Go Back
30-Minute Lemon Herb Whole Chicken

Lemon Herb Whole Chicken

A whole chicken rubbed in lemony, herby butter and air‑fried to golden perfection in just about 30 minutes. Juicy, crispy, and effortless!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 –4 lb whole chicken
  • 2 Tbsp softened butter
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Tbsp herbs de Provence
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • Air fryer

Method
 

  1. Preheat air fryer to 360 °F (182 °C).
  2. Pat chicken dry; let sit 20 minutes if possible.
  3. Combine butter, oil, garlic, herbs, zest, salt, pepper—rub all over chicken, under skin if possible.
  4. Place chicken breast‑side down in the basket.
  5. Cook 20 minutes.
  6. Flip chicken breast‑side up; cook another 20–30 minutes until meat reaches 160 °F breast, 175 °F thigh.
  7. Rest 10–15 minutes before carving.

Notes

  • Store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months.
  • Reheat in air fryer at 350 °F for 8–10 minutes.
  • Paleo/dairy‑free swap: use ghee instead of butter.
  • To make spicy: add ½ tsp red pepper flakes to rub.
Approximately 450 kcal per serving (¼ chicken), with 30 g protein, 25 g fat, and minimal carbs—depending on the exact size of the bird.
An automated tool is used to calculate nutritional information. Accuracy not guaranteed.