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.
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.
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.
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.
PrintChristmas Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Western
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
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Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
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Make a paste by mixing orange juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
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Rub the paste all over the chicken, including inside the cavity.
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Stuff the cavity of the chicken with one half of a clementine and one sprig of rosemary.
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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.
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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.
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Remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow it to rest before carving and serving.
