Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken

Name: Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
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; 2 sprigs rosemary

This Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken is extra crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It's prepped in 10 minutes and seasoned with a simple, homemade rub. Put this family favorite into your meal rotation this week!

Jump to Recipe

A cooked chicken topped with thyme sprigs on a white plate.

One bite of this delicious air fryer rotisserie chicken recipe and you will never buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store again. This recipe results in a delicious rotisserie-style chicken every single time. It's the perfect easy dinner for the entire family.

🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe

Quick and healthy. This whole rotisserie chicken takes only 10 minutes to prep and then the air fryer does the rest of the work! This recipe gives you juicy meat and is perfect for meal prep.
Amazing leftovers. The reason we all love rotisserie chicken is the leftovers, right? This chicken goes with everything and can be repurposed in recipes like Air Fryer Quesadillas, Easy Chicken Salad, or add it to one of these 12 Summer Salad Recipes.
Freezer-friendly. If you're cooking for yourself or a small family, you may want to freeze smaller portions of the cooked chicken for easy dinners in the future. All you need is a freezer-safe bag or container to store any chicken for later.

🥘Ingredients

Whole chicken. Just like with my Dutch Oven Chicken, this air fryer rotisserie chicken is made using a whole chicken. Make sure to buy one that you know will comfortably fit inside your air fryer basket or tray. You will probably need a smaller chicken. If you do not use a whole chicken, your seasoning measurements and cook times will vary vastly. I'd recommend making my Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks, or Air Fryer Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with different cuts of chicken instead.
Rosemary and thyme. Fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme complement the citrus notes in the lemon and bring out the peppery flavor in the olive oil. I do not recommend substituting the fresh herbs with dried - the flavor will not be as fresh.
Garlic cloves. 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.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

📖Substitutions & Variations

If desired, you can alter the ingredient measurements in the chicken seasoning. My recommendation would be first to make the recipe as written, then adjust to personal taste the second and third time.

How to Prep the Chicken

Before getting started, bring the whole chicken to room temperature. I recommend removing the whole chicken from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before planning to air fry. Once the chicken has come up to room temperature, remove the giblets from inside the cavity and remove any excess fat, skin and leftover feathers. If you need a visual, follow this easy step-by-step tutorial on how to clean chicken. Lastly, pat the chicken dry with paper towels (this is essential to getting the skin nice and crispy).

🔪Instructions

Step 1: In a small mixing bowl, stir together the extra virgin olive oil, juice from ¼ of the lemon, salt, black pepper, fresh minced garlic cloves, smoked paprika, fresh thyme and fresh 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.

A seasoned whole chicken before cooking.

Step 3: Massage the seasoning all over the entire chicken, including inside the cavity, then place the remaining lemon wedges inside the cavity.

Cooked rotisserie chicken on a white platter.

Step 4: In my specific air fryer model, air frying the whole rotisserie chicken takes about 50-60 minutes.

💭Recipe FAQs

Can I cook this rotisserie chicken recipe in the oven?

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.

Are rotisserie chickens gluten-free?

Most store-bought rotisserie chickens are considered gluten-free, however, cross-contamination and hidden flavorings are always a concern if you are intolerant. To be safe, make this air fryer rotisserie chicken at home. It is 100% gluten-free and worth the minimal effort.

How do you know when a rotisserie chicken is done?

I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check if your chicken is done cooking. You will know that the chicken is ready once the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F. Make sure to push the thermometer through the thickest part of the thigh to determine doneness.

Cooked whole chicken on a plate that is on a blue napkin.

👩🏻‍🍳Chef Tips

Make sure you don't buy a chicken that is too large for your air fryer. I recommend around 4 pounds for a 5-quart air fryer.
Do not skip patting the chicken skin dry! Doing so helps remove any excess moisture from the skin of the chicken and will help make sure you have extra crispy skin. If you do not do this, your chicken won't have that beautiful golden, crispy rotisserie chicken skin.
Thoroughly coat the chicken in the spice rub. This will ensure you don't miss any sections and will result in the best-flavored meat.
If you don't have a rotisserie function on your air fryer, just place the chicken in the basket breast side down and then flip halfway through.

🥗Serving Suggestions

This versatile chicken pairs well with a number of sides including Arugula Pear Salad, Instant Pot Jamaican Rice and Peas, Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Instant Pot Garlic Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes.

🥣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.