Go Back
+ servings
Air fryer Whole Chicken Barbecue
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Whole Chicken Barbecue

This Air fryer whole chicken barbecue is packed with smoky flavours of BBQ spice rub and delicious barbecue sauce! This whole chicken barbecue weighing 3.5 lbs or 1.5 kg can be cooked in an air fryer for an hour!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer whole chicken barbecue
Servings: 6
Calories: 365kcal
Author: Maricel

Equipment

  • air fryer with or without a rotisserie

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg Whole Chicken 3 to 3.5 lbs
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Homemade BBQ Spice Rub

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp mustard powder
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cumin optional
  • ¼ tsp cayenne optional

Homemade BBQ Sauce

  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp molasses substitute with honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
  • 1 tbsp onion Grated or minced. Substitute with 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 clove garlic Grated or minced. Substitute with1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  • Trim the fat in the chicken cavity and pat dry. Season with Worcestershire sauce then drizzles with olive oil. Generously season the whole chicken with the BBQ spice rub.
  • Truss the whole chicken with the cooking twine for even cooking. Full instructions here or watch the video on how to truss the whole chicken.
  • Attach the whole chicken to the spit rod. Full instructions here.
  • Air frying the whole chicken barbecue. Cook the chicken weighing 3 to 3.5 lbs at 375°F for half an hour. Then reduce the temperature to 350°F to avoid burning or darkening the chicken skin quickly. Air fry for another 25 to 35 minutes or until the whole chicken internal temperature reaches 180°F.
  • Make the Barbecue sauce. Combine all the barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened.
  • Brush the whole chicken with barbecue sauce during the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking time if desired.
  • Remove the chicken from the air fryer. Glaze the chicken with more barbecue sauce and let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

You can cook this 3.5 lbs whole chicken in the air fryer size from 5 Qt (without rotisserie) or larger capacity with or without a rotisserie. The time and temperature of cooking may vary slightly, depending on the size and power of your air fryer.
To check the safe internal temperature of the whole chicken at 180°F, insert the food thermometer through the thickest part of the meat, which is the chicken thighs and chicken breast without touching the bone all the way to the middle.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 857mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg