Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Roast Whole Chicken

When you want a proper roast with loads of colour and bold flavour but don’t want to turn on your oven, Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Roast Whole Chicken is a total game-changer. With spiced curry paste, crispy cauliflower, fluffy rice, and fresh toppings—it’s like a roast dinner got a spicy upgrade. I made this for a family lunch, and there were zero leftovers! (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

Main Ingredients:

• 1 x 1.5kg whole free-range chicken
• 1 small cauliflower
• 4 tbsp Kerala-style curry paste
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• 1 x 700g jar chickpeas
• 1 mug (300g) basmati rice
• ½ lemon
• ½ cucumber
• ½ red chili
• 150g natural yoghurt
• 3 tbsp mango chutney
• ½ pomegranate
• Poppadoms, to serve

For the Curry Sauce:

• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5cm piece ginger
• 1 red chili
• 30g coriander
• Groundnut oil
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 handful curry leaves
• 300g cherry tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin light coconut milk
• ½ lemon

How To Make Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Roast Whole Chicken

1. Prep the Chicken and Cauliflower:
   Start by pressing down on the whole chicken to flatten it—this helps it cook faster and more evenly in the air fryer. Rub the chicken and quartered cauliflower with curry paste, olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Make sure to work the curry paste into any cuts or slashes in the chicken.
2. Air Fry the Chicken and Cauliflower:
   Place the chicken, breast-side down, in the larger air fryer drawer. Cook at 200°C for 50 minutes, turning halfway. In the smaller drawer, roast the cauliflower at the same temp, adding drained chickpeas halfway through for extra crunch.
3. Make the Curry Sauce:
   While that cooks, peel and slice the onion, garlic, and ginger. Slice the chili and chop the coriander stalks. In a pan, heat groundnut oil and sizzle the mustard seeds, turmeric, curry leaves, and aromatics. After 2 minutes, add cherry tomatoes and curry paste. Cook for 15 minutes, then stir in coconut milk and simmer until thick. Season with salt and lemon juice.
4. Cook the Basmati Rice:
   Boil two mugs of water in a saucepan. Add the lemon half, a pinch of salt, and the basmati rice. Cover and cook for 12 minutes on low. Remove lemon and fluff with a fork.
5. Prep the Sides:
   Grate the cucumber, squeeze out the water, and mix it with yogurt and sliced chili. For the chutney, mix in pomegranate seeds for a fresh twist.
6. Serve It Up:
   Arrange the fluffy rice on a platter and top with sliced roast chicken. Surround it with crispy cauliflower and chickpeas. Serve the curry sauce on the side, plus cucumber yoghurt, mango chutney, and crunchy poppadoms. Scatter with coriander leaves for the perfect finish.

Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe is like a celebration on a platter. You get spice, crunch, creaminess, and that irresistible roast chicken flavour—all done in the air fryer! It’s a clever way to do a full roast without turning your kitchen into a sauna.

Recipe Tips

• Flatten the chicken so it cooks evenly and quickly.
• Flip halfway through to get golden skin all over.
• Add chickpeas later so they crisp up but don’t dry out.
• Massage in the curry paste to get flavour in every bite.
• Check for doneness with a thermometer—75°C is perfect for chicken.

How To Store Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Roast Whole Chicken

• In the Fridge: Store chicken, rice, and cauliflower separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
• In the Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and rice for up to 2 months. Store sauce separately.
• Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 5–7 minutes or use the microwave if you’re short on time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Can I use boneless chicken?
  You can, but you’ll miss out on that juicy roast texture you get from a whole chicken.
• What curry paste works best?
  Kerala-style is perfect, but any good-quality Indian curry paste will do.
• Can I use canned tomatoes?
  Yes! Sub in a tin of chopped tomatoes if you don’t have cherry ones.
• What’s a good vegan alternative?
  Swap chicken for roasted cauliflower steaks and chickpeas for a hearty, plant-based version.
• Do I need an air fryer with two drawers?
  It helps, but you can cook everything in stages with a single-drawer fryer too.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 648
• Fat: 19.3g
• Saturated Fat: 5.9g
• Sugars: 16.1g
• Salt: 1.2g
• Protein: 48.7g
• Carbohydrates: 74.4g
• Fiber: 9g

Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Recipes:

• Air Fryer Chicken In A Bag
• Air fryer Chicken & Mushroom Pastry Parcels
• Air Fryer Cheddar Cheese Scones