Learn to make Ninja Foodi whole chicken! This Ninja Foodi roast chicken recipe is even better than grocery store rotisserie chicken. Plus, it’s so easy- make this Ninja Foodi roast chicken without pressure cooker or rotisserie spit. You’ll love this Ninja Foodi roasted whole chicken that’s cooked to moist perfection and drizzled with a delicious gravy. It’s a favorite for Sunday dinners with the family!
My air fryer rotisserie chicken has long been a favorite recipe on the site. But did you know you can make Ninja Foodi rotisserie chicken as well?
The advantage of this whole chicken Ninja Foodi recipe is that the drippings collect at the bottom of the pot. You can use them to make a succulent gravy (or don’t, and keep the recipe low carb and gluten free). I mean, seriously though, why let those tasty chicken drippings go to waste?
Also, this recipe works without using an air fryer spit. It’s a great option if your cooker doesn’t have this feature.
One of the most important things to remember for this recipe is to get a chicken that fits. You may not be able to make a 6 lb Ninja Foodi whole chicken, as it may not fit in the Foodi! Be sure to test fitting the chicken in the Ninja Foodi before beginning the recipe.
If your chicken doesn’t fit, no worries. I’ve provided oven directions for roasting chicken as well!
Jump to:
- ⭐ Whole Chicken in Ninja Foodi Benefits
- 🥘 Roast Chicken (Ninja Foodi) Ingredients
- 🔪 How to Make Whole Chicken in Ninja Foodi
- ⏲️ Ninja Foodi Cooking Time and Temperature
- 😋 How to Make Ninja Foodi Gravy
- 🔥 Roasted Chicken Oven Directions
- 🐔 How cook Ninja Foodi whole chicken from frozen?
- ️🌡️ Leftover Chicken Recipes
- 🥗 What goes with roasted chicken?
- 📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- FAQs
- 👨🏾🍳 More Ninja Foodi Chicken Recipes
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
⭐ Whole Chicken in Ninja Foodi Benefits
Why make whole chicken in the Ninja Foodi? Here are some advantages of this recipe:
- Save money: Whole chickens are typically cheaper per pound than chicken pieces. Additionally, you can save the chicken carcass and make bone broth for soup.
- Great for meal prep: This leftover chicken can be used in salads, soups, casseroles, or other meals, just as you’d use leftover rotisserie chicken. The versatility of plain roasted chicken is one of its advantages; it can be incorporated into so many other dishes! It’s tender and perfect for shredding or chopping.
- Easy clean up: Ugh, I really hate scrubbing the roasting pan. Making Ninja Foodi roast chicken means I don’t have a pan to scrub. The Foodi has non-stick surfaces that clean up easily.
- Nutrition: Roast chicken (minus the gravy) is naturally low carb, keto, and gluten free. It’s packed with high-quality protein, as well as nutrients such as niacin and vitamin B12.
- Delicious: Chicken tends to be a hit even with picky eaters. It's simple and nourishing comfort food.
🥘 Roast Chicken (Ninja Foodi) Ingredients
To make roasted chicken in a Ninja Foodi, you need the following ingredients:
- One fresh whole chicken (4-5 lbs; 1.8-2.3 kg)
- Rosemary sprig
- Parsley sprig
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot
- ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper
To make the baste and optional gravy, you’ll also need:
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2½ tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
You’ll also want to have a good knife, a pastry brush, tongs, meat thermometer and a Ninja Foodi for this recipe. The Ninja Foodi you use must be big enough to hold the chicken and have air frying capacity. I use a Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL 8-quart pressure cooker with air fryer crisping lid (AKA tendercrisp lid).
We’re roasting chicken in the air fryer basket, which is set inside the ceramic pot that is used for pressure cooking. This keeps the chicken up and out of the drippings during cooking, allowing it to crisp on all sides.
🔪 How to Make Whole Chicken in Ninja Foodi
Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat it dry on both sides with paper towels. Don’t truss it, it’s less work and will allow the chicken to brown nicely between the legs.
Juice half a lemon. Set the juice and rind aside.
Strip the leaves from the rosemary and parsley sprigs. Set the stems aside and chop the leaves finely.
Rub the chicken all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the lemon rind, rosemary and parsley stems, and a quartered shallot in the cavity.
Place the chicken (breast side down) in the Ninja Foodi air fryer basket, which is set inside the ceramic pot. Put the air fryer tendercrisp lid on the Foodi.
⏲️ Ninja Foodi Cooking Time and Temperature
How long to cook whole chicken in the Ninja Foodi? What temperature to roast whole chicken in Ninja Foodi? The chicken takes a total of 60 minutes to air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177C).
