When I first started reviewing air fryers, many were questioning whether they were just a fad appliance. But now, even my grandparents have an air fryer in their kitchen, and they use it every day.
But even though many of us have fully converted to the air fryer life, occasionally, I see strange guidance online that only serves to make air fryers more confusing, and for new users, more intimidating.
The truth is, air fryers are just tiny ovens, so anything you'd cook in your oven can go in the air fryer — so long as it fits, that is.
I recently came across an article claiming that you shouldn't roast chickens in your air fryer. And as someone who does it weekly, I think that's nonsense. Here's why it's perfectly safe to cook chicken in the air fryer, and how to make it juicy and evenly-cooked every time.
Is it safe to roast a chicken in the air fryer?
In its article, The Mirror quotes Better Homes & Gardens, which says, "The air fryer won't evenly cook the meat, and you may be left with overcooked or raw portions when it looks like it's done."
While it's true that you may need to make adjustments for a good cook, in my experience as an air fryer expert, it's perfectly safe to roast a chicken in your air fryer.
If your chicken fits — and by that I mean, if it slots into the basket with clearance between the top of the chicken and the heating element — you shouldn't have any trouble roasting a chicken.
The reason it needs that clearance is twofold. Firstly, if it comes too close to the element, it'll likely burn the top of the chicken, which will result in the bird cooking unevenly.
Secondly, even if it doesn't touch the element, fat can spit up from the chicken skin and burn onto the element, which (from experience) is a complete nightmare to clean!
However, while you should adjust your settings accordingly, it's perfectly safe to cook a chicken in the air fryer. In fact, in my experience, you'll often be left with a better result.
How to roast a chicken in the air fryer
When roasting a chicken in the air fryer, there are three things I always do to make sure it cooks evenly.
1. Adjust your temperature settings
As a general rule, I recommend a little lower and slower than you would in an oven. Air fryers are incredibly effective at crisping up food because they have a smaller cooking area than an oven, and use a fan to circulate hot air around your food. In practice, this can often mean you need to use a lower heat to ensure your food doesn't burn when cooking larger meals.
For a roast chicken, don't default to the highest heat, as you might do with french fries or chicken nuggets. I recommend starting at 350-375°F / 180°C. The time required will depend on the size of the bird.
2. Use a meat thermometer
While your chicken may appear cooked earlier when roasted in the air fryer, the key indicator that it's ready to eat is that it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before resting.
I use a meat thermometer when roasting my chicken to ensure it's always juicy and never overcooked.
Ideally, it's best to opt for a smart meat thermometer that can both go inside the air fryer itself and connect remotely to your phone to alert you when your desired temperature is reached. We've got a number of options in our guide to the best meat thermometers. In fact, roasting a chicken is one of the tests we use when reviewing!
3. Flip it halfway
If you're not careful, it's easy to dry out a large cut of meat when air frying it. This isn't inevitable; it's just a result of that heat circulation I mentioned earlier.
I recommend giving the chicken at around the 30-minute mark, which will mean it not only cooks more evenly but also becomes less dry. This is because the juices that run from the chicken will flow downwards, ensuring the down-facing side of the bird remains juicy.
Bonus tip: One of the best parts of air frying a chicken is that the base of the basket collects those delicious juices that can drip away when cooking. Don't waste those! I either pour them over my veggies for a boost of flavor or add them to a chicken stock, which I make with the bones of my roast chicken.
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