Wondering how to make half chicken in the air fryer or perhaps you are asking what exactly it is, this Air fryer half chicken recipe is here to answer your burning questions about it. You really don’t need to make a whole chicken if you don’t want to and that’s exactly what this recipe is for.
It’s Juicy, flavorful and tender with crispy skin. Enough to serve 5 to 6 people as a side dish to many recipes like cubed potatoes, home fries, French fries, fried rice, sweet potato fries and lots more.
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Table of Contents
- What is half chicken? (Split Chicken)
- Join our Air fryer recipes group on Facebook
- This air fryer half chicken recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make half chicken in air fryer
- How long to roast half a chicken in air fryer
- How to store and reheat
- Can you cook frozen half chicken in the air fryer?
- Best sides for fried chicken (Air fried half chicken)
- Air frying Tips
- Frequently asked questions
- More air fryer chicken recipes
- Other easy air fryer recipes
- Air fryer half chicken recipe
What is half chicken? (Split Chicken)
What is half chicken? This simply means a whole chicken that has been split into two mostly parts through the back bone down the middle.
Split chicken means you have one whole wing, one chicken quarter and one half of the chicken breasts. This is usually easier a d faster to cook in the air fryer than whole chicken.
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This air fryer half chicken recipe
- Well seasoned
- Family friendly
- Most diets friendly
- Quick and easy
Related: Marinated whole chicken in air fryer, Air fryer Spatchcock chicken.
Ingredients
- Oil
- Paprika
- Chicken
- Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
How do you split chicken in half?
Splitting chicken half chicken is similar to when you want to spatchcock a whole chicken. The difference is that with half chicken the two parts are completely separated while spatchcock or butterfly chicken only one side is split so the chicken is still whole but opened up and flat.
I usually buy already split chicken from the grocery store near me. However I know it’s not very easy to find in most grocery stores.
So if you ever find yourself in that situation , grab a whole chicken and head over to this video and watch how to halve a chicken.
How to make half chicken in air fryer
This is an overview of the recipe with step by step photos. Scroll down to end of post for a printable recipe card with the amount of ingredients and full recipe instructions.
Pat chicken dry so there’s no moisture this will ensure the seasoning sticks and doesn’t slide off.
Brush chicken on all sides with oil then season with salt and seasoning blend. Wrap in plastic wrap and marinated for at least 30 mins. You can skip this step if in hurry but that chicken will taste way better if it was marinated.
Place chicken in air fryer skin side up and set temp to 360°F / 177°C and cook for 10 mins. Flip chicken over, increase temperature to 400°F / 200°C and cook for another 20 mins.
Flip over again and cook for 5 more mins making a total of 35 mins for this particular size of chicken. Add more time as needed if yours isn’t fully cooked at this point. It is fully cooked when the internal temperature is at least 165°F / 74°C and the meat juices run clear.
How long to roast half a chicken in air fryer
The length of time it takes to cook half a chicken in the air fryer depends of the weight and size of the chicken. The type of air fryer you have will also affect cook time for this recipe.
On the average it takes 35 to 40 mins to cook half chicken in the air fryer but the most important thing to look out for is the internal temperature. It should be 165°F / 74°C for it to be considered fully cooked and safe to eat.
How to store and reheat
Air fried half chicken stores well in the refrigerator or freezer. To store leftovers or make ahead, let meat cool down completely then transfer to an air tight container and store in a functional refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you intend to store for longer, freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Chicken can be reheated in the microwave or air fryer. Reheat in microwave from thawed at 1 minute intervals until heated through. I would suggest you thaw in the refrigerator overnight if it’s frozen before reheating in the microwave or air fryer.
Reheating chicken in the air fryer is easy. Place chicken in the air fryer basket or rack / trays and reheat at 360°F / 180°C till warmed through. It should take about 8 to 10 mins to reheat a thawed half chicken if it’s not warmed through continue for a couple of minutes more. Remember to flip half way through cooking.
Can you cook frozen half chicken in the air fryer?
Yes you can cook frozen chicken in the air fryer. From air frozen chicken wings to Air fryer frozen chicken breasts, the air fryer is a master when it comes to cooking frozen foods.
It’s truly a great hack for when you forget to pull out meats from the freezer. Because I sometimes forget to do so myself, I like to clean and season meats before freezing.
This way it’s marinated and frozen and ready to cook in the air fryer straight from frozen, no need to thaw. It will only take 10 to 15 minutes longer than the fresh one and will also depend on size. So a meat thermometer is your best friend.
We have a collection of the best frozen foods for air fryer you should check out.
Best sides for fried chicken (Air fried half chicken)
With air fried half chicken, the option are endless. Here are some of our favs
Air frying Tips
- I usually don’t preheat my air fryers when I cook so most recipes here at Air Fryer Yum are made in a non preheated air fryer except when indicated otherwise.
- I like to start at 360°F / 177°C and finish off with 400°F / 200°C in the last few minutes to crisp up the skin which is optional.
- Marinating the chicken for at least 30 mins helps to improve flavor. If you are in a hurry, it’s ok to cook right after seasoning but be sure you massage the seasoning into the chicken throughly including under the wings.
- Let chicken rest for at least 5 mins before cutting into it.
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces of chicken are in half?
You are probably wondering how much meat in half a chicken or how many people it will feed.
Do you need to flip chicken in the air fryer?
Yes you need to flip chicken in most air fryers because the heating element is on one side, the top. This will enable the heat get to all sides of the chicken. Some newer air fryers like the Cosori dual blaze cooks from top and bottom, if that’s what you have, you may not need to flip the chicken.