Begin by air frying the chicken for 30 minutes. While the chicken roasts, combine the cider, ½ tablespoon butter, and lemon juice in a pan on the stovetop. Let it reduce for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
After the chicken has air fried for 30 minutes, flip it and place it back in the Foodi. To flip the chicken, I carefully dumped it onto a plate, and then put it back in the Foodi with tongs. Close the lid and air fry an additional 20 minutes.
After the time is up, brush the top of the chicken with half of the cider reduction. Air fry 5 minutes.
Then brush with the rest of the cider reduction and air fry an additional 5 minutes.
Check the internal temperature of the chicken by sticking an instant read meat thermometer between the thigh and body of the chicken. The safe minimum internal temp for chicken is 165F (74C). Add additional air frying time as needed.
Remove the chicken from the Ninja Foodi and tent it in foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving. You can make gravy (if you wish) while it rests.
😋 How to Make Ninja Foodi Gravy
To make Ninja Foodi chicken gravy, begin by removing the air fryer basket from the ceramic pot. Pour out the chicken drippings and set them aside. (We’ll be using them in a little bit.)
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the flour on medium saute, stirring to make a roux (flour paste). Whisk in the chicken drippings, chicken broth, and the chopped rosemary and parsley leaves.
Keep whisking until it thickens. It will take approximately 5-10 minutes (or less if you have fewer chicken drippings).
Slice the chicken and serve with the warm gravy. So flavorful and comforting!
🔥 Roasted Chicken Oven Directions
You don’t need a Ninja Foodi to make this recipe. Begin by preheating the oven to 425F (218C). Prepare the chicken as described above (remove giblets, rub with oil, stuff with shallot, lemon rind, etc.).
Place the chicken in a roasting pan with a rack. The chicken should be placed breast side up. Fold the wing tips under the chicken so that they do not burn.
Bake the chicken for 35 minutes while you prepare the cider basting glaze as described above.
After the chicken has roasted for 35 minutes, brush it with half of the cider reduction and bake for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven, brush it with the other half of the cider reduction, and bake for 5 minutes more.
Check the internal temperature of your chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached a minimum of 165F (74C). If it has, tent the chicken in foil and let it rest outside of the oven for 15 minutes. Make the gravy on the stovetop instead of in a Ninja Foodi.
🐔 How cook Ninja Foodi whole chicken from frozen?
To make Ninja Foodi frozen whole chicken, thaw the meat using the pressure cooker function before crisping the skin up with air frying. You can pressure cook a 4-5 lb frozen chicken on the trivet with 1-2 cups of water in 60-70 minutes. Quick release pressure, then air fry for 5 minutes to make the skin crispy.
️🌡️ Leftover Chicken Recipes
Leftover chicken keeps in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Here's how to reheat rotisserie chicken in air fryer (including the Ninja Foodi). Don't add the gravy until just before serving.
Leftover chicken also freezes well. Remove the skin and bones, and store it in freezer bags with the air pressed out. Here are a few recipes using leftover cooked chicken:
🥗 What goes with roasted chicken?
Wondering what to serve with roasted chicken? Here are a few of my favorite side dishes for roast chicken:
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables
- Rice (white rice or brown rice)
- Asparagus
- Air Fryer Frozen Dumplings
📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
One serving of Ninja Foodi whole chicken has 253 calories, 0 grams net carbs, and 27 grams protein. Nutrition information is for a 4-ounce cooked portion (113g) including meat and skin and doesn’t include the gravy or cider-based baste.
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Plain chicken without the skin is a low calorie and protein-dense food. When served with the chicken skin and with gravy, we’re adding a lot of fat and calories.
If I wanted a level 1 recipe, I would skip the gravy and enjoy the chicken breast without skin. Then I could easily make a chicken dinner under 500 calories by adding some (low oil) non-starchy veggies on the side. This chicken is extremely moist and delicious; even without the gravy I think that you’ll enjoy it.
The chicken plus gravy provides a lot of protein and fat. What’s missing here is the fluid and fiber-filled veggies to help fill you up. You could go the low carb route with side salads, or add some healthy carbs like a baked potato.
FAQs
You can make Ninja Foodi air fryer chicken wings using any regular air fryer recipe. Just keep in mind the Foodi may cook a little faster than other air fryers, so check on the food early. Here’s a super delish recipe to make Ninja Foodi Buffalo wings.
Use any of your favorite air fryer recipes to make Ninja Foodi chicken breast. Be sure to check the food early, in case there is a difference in air frying time. Here’s a BBQ chicken Ninja Foodi recipe, and here’s a recipe for Ninja Foodi marinated chicken.
