Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style

posted by Stacie on January 5, 2020 // 12 Comments »

This recipe is sponsored by Perdue Farms. All words and opinions are my own.

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style

I have yet another confession. I seem to have developed an addiction to air frying foods. It all started a couple of months ago when we received our 8 qt air fryer. Now I had tried air frying before, but not with a machine that could actually fit enough food for a family of 5. That was a game changer in our kitchen, and one of the first things I wanted to nail down was an air fryer whole chicken chicken recipe. We hope that you love this Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style recipe.

When Perdue Farms approached me and asked if I would like to try some of their new offerings, this was the first recipe that came to mind. The chicken used here is a Sonoma Red Organic Pasture Raised Whole Chicken. So what is a Sonoma Red chicken? Well, for one, it is a chicken that is slower growing that your average supermarket bird. The distribution of meat is a bit different as well; the thighs tend to be a bit bigger, while the breast and wings a bit smaller. The meat also has more flavor and better texture, at least in my opinion. This is a bird that doesn't need a marinade to taste great. It's a bit more expensive, but that's ok by me; I'll pay a bit more for a higher quality product that I know was humanely raised.

Perdue Farms

Now I don't know if you know this, but Perdue does more than chicken. Over at the brand new Perdue Farms website, you can find all sorts of high quality artisan products that go beyond chicken. Favorites that I have tried so far include the Niman Ranch Kielbasa (really good) and the Fat Tire St. Louis Style Pork Ribs. Both products were excellent, and I cannot wait to try the Niman Ranch Ribeye Steak (I'm a sucker for a good ribeye).

Every single item that is sold on the Perdue Farms site is farmed with sustainability and responsible animal care in mind. Green practices are a priority, as is raising animals that are free of hormones and antibiotics. Check out the Perdue Farms Website when you have a moment; I think you will be surprised at what you find. Now let's cook some chicken!

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style

Ingredients

1 3.5-4 pound young chicken (we used a Perdue Farms Sonoma Red Organic Young Chicken)
1 lemon
sea salt
black pepper
thyme
smoked paprika

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 1

Directions

Place your chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Remove the spine of the chicken with kitchen shears. To do this you make two cuts, one on each side of the spine, from one end of the chicken to the other.

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 2

Once the spine is removed, open the chicken like a butterfly and press down to flatten. Season generously with thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 3

Now flip the chicken over and season the skin side in the same manner. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the chicken and rub everything in.

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 4

Place chicken on a rack skin side up and place in air fryer (I sprayed the rack with a little food release to make sure nothing would stick).

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 5 with Power Air Fryer Pro

Cook in the Air Fryer at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is done. You want the skin to become crispy and golden, and you want the meat cooked through.

Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow it to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes. Then carve it up and enjoy!

Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style - Step 6 finished chicken

Let us know how your air fryer whole chicken came out in the comments, and if you need more inspiration, check out our Air Fryer Schnitzel Recipe. We hope that you are inspired by this Best Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style recipe. Happy cooking!

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Whole Chicken Spatchcock Style

Ingredients:

1 3.5-4 pound young chicken (we used a Perdue Farms Sonoma Red Organic Young Chicken)
1 lemon
sea salt
black pepper
thyme
smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Place your chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Remove the spine of the chicken with kitchen shears. To do this you make two cuts, one on each side of the spine, from one end of the chicken to the other.

2. Once the spine is removed, open the chicken like a butterfly and press down to flatten. Season generously with thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

3. Now flip the chicken over and season the skin side in the same manner. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the chicken and rub everything in.

4. Place chicken on a rack skin side up and place in air fryer (I sprayed the rack with a little food release to make sure nothing would stick).

5. Cook in the Air Fryer at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is done. You want the skin to become crispy and golden, and you want the meat cooked through.

6. Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow it to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes. Then carve it up and enjoy!