Can you put raw chicken in an air fryer?
We cook chicken from raw in the air fryer all the time and to be honest that’s the only way we do it these days. It’s so easy and convenient and tastes delicious too.
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More air fryer chicken recipes
Other easy air fryer recipes
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Air Fryer Yum’s Pro Tip! Air fryer temperatures may vary depending on size, make and model. When making a recipe for the first time, start with less time, check for doneness then add more time as needed.
Air fryer half chicken recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Half chicken
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Season the chicken
- Pat chicken dry to remove moisture. Brush oil all over the chicken then mix the seasoning ingredients. Season the chicken generously.
- Wrap with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins. This is an optional step I recommend for best results.
Air fry the chicken
- When ready to cook, place chicken in air fryer basket, skin side up. Set the temperature to 360°F / 180°C and roast for 10 mins, flip chicken over and increase temperature to 400°F / 200°C and cook for 20 mins. Flip over again and cook for another 5 to 10 mins to help crisp the skin.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken. It should be at least 165°F / 74°C to be considered fully cooked and safe to eat.
- If it isn’t there yet, continue cooking for a few more minutes about 2 minute intervals till it reaches the safe internal temperature and the juices run clear.
- Let chicken rest for about five minutes to lock in the flavor then serve with your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Size of chicken matters when it comes to how long it will take to cook half chicken, bear that in mind
- Because of the above, the internal temperature is a better judge for when chicken is fully cooked than the time. It should be at least 165°F / 74°C to be considered fully cooked and safe to eat. Please invest in a meat thermometer.
- Air fryers differ in the way they cook so timing should be used as a guide.
Nutrition
Did you make this air fryer half chicken recipe? Awesome! Please rate it by clicking the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ when you leave a comment below. If you loved it please share the link to this recipe with family and friends and in you favorite Facebook group.
have to say it was one of the few times my husband looked at me and said 'it's not usually this dry.' I may have to cut cooking time back as the spices were perfect.
Hi Cynthia!
Thank you for your feedback. There are quite a few factors that could have caused this,
1. What brand of air fryer do you use? Brands differ in how hot they cook.
2. Did you preheat? This recipe doesn't require that.
3. Size of chicken. Was the half chicken small?
4. When trying a recipe for the first time it's best to start checking your food earlier than stated in the recipe which still gets back to point number 1 above.
Glad you liked the seasoning. I think you already have a plan for the next time you make this recipe which is to cut back on time. Hope it all works out for you. Enjoy.
-Chichi
Do you preheat the air fryer first?
Hi Mary,
I didn’t preheat the air fryer. I rarely do. If I do I’ll always state it in the blog post. Enjoy!
I make this amazing chicken every week.
i cookef this half chicken recipe my husband loved it. we are having the othe other half chicken tonight. He loved it so much so moist. i did lower the temperature to 180 c in stead of 200c. perfect. its a keeper. Great for summer salads..
Thanks Jen for letting me know. Happy you enjoyed it. Yum
This is a great recipe! I used a buttermilk brined half chicken from Trader Joe’s. I took it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking it, patted it dry and added my own seasonings, which included salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme. I followed the cooking directions, except I cooked it for 15 minutes at 400° instead of 20 because it was under 2lbs and it was out of the fridge for a bit. It’s was spot on at 160° for the breast and 184° for the thigh. I let it rest inside the air fryer for 20 minutes with the basket slightly open so the juices could redistribute. If anything, I could’ve taken it out a few minutes earlier to let that carryover heat finish cooking it perfectly. My husband raved how yummy it was. I can’t wait to make this easy recipe again! It’s a definite keeper.
Hi Tracey!
Thank you so much for taking out time to leave a detailed feedback. I appreciate that. Happy you and hubby enjoyed the recipe and that you look forward to making it again. Thanks for the helpful tips too. Enjoy!!
After marinading in the fridge for a hour or so, should I remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature before I air fry it?
Hi Joe,
Yes you can let it come to room
Temperature before air frying.
Tracey,
Did you use the bake function? My only other option is the “crisp” function on my Cosori Aeroblaze (I would not want to use the grill function for this). I also have the Trader Joe’s half chicken. Thank you 😊
Do you 'Roast ' or 'Airfry '. My Airfryer has both functions.
Hi Karen,
I use the air fry function. Enjoy!
Just finished cooking a half chicken per your recipe either I did something wrong or you like your chicken medium rare cooked it at 360° for 10 minutes flipped cooked at 360° for 15 minutes flipped cooked for 5 minutes tempted at 430° cooked another 10 minutes tempted 450°.I'm done with roast chick can't cook it just done!!!
Hi Tom,
Air fryers cook differently and the size of the chicken matters. I definitely don’t like my chicken medium rare. I like well cooked meats. If you notice the image shows I got to a temp of over 170°F.
The trick to using an air fryer for meats is to use a meat thermometer. You need to cook the chicken till the internal temp at the thickest part is at least 165°F / 74°C irrespective of timing, and the juices should run clear.
Also I noticed an error, The temp should be increased when the chicken is flipped the first time not at the second flip, and it’s been updated. Roast chicken are great in the air fryer. Adjust the timing till you get what works in your air fryer. Hope that helps. Thanks for your honest feedback.
The recipe said 10 minutes at 360° skin side up, and then flip it over and INCREASE the temperature to 400° for 20 minutes. You left it at 360°, which is why it wasn’t done.
Thank you!