway through.
Serving Suggestions & How to Use Leftovers
This air fryer rotisserie chicken is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or Sunday meal prep. I love serving it with roasted vegetables, creamy mashed potatoes, or a fresh cucumber salad. It also pairs well with rice, couscous, or a simple pasta side. The leftovers are incredibly versatile. I often make this for meal prep at the beginning of the week. Shred the meat for buffalo chicken tacos, toss it into broccoli cheddar soup, salads, or grain bowls, or make quick chicken salad wraps for lunch the next day. It's a meal that keeps on giving!
Storage & Reheating
Allow the chicken to cool, then store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I recommend reheating any leftover rotisserie chicken in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Avoid reheating for too long, as this can dry out the chicken.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound whole chicken
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut into quarters
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 sprigs thyme, stem removed
- 2 sprigs rosemary, stem removed
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to warm up to room temperature. Press the rotisserie function on your air fryer or preheat to 350 degrees F.1 4-5 pound whole chicken
- Remove the giblets from inside the cavity and remove any excess fat, skin and leftover feathers. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Add the olive oil, juice from ¼ of the lemon, spices and herbs to a small bowl. Season the chicken with the spices all over, under the skin and inside the cavity. Add some lemon wedges inside the cavity.½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary
- Next, tie up the chicken with kitchen twine. Skewer the chicken firmly onto the spit of the skewer of your air fryer if you have the rotisserie spit.
- If you don't have the rotisserie spit, place the chicken breast side down in the air fryer. Cook for 30 minutes, flip and then cook for another 20-30 minutes.
- If you have the rotisserie spit, air fry for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F until the temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees F.
- Let cool, slice and enjoy.
Sarah's Tips
- I do not recommend substituting the fresh herbs with dried - the flavor will not be as fresh.
- Similar to the herbs, I recommend fresh garlic. It will make a huge difference in flavor. However, garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
Abbey says
Literally just finished eating… AMAZING! My first time making a whole rotisserie chicken and it was delicious and juicy. Will definitely be making again.
Brooke Limrick says
What temperature are you air frying at?
Sarah Hill says
Hi Brooke, 350 degrees F. I just added the temperature, so sorry about that!