Here’s a Ninja Foodi Grill chicken breast recipe from Wendy Polisi that looks easy and delicious. It looks like a great alternative when you don’t have time to roast a whole chicken.
Simply Recipes has a pressure cooker chicken soup recipe using a whole chicken that looks amazing! Be sure to check it out if that’s how you want to use your chicken.
You can pressure cook a whole chicken in the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot in 15 minutes. Make sure to pressure cook the chicken with water, placing the chicken on a trivet above the water level. After quick releasing the pressure release valve, air fry the chicken until the skin is crisped to your liking.
👨🏾🍳 More Ninja Foodi Chicken Recipes
Looking for more chicken air fryer recipes for the Ninja Foodi? Try these:
You may also enjoy my entire collection of Air Fryer Recipes!
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The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Ninja Foodi Whole Chicken Recipe (Ninja Foodi Roast Chicken)
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb whole chicken (1.8-2.3 kg)
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 fresh parsley sprig
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, quartered
- ½ lemon rind
- salt and pepper
For Basting Sauce:
- 1 cup apple cider
- ½ tablespoons butter
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat it dry on both sides with paper towels. Juice half a lemon. Set the juice and rind aside.
- Strip the leaves from the rosemary and parsley sprigs. Set the stems aside and chop the leaves finely. (Save the leaves to use in gravy, see recipe notes below.)
- Rub the chicken all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the lemon rind, rosemary and parsley stems, and a quartered shallot in the cavity.
- Place the chicken (breast side down) in the Ninja Foodi air fryer basket, which is set inside the ceramic pot. Put the air fryer tendercrisp lid on the Foodi.
- Air fry the chicken for 30 minutes at 350°F (177°C). . While the chicken roasts, combine the cider, butter, and lemon juice in a pan on the stovetop. Let it reduce for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- After the chicken has air fried for 30 minutes, flip it and place it back in the Foodi. To flip the chicken, I carefully dumped it onto a plate, and then put it back in the Foodi with tongs. Close the lid and air fry an additional 20 minutes.
- After the time is up, brush the top of the chicken with half of the cider reduction. Air fry 5 minutes. Then brush with the rest of the cider reduction and air fry an additional 5 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken by sticking an instant read meat thermometer between the thigh and body of the chicken. The safe minimum internal temp for chicken is 165°F (74°C). Add additional air frying time as needed.
- Remove the chicken from the Ninja Foodi and tent it in foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving. You can make gravy (if you wish) while it rests.
Laura says
We live in Hawaii a bit off grid so food is expensive and a bit of a drive. First time I have tried doing this in my Ninja 9-in-1 air fryer. I omitted the sauce because we don’t eat the skin. I followed the directions for everything else and it turned out so incredibly delicious and tender. I will be doing this from now on! Thanks so much for the instructions!
Summer Yule says
Hi Laura, Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe and that you plan on making it again in the future! 😀
Terrified Amateur says
Mmm! Chicken and rice, two absolute favorites. Add in the apples and cinnamon from the last post, and you have four of the top ten. ...top five or six, more like.
You have extraordinary taste, Summer!
Would you believe I actually own a gravy boat? Through no effort of my own though, as it was among the housewarming gifts my parents bestowed when I got my first place, post-graduation. As for the other tableware/linens/cutlery, usually nothing fancier than what one finds at Kohl's or Target.
Your using whole birds inspires agreement, and reminds me that a single quart of chicken stock is all that remains in the freezer. Time to make more. Something wonderfully satisfying about a giant stockpot of broth-in-progress simmering away all day on the stove. Especially when the winter wind howls outside.
Now, how did I do that? I hijacked this tread an made it about everything under the sun except the subject at hand. Some people, huh? If I were you, Summer, I'd return the favor on my website.
Summer Yule says
Haha, I did not read this before I kind of did that on your last post! You wanted to know about my adventures in finding broad bean paste, right? 🙂 It's funny, I am currently working on paper revisions where I was told the manuscript was a bit meandering. Divergent thinking can be a bit of a curse and a blessing both, I suppose.
Thank you for your kind words. I did end up finding a nice gravy boat on Amazon, so we'll never have to pour gravy from a cream pitcher or ladle it straight from the cooking pot again.
Terrified Amateur says
Ahh, the trouble with an agile mind is that it refuses to stay in one place.
The alternative? Drool. "WrestleMania 47!!!!" (Be sure to add exclamations. At least four of them are crucial.) Drool....
No thanks, I prefer fully-caffeinated.
Congratulations on your step toward culinary completion. Your problem seemed to be plenty of gravy in search of a proper vessel. Mine was precisely the opposite problem. With the inspiration you've provided, though, mine is an imbalance soon to be righted.