Easy Air Fryer Spatchcock Chicken

Forget rotisserie chicken, air fryer spatchcock chicken is easier than you think! And it's the best way to produce deliciously tender and juicy chicken with crispy skin in under an hour.

Don’t be afraid to spatchcock chicken — it's so simple and absolutely worth it! And if we can do it, you surely can. This easy, air fryer spatchcock chicken with thyme, rosemary and garlic is so easy to make and it turns out wonderfully juicy with golden, crisp skin.

When you spatchcock chicken, you remove the backbone to flatten the chicken for roasting. By flattening the chicken, it cooks more evenly and prevents different areas from drying out. Furthermore, it cooks much faster and you get more crispy skin since it increases the amount of exposed skin.

While you may ask your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, it's something you can quickly learn to do. We found it helpful to watch this short video, which shows you step-by-step instructions on how to do it. You can also follow our easy-to-follow directions below to guide you through the process.

We use fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil to flavor the chicken, but you can use dried herbs as well. If you don't have thyme or rosemary, you can use Italian seasoning instead. Or, you can use another combination of spices or seasoning — up to you!

This air fryer spatchcock chicken is perfect for family dinners or get togethers. And since most of the time is hands-off, it gives you time to do other things!

Air Fryer Size

The size of your air fryer matters when cooking a whole chicken that's between 4 to 5 pounds. Our 4-quart air fryer was too small for the 4.5 pound whole chicken we bought. Instead, we used our Breville Air Fryer Oven, which easily fit the spatchcock chicken. We simply placed on the grate, and put a pan below to catch all the drippings. Easy peasy!

You'll need at least a 5 quart air fryer to cook a 4 pound (or larger) whole chicken. If you don't have the right size air fryer, you can always cook in the oven (see directions further below).

Ingredients

4 to 5 pound, free-range whole chicken: If you have a 5 quart air fryer, you'll want to buy a smaller 4 pound chicken. Whenever you're buying chicken, be sure to buy free-range chicken that is antibiotic-free and hormone-free. Also, look for air-chilled chicken, which means that after slaughtering, it was cooled in the open air as opposed to cold water. Air-chilled chicken retains more flavor than chicken that's been cooled in water.

Extra-virgin olive oil: Olive oil not only flavors the chicken, but makes it easy to spread the herbs and garlic under the skin.

Fresh, minced garlic: We love the flavor that garlic adds and we use 4 minced cloves.

Fresh or dried herbs: We like to use fresh herbs in this recipe, but you can use dried herbs as well. If using dried herbs, you'll use 2 teaspoons of dried thyme and 1 teaspoon of rosemary. Or, you could simply use 2 to 3 teaspoons of Italian herbs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

STEP 1: Pre-heat air fryer to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, chopped thyme, chopped rosemary, and minced garlic. Lightly season with salt and stir to combine. Set aside.

STEP 2: Remove giblets if not already removed (most often the butchers remove the giblets, but sometimes they'll package the giblets inside the chicken). On a large cutting board, place the chicken breast side down, so you have access to the backbone. Then, with a kitchen shear, cut along one side of the backbone until the very end. Since you'll be cutting through ribs, you'll hear them crack and break, which is normal.

STEP 3: Cut on the other side of the backbone until you reach the end. Remove the backbone. At that point, the back should open up.

STEP 4: Flip the chicken over, and with the palm of your hand, push down on the breast to force the chicken to lay flat. After, gently twist the thighs outward (so knees are facing in) and arrange the wings close to breasts.

STEP 5: Carefully separate the skin from the chicken and rub the herbed olive oil under the skin on the breasts and thighs. Be careful not to tear the skin. Rub any leftover herbed oil on the backside of chicken and on top of skin. Season the outside of chicken with salt and pepper.

STEP 6: Depending on the size of the chicken, roast in the air fryer 40 to 50 minutes, until thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into thickest part of breast and thighs. When done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

How to Cook in the Oven

Spatchcock chicken will roast at a higher temperature in the oven. We recommend roasting at 425 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken), until your digital meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the chicken.

Additionally, after spatchcocking the chicken and rubbing with the herbed oil, you'll then place on a rimmed baking sheet with a rack or grate on top (so the heat can circulate all around). To catch the chicken drippings, we recommend lining the rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleaning.

How to Store Leftovers

You can store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or you can place in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Simply reheat in the microwave for several minutes until warm.

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If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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