Easy Whole Roasted Chicken (Air Fryer or Oven) — The Perfect High-Protein Meal Prep
Recipe by
Servings
4-6 servings
Prep time
5 min
Cooking time
60 min
Calories
2000/2300 kcal
If you want a simple, delicious way to stay on track with your weekly protein goals, nothing beats roasting a whole chicken. It’s affordable, incredibly versatile, and gives you 4–6 balanced meals with almost no effort. Whether you’re preparing quick lunches, building high-protein bowls, or making nourishing soups, a whole chicken is the ultimate meal prep staple.
This recipe uses a free-range whole chicken and a simple ghee-based rub that keeps the meat juicy, tender, and full of flavor. And the best part? You can cook it in the air fryer for extra moisture and perfectly crispy skin—or in the oven if that’s what you have.
Let’s get into the easiest whole roasted chicken you’ll ever make.
🥘 Why Roast a Whole Chicken?
- A high-protein base for multiple meals
- Budget-friendly compared to buying individual cuts
- Naturally rich in flavor with only whole-food ingredients
- Ideal for batch cooking during busy weeks
- Works beautifully in salads, bowls, wraps, soups, or eaten as is
If you’re aiming to eat more protein with less stress, this is the recipe to keep in your rotation.
🍗 Ingredients
- 1 free-range whole chicken
- 1 heaping tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
This simple rub gives the chicken a golden color, a buttery finish, and a savory flavor your whole kitchen will smell like.
🔪 Prep & Season
- In a small bowl, mix the ghee, salt, pepper, and paprika into a smooth paste.
- Rub the mixture generously all over the chicken — on top of the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity.
🔥 Cooking Instructions
Air Fryer Method (recommended)
Cook at 200°C for 60 minutes.
The air fryer keeps the meat incredibly moist while crisping the skin beautifully. If your air fryer basket or drawer is large enough for a whole chicken, this is the method to try first.
Oven Method
Cook at 200°C for 60 minutes.
Halfway through baking, baste the chicken a few times to keep it from drying out. The oven works great—you just want to help the chicken stay moist during the second half of cooking.
Recipe Video
😍 Done! What to Make With It
Once cooked, you can use this whole roasted chicken for:
- High-protein lunch bowls
- Salads with leafy greens + veggies
- Wraps or sandwiches
- Shredded chicken soups
- Quick dinner plates with potatoes or rice
- Meal prep boxes
This is the kind of recipe that makes weekday eating so much easier.
Spoonful of Macros 
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