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Air Fried Spatchcock Chicken

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It’s so easy to cook spatchcock chicken in the air fryer and the results are out of this world! The skin is perfectly crispy and the meat is tender and juicy. Ready to serve in about 45 minutes and made with 3 ingredients.

A fried spatchcoked chicken on a wooden work top


 

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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
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A roasted chicken is one of my favorite comfort foods but I don’t always have the time to make it. This air fried spatchcock chicken is a great hassle-free way to cook a whole chicken and the results are amazing!

Super quick and easy to prep, this chicken is perfect for a family meal and the cooking time is pretty hands off. I just know you will love this recipe!

Be sure to check out my other air fryer recipes like Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers and Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp.

How to make air fryer spatchcock chicken

  • Spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone and any excess fat, cracking the breast bone, and flipping the chicken so it lays flat.  
A flattened spatchcock chicken
  • Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season the chicken with oil and seasoning, making sure to cover the entire chicken and to season under the skin. 
A spatchcock chicken rubbed with seasoning
  • Place in air fryer basket, breast side up, making sure the chicken lays flat in your basket. 
The seasoned chicken in the air fryer basket ready to be cooked
  • Air fry on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes, until a quick read thermometer inserted on the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using an instant read thermometer to check if the chicken is cooked
  • Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve and enjoy.
Close up of the air fried chicken being carved

Why spatchcock a chicken?

By removing the backbone of the chicken, you are able to flatten it out so that the chicken cooks evenly all the way through and much quicker than if you were cooking it whole. It’s a great foolproof method to cook the breast and thigh meat at the same time so that nothing dries out.

collage of chicken being butterflied

Can you make this recipe in the oven?

I love to make this recipe in the air fryer as the skin gets super crispy with very little effort. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can roast it in the oven at 400F for around 40-45 minutes. To get the crispy skin you may need to place it under the broiler for a few minutes.

What do you serve it with?

This air fried spatchcock chicken is great to serve with so many veggie and potato side dishes, and leftovers are great the next day served over a fresh salad. Try it with:

A cooked spatchcok chicken in an air fryer basket

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • The size of your chicken and air fryer brand will determine the cook time. For smaller chickens, start checking around 30 minutes. Larger chickens may need a longer cook time.
  • Season all over the chicken including under the skin.
  • I used a 5.8qt air fryer for this chicken.
  • Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.

More Air Fried Chicken Recipes

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make this chicken from start to finish.

roasted chicken on cutting board
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4.60 from 10 votes

Air Fried Spatchcock Chicken

It's so easy to cook spatchcock chicken in the air fryer and the results are out of this world! The skin is perfectly crispy and the meat is tender and juicy. Ready to serve in about 45 minutes and made with 3 ingredients.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword air fried spatchcock chicken, how to air fry spatchcock chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 590kcal
Author Tanya

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone and any excess fat, cracking the breast bone, and flipping the chicken so it lays flat.
  • Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season the chicken with oil and seasoning, making sure to cover the entire chicken and to season under the skin.
  • Place in air fryer basket, breast side up, making sure the chicken lays flat in your basket.
  • Ait fry on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes, until a quick read thermometer inserted on the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve and enjoy

Notes

  • The size of your chicken and air fryer brand will determine the cook time. For smaller chickens, start checking around 30 minutes. Larger chickens may need a longer cook time.
  • I used a 5.8qt air fryer for this chicken recipe.
  • Season all over the chicken including under the skin.
  • Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.

Nutrition

Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 493IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 6mg
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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

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Recipe Rating




Mandy

Friday 23rd of February 2024

Girl... I can't wait to try your recipe. Need to learn how to cook them this way for chicken salad ❤️❤️

Anne

Tuesday 28th of November 2023

I have followed this recipe several times and my spatchcocked chicken turns out perfect every time. The timing and the temperature are right on. The chicken is tender, juicy and best of all, not overcooked! Thank you, Tanya. You know your way around a kitchen!

Tanya

Friday 1st of December 2023

Thanks so much, Anne! That means a lot. So happy you like the recipe :)

Myron

Sunday 16th of October 2022

Hello:

Thank you so much for the recipe and the chicken came out so tender and juicy!!! I used my Ninja Foodi Grill and WOW!!! Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.

Tanya

Monday 17th of October 2022

Thanks Myron! So happy you liked it :)

SARA

Thursday 18th of November 2021

This is so easy to complete thanks so much for this instructions.

Victoria

Sunday 19th of September 2021

Hello! Looks fabulous - how would you reheat this? Thank you

Tanya

Tuesday 21st of September 2021

Thank you! I reheat it right in my air fryer or the microwave. In the air fryer, I heat it at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.