This easy and delicious air fryer whole chicken recipe by Jamie Oliver is perfect for a quick, nutritious meal. With tender chicken, crispy cauliflower, and flavorful curry sauce, it’s a simple yet impressive dish. Feel free to customize it with your favorite veggies or spices to make it your own!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 x 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) whole free-range chicken
- 1 small cauliflower
- 4 tablespoons Kerala-style curry paste
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- 1 x 700g (24.7 oz) jar of chickpeas
- 1 mug of basmati rice (300g / 10.6 oz)
- ½ a lemon
- ½ a cucumber
- ½ a red chilli
- 150g (5.3 oz) natural yoghurt
- 3 tablespoons mango chutney
- ½ a pomegranate
- Poppadoms, to serve
For the curry sauce:
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 5cm (2 inches) piece of ginger
- 1 fresh red chilli
- 1 bunch of coriander (30g / 1 oz)
- Groundnut oil
- 1 heaped teaspoon of brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 handful of curry leaves
- 300g (10.5 oz) ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 x 400g (13.5 oz) tin of light coconut milk
- ½ a lemon
How To Make Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Prepare the Chicken and Cauliflower: Press down firmly on the chicken breasts to break the backbone and slash each thigh a few times. Quarter the cauliflower and discard any tatty outer leaves. Rub 2 tablespoons of curry paste and olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper all over the chicken and cauliflower.
- Cook the Chicken and Cauliflower in the Air Fryer: Place the chicken breast-side down in the larger drawer of the air fryer, pressing it down. Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) for 50 minutes, turning halfway through. Place the cauliflower in the smaller drawer and cook for 50 minutes at 200ºC (400ºF), adding the chickpeas halfway.
- Prepare the Curry Sauce: Peel and finely slice the onion, garlic, and ginger. Deseed and finely sliced the chilli. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks. Heat 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil in a large pan with the spices and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander stalks, and tomatoes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of curry paste and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Rice: Pour 2 mugs (480ml / 2 cups) of boiling water into a pan, halve, and add the lemon, along with a pinch of salt. Add the rice, cover, and cook on low heat for 12 minutes. Leave to sit for 2 minutes, fluff with a fork, and squeeze the lemon over the rice.
- Finish the Curry Sauce: Stir in the coconut milk, then simmer on medium-low heat until the sauce reduces to a saucy consistency. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Make the Cucumber Yoghurt: Coarsely grate the cucumber, squeezing out excess moisture. Finely chop the chilli, then stir it into the yoghurt. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Prepare the Mango Chutney and Pomegranate: Place the mango chutney in a small serving bowl. For the pomegranate, hold the half cut-side down in your hand and bash the back with a spoon to release the seeds. Mix the pomegranate seeds with the chutney.
- Assemble the Dish: Spoon the rice onto a platter, place the cooked chicken on top, and arrange the cauliflower and chickpeas around it. Serve with the curry sauce, cucumber yoghurt, mango chutney, and poppadoms. Garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Press down the chicken properly: Make sure to press firmly on the chicken breasts to break the backbone. This helps the chicken cook evenly and become crispy on all sides.
- Check the chicken’s internal temperature: To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F).
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer: If your air fryer is small, cook the chicken and cauliflower separately to allow proper air circulation for even cooking.
- Let the rice sit before serving: After cooking, let the rice sit for 2 minutes covered. This helps the grains firm up and prevents it from becoming too sticky.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Allow the leftover air fryer whole chicken to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: If you want to freeze leftovers, let the chicken and cauliflower cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 1 month. To thaw, place the chicken and cauliflower in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Place the chicken and cauliflower in the basket and heat for 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even reheating.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 6 servings total)
- Calories: 442
- Total Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Cholesterol: 143mg
- Sodium: 424mg
- Potassium: 365mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 1g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 35g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Saag Recipe
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Leek Risotto
- Jamie Oliver Chicken In Tomato Sauce
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Fried Rice
Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Description
This easy and delicious air fryer whole chicken recipe by Jamie Oliver is perfect for a quick, nutritious meal. With tender chicken, crispy cauliflower, and flavorful curry sauce, it’s a simple yet impressive dish. Feel free to customize it with your favorite veggies or spices to make it your own!
Ingredients
For the curry sauce:
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken and Cauliflower: Press down firmly on the chicken breasts to break the backbone and slash each thigh a few times. Quarter the cauliflower and discard any tatty outer leaves. Rub 2 tablespoons of curry paste and olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper all over the chicken and cauliflower.
- Cook the Chicken and Cauliflower in the Air Fryer: Place the chicken breast-side down in the larger drawer of the air fryer, pressing it down. Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) for 50 minutes, turning halfway through. Place the cauliflower in the smaller drawer and cook for 50 minutes at 200ºC (400ºF), adding the chickpeas halfway.
- Prepare the Curry Sauce: Peel and finely slice the onion, garlic, and ginger. Deseed and finely sliced the chilli. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks. Heat 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil in a large pan with the spices and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander stalks, and tomatoes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of curry paste and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Rice: Pour 2 mugs (480ml / 2 cups) of boiling water into a pan, halve, and add the lemon, along with a pinch of salt. Add the rice, cover, and cook on low heat for 12 minutes. Leave to sit for 2 minutes, fluff with a fork, and squeeze the lemon over the rice.
- Finish the Curry Sauce: Stir in the coconut milk, then simmer on medium-low heat until the sauce reduces to a saucy consistency. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Make the Cucumber Yoghurt: Coarsely grate the cucumber, squeezing out excess moisture. Finely chop the chilli, then stir it into the yoghurt. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Prepare the Mango Chutney and Pomegranate: Place the mango chutney in a small serving bowl. For the pomegranate, hold the half cut-side down in your hand and bash the back with a spoon to release the seeds. Mix the pomegranate seeds with the chutney.
- Assemble the Dish: Spoon the rice onto a platter, place the cooked chicken on top, and arrange the cauliflower and chickpeas around it. Serve with the curry sauce, cucumber yoghurt, mango chutney, and poppadoms. Garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
- Press down the chicken properly: Make sure to press firmly on the chicken breasts to break the backbone. This helps the chicken cook evenly and become crispy on all sides.
- Check the chicken’s internal temperature: To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F).
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer: If your air fryer is small, cook the chicken and cauliflower separately to allow proper air circulation for even cooking.
- Let the rice sit before serving: After cooking, let the rice sit for 2 minutes covered. This helps the grains firm up and prevents it from becoming too sticky.
Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Whole Chicken