How to cook a Small Chicken in an air fryer
Air fryers can cook just about anything with a chicken being no different, if it fits that is. Concentrate on frequently basting which should be easy enough with a small chicken.
Cooking a small whole chicken in an air fryer would follow oven cooking instructions, with 5 minutes taken off the oven cooking time. Rest the chicken at room temperature out of its packaging; rub cooking oil into every crevice to make more basting juice - then air fry at 355°F / 180°C for 45-50 minutes.
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Because its a small whole chicken you'll be air frying, I don't believe its necessary to cook both sides of the chicken. When it comes to a larger chicken, it would be best to cook the underside of the chicken first - breast side down - to ensure it properly cooks, for 20 minutes of the full cooking time.
To cook a larger chicken than the one I air fried for the purpose of this demonstrating, do consider wrapping the wing or leg tips gently in foil to prevent burning.
You could think about spatchcocking your chicken for air frying; you'll cut out the back bone to spread the chicken out flat in the air fryer basket - indeed if the basket is large enough for this cooking method.
As I am dining alone, so I won't eat this whole chicken to myself. So do refrigerate for a minimum of 48 hours, and return the leftover chicken portions to the air fryer to reheat until its cooked all the way through once again.
Be sure the chicken breast, thighs, wings and legs are cut off the carcass, as smaller portions will reheat quicker and better in an air fryer.
NOTE: Save your chicken basting juices - natural chicken fat and olive oil - to cook in homemade roast potatoes, for a richer, saltier flavour.
Prepare small chicken
Little preparation goes into getting your small chicken ready for air frying. You must ensure the chicken is rested at room temperature, out of its packaging. Do seriously consider rubbing oil into the chicken, while adding a little salt and pepper to season.
- STEP 1: Remove packaging - We want to rest the chicken at room temperature and thus its important to dispose of all packaging the chicken was sold in
- STEP 2: Rest at room temperature - Rest a small whole chicken, on a plate or baking sheet/tray, for 30-45 minutes to allow the cold internal temperature to rise up to something you don't need to extend the cooking time for
- STEP 3: Rub on generous amount of oil - With the chicken sitting on a plate or tray, go ahead and rub up to 7 tablespoons worth of cooking oil - preferably olive oil - all over to ensure you achieve a crispy skin... and don't forget to pat dry the chicken skin prior to oiling
- STEP 4: Add seasoning - As the chicken is coated in oil, it would now be a good idea to ground salt and pepper all other; with an option to add your favourite herbs and spices, if you want to improve your roast chicken game
NOTE: Resting a whole chicken at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes is essential for thawing the chicken out. It will have a cold internal temperature, of which, the cooking time will be effected unless the chicken is rested at room temperature.
How to cook small chicken
Air fry your small whole chicken as you normally would in a conventional oven, while taking advantage of better handling in an air fryer - which would be to baste the chicken regularly. How long to air fry a small chicken will depend on your own chicken's cooking instructions, but it shouldn't be any longer than 50 minutes.
- STEP 1: Set temp to at 355°F / 180°C; time 45-50 Min. - How long to air fry a small chicken would be for 45-50 minutes; which is more than enough time to reach a safe internal temperature of 165ºF / 75ºC. My internal temperature landed at 168ºF on this occasion
- STEP 2: Sit Chicken in basket - Using your bare hands, carefully lift up your chicken off its resting plate or tray - where you will proceed to sit the chicken in your air fryer basket - being careful not to splash raw chicken juices everywhere
- STEP 3: Cook for 20 Min.; begin basting every 7-8 Min. - Set the temperature and time as stated above; proceed to cook the chicken for a full 20 minutes which is needed to produce the first batch of basting juice/oil. Only then will you proceed to baste the chicken every 7-8 minutes for the full 45-50 minute air frying time
- STEP 4: Carefully remove Chicken; rest for 5 Min. - Because the small chicken will be air fried to a very tender texture, do expect the legs at least to possibly split apart, as you remove the chicken out of the air fryer basket with tongs
My packaging recommends 40 minutes + 20 min. per kg. My small whole chicken weighs approximately 1.492kg, thus a total of 50 minutes is correct. However, I will air fry for 5 minutes less, because as always your air fryer will cook faster than an oven.
Basting optional
I can't recommend basting your small chicken enough, and because its a whole chicken you'd want to return the chicken drippings back over the chicken - of which I promise will help to air fry the chicken until its exceptional juicy.
- STEP 1: Remove basket out of air fryer - With the first 20 minutes up, its time to inspect the air fried small chicken for colour and texture
- STEP 2: Firmly hold Chicken in basket with tongs - While holding the air fryer basket handle, find a comfortable grip on the tongs which will be used to firmly keep the chicken pressed into the basket
- STEP 3: Pour oil into near by bowl - With a firm grip on the chicken with the tongs so it can't fall out of the leaning air fryer basket; pour all the juices/oil into a nearby bowl which will be used to baste juices over the chicken several times
- STEP 4: Baste chicken; repeat several times - I would then proceed to repeat the process of basting the chicken several times - every 7-8 minutes if you like - until the chicken is cooked to its full 45 to 50 minutes
NOTE: You don't need to baste your chicken but it certainly helps to make the chicken far juicer, then if it went without basting.
Be sure air fryer is thoroughly clean
As you'd want to regularly baste your small whole chicken several times for the duration of the air fry time, its vitally important to sterilize both air fryer container and basket, as it'll be used to baste the chicken.
You'll be consuming chicken juice and oil so you don't want to pass basting juice through a dirty, unclean outer air fryer basket.
Dirt and grit that's left there from previous air frying will end up being poured over your chicken - of which you'll end up eating it - and that is something to avoid.
Clean your air fryer basket and outer container while making sure to remove crumbs, bits and pieces.
I recommend you first baste the raw chicken with oil as it helps to crisp the skin, which is also helped by pat drying the skin. You will want to rub the oil - preferably olive oil if you can - where both oil and natural chicken juice will blend, to make a rich basting juice.
Oils help to create more basting juice which is sure to make the chicken extra moist.
Summary
How to air fry a small chicken in an air fryer will require a thoroughly clean air fryer basket and outer container, as its an essential tool for basting several times during cooking.
With the small chicken cooking for 45 to 50 minutes in total, it will create a lot of chicken drippings, which must be poured back over the chicken to ensure juicy, tender meat.
You must sit the chicken on a bare air fryer basket to allow all juices and rub on cooking oil to render out of the chicken, and drop into the outer basket. You will proceed to pour the juices into a waiting bowl - where the basting juice will be poured back over the chicken - so its vital the air fryers clean as to not risk eating filth leftover in a dirty basket.
Prepare the small chicken by taking it out of its packaging and rest at room temperature for up to 40 minutes.
Air fry the small whole chicken for 45-50 minutes at a temperature 355°F / 180°C. Such time and temperature will allow your chicken to reach an internal temperature far above the recommended 165ºF / 75ºC.
In this instant, my small chicken internal temperature reached as much as 168ºf, which is way above the safe internal temperature.
Do baste your small chicken as often as you can at precise or sporadic intervals; there really is no hard or fast rules providing you baste 5-6 times over the course of air frying.
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