Air Fryer Whole Roast Chicken in Under an Hour

Source video by John Kirkwood on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

John Kirkwood roasts a 1.35kg whole chicken in the air fryer with garlic, olive oil and melted butter, finishing in 50 minutes plus prep. The bird is trussed for an even cook and started breast-side down to protect the breast meat. The pan juices are then turned into a light, glossy gravy with Worcestershire sauce and a cornflour slurry. A straightforward Sunday roast scaled for the air fryer drawer.

Ingredients

• 1.35 kgwhole chicken, trussed
• garlic cloves, crushed
• olive oil
• butter, melted, infused with 2 crushed garlic cloves
• sea salt
• black pepper

• 300 mlhot chicken stock (add late)
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce (add late)
• 1 tbspcornflour, mixed with cold water to a slurry (add late)
• butter (add late)

Method

1. Season the cavity of the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper, then push in about one third of the crushed garlic cloves.

   ~1 min

2. Tuck the wings under and truss the chicken into a neat, compact shape using cotton twine so it cooks evenly and fits the drawer.

   ~4 min

3. Push another third of the crushed garlic into any cracks, creases and folds on the top of the chicken. Do not season the top yet.

   ~1 min

4. Place the chicken breast-side down in the air fryer drawer. Tuck the remaining garlic underneath, then coat with the olive oil and melted garlic butter mixture and season with sea salt and black pepper.

   ~2 min

5. Set the air fryer to roast at 190°C (375°F) for 50 minutes and start cooking.

6. After 15 minutes, carefully lift the chicken out with two forks, draining the juices back into the pan. Flip it breast-side up on a board, then return it to the drawer.

   ~2 min

7. Baste the top of the chicken with the oil and butter mixture and season with salt and black pepper. Continue roasting.

   ~1 min

8. With 10 minutes of cook time remaining, baste the chicken again and pour 300ml of hot chicken stock into the drawer to pick up the juices. Continue cooking for the final 10 minutes.

   ~10 min

9. Lift the chicken onto a board, letting the juices drip off, and leave it to rest while you make the gravy.

   ~5 min

10. Strain the stock from the drawer through a sieve into a jug. Skim off most of the fat (reserve it for roast potatoes if you like).

    ~2 min

11. Pour the skimmed stock into a pan, add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a slow boil.

    ~3 min

12. Whisk in the cornflour slurry a little at a time until the gravy reaches your preferred thickness, then whisk in a small knob of butter for shine. Taste and season if needed.

    ~2 min

13. Snip the twine off the chicken. Cut around the bottom of the breast first to help the slices come away cleanly, then carve and serve with the gravy.

    ~3 min

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