Christmas Chicken
Indulge in this moist and flavorful Christmas chicken, ideal for festive occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any chicken holiday menu. This juicy roast chicken gets its delectable flavor from a savory seasoning paste, and you can effortlessly achieve golden, air-fried perfection in under an hour.
Suitable for Keto, Paleo, Gluten Free and Low Carb diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
If you are looking for a fantastic holiday chicken recipe, this Christmas chicken will hit the mark. This roast chicken bursts with delicious flavor and pairs perfectly with your favorite holiday dishes. After all, what goes better with beloved Christmas dinner classics like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans?!
The warm spice blend rubbed on this roast Christmas chicken makes it perfect for your Christmas dinner menu. The rosemary, garlic, and nutmeg have a rich aroma and add a warm, comforting, and cozy flavor.
Plus, this delicious chicken is cooked in the air fryer, which gives you perfectly cooked juicy chicken. Plus, it frees up oven space for cooking your favorite side dishes for Christmas dinner.
Looking for more easy Christmas dinner ideas? You might also like this Air Fryer Whole Chicken, easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast, and easy peasy Air Fryer Ham.
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other special occasions are about spending time with loved ones. Getting a whole roast chicken on the table in less than one hour means you get more family time during the holidays.
P.S. Want even more easy Christmas dinner ideas? Check out this collection of no-fuss, make-ahead Christmas Casserole Recipes!
Adding this air fryer roasted chicken to your holiday table will surely be a crowd-pleaser. And not just during the holiday season, but any time of year!
Why Make This Recipe
- Quick To Make – Air frying Christmas chicken not only frees up oven space so you can cook your favorite holiday side dishes, but the roasted chicken also cooks up golden brown and is perfect in under an hour.
- Crispy Skin – Air frying chicken is fast and gives the chicken incredibly crispy skin; everyone knows that’s the best part.
- Easy Recipe – The herb paste is easy to make, and the cooking is relatively hands-off, so you can focus on other things while the chicken cooks.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – one whole chicken with the giblets removed.
- Orange Juice – fresh squeezed orange juice will have the best flavor.
- Olive Oil – or use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil.
- Spices and Seasonings – Italian seasoning, ground nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Rosemary – fresh rosemary sprigs add lots of flavor. You could also use other fresh herbs like fresh thyme or fresh sage.
- Clementine – a cut clementine will add flavor and aroma to the chicken.
Ready to make this Christmas Chicken? Gather your ingredients, and I will show you…
How To Make Christmas Chicken
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
- Mix together orange juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and ground black pepper to make a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken, including inside the cavity.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with one half of a clementine and one sprig of rosemary. Put the breast side down into the air fryer basket, and add the remaining rosemary sprig and another half of the clementine beside the chicken.
- Cook for 30 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow it to rest before slicing.
Note: Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
Expert Tips
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel before rubbing it with the herb paste.
- Mix the herb paste in a small bowl.
- Use melted butter instead of oil for the herb paste.
- Use fresh herbs and fresh citrus whenever you can.
- For even more flavor, rub some of the herb paste underneath the chicken skin before cooking.
- Be sure to place the chicken breast side down for the first 30 minutes of cooking.
- The final cooking time can be affected by the chicken’s size.
- Collect the pan juices from the bottom of the air fryer to make a flavorful gravy.
- Air fryers can vary, so use the cooking times as a guide, checking for doneness and adjusting as needed.
- Let the chicken rest before using a sharp knife to slice and serve.
- Serve the roasted Christmas chicken with roasted potatoes, dinner rolls, roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and all of your favorite side dishes for your Christmas holiday menu.
Delicious Variations
- Use Herb Butter – Use melted butter instead of oil to create the herb butter paste to rub onto the chicken.
- Add More Citrus – If you love a burst of citrus, add orange zest from fresh oranges and a splash of lemon juice to the herb paste before rubbing it onto the chicken.
- Vary The Herb Mixture – You can add your favorite herbs and spices to the paste mixture. Roasted garlic is a favorite addition, as is a dash of brown sugar.
- Add Some Heat – For those who like spice, a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes will kick up the seasoning a notch.
- Add More Fruit To The Chicken Cavity – In addition to the clementine, add apple slices, pear slices, lemons, or a cranberry mixture to the cavity.
Prep And Storage
- Prep Ahead – Season the chicken the night before you plan to cook it for your meal.
- Store – Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Freeze – Remove any leftover meat from the chicken carcass and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
FAQs
This roasted chicken recipe is made with whole chicken. You can alter the recipe using chicken thighs, chicken breast, or your favorite chicken pieces. You may need to adjust the cooking time.
Roasting a small chicken (3-4 pounds) in the air fryer will take about 45 minutes. It will take closer to an hour for a larger (5-7 pounds) chicken.
Yes, you can. To roast a chicken in the oven, you will need to preheat the oven to 475 degrees F / 246 degrees C. Next, place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan (or use a vegetable bed) and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
When it comes to sizing up your poultry for a meal, numbers matter. For a group of 5-6 people, go for a substantial bird weighing around 1.9-2.3 kg (approximately 4-5 pounds). This ensures everyone leaves the table satisfied.
If you are hosting a smaller gathering of 4? Opt for a medium-sized bird at 1.6-1.8 kg (around 3.5-4 pounds) to serve a perfect meal without excessive leftovers.
More Recipes You May Like
- Air Fryer Turkey Legs.
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast.
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
- Instant Pot Lamb Shoulder.
Serving Suggestions
- Christmas Salad.
- Christmas Fruit Salad.
- Brussel Sprouts Gratin.
- Easy Sweet Potato Casserole.
- Instant Pot Orange Mulled Wine.
- Smothered Green Beans.
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes.
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes.
- Apple Cranberry Pie.
Weight Watchers Points
There is just 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in one serving of this.
More Chicken Recipes
Check out more of my easy chicken recipes!
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Christmas Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pound (1.9kg) whole chicken giblets removed
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg to taste
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 clementine cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
- Make a paste by mixing orange juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Rub the paste all over the chicken, including inside the cavity.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with one half of a clementine and one sprig of rosemary.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, breast side down. Add the remaining rosemary sprig and other half of the clementine next to the chicken in the basket.
- Cook for 30 minutes, carefully turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees F / 76 degrees C.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow it to rest before carving and serving.
Video
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Notes
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel before rubbing it with the herb paste.
- Use melted butter instead of oil for the herb paste.
- Use fresh herbs and fresh citrus whenever you can.
- Be sure to place the chicken breast side down for the first 30 minutes of cooking.
- The final cooking time can be affected by the chicken’s size.
- Collect the pan juices from the bottom of the air fryer to make a flavorful gravy.
- Air fryers can vary, so use the cooking times as a guide, check for doneness, and adjust as needed.
- Let the chicken rest before using a sharp knife to slice and serve.
- Serve the roasted Christmas chicken with all of your favorite side dishes.
- Storage – leftover chicken can be kept in an airtight container inside the fridge for 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- There is 1 WW Blue Plan SmartPoint in one serving of this.
