Southwestern Ninja Foodi Whole Chicken
Cooked with fresh vegetables and plenty of spices, Ninja Foodi whole chicken is a one pot meal you won’t want to miss! Tender, juicy meat is coated in a blend of savory spices that instantly flavor chunks of corn, potato, onion, and bell pepper. This instant pot whole chicken dinner recipe makes enough to feed the whole family, but it’s just as great for leftovers too.
Southwestern Ninja Foodi Whole Chicken
What I love about this Southwestern Roast Chicken dinner is that it’s one and done. Simply cook all the ingredients in the Ninja Foodi and you’ll only have one dish to wash!
On top of that, this meal goes a long way. Instead of grabbing a rotisserie chicken on the way home from school pick up or work, try this Ninja Foodi whole chicken recipe. It’s even tastier and the vegetables are an easy, instant side dish.
This Southwestern-inspired chicken dinner is the first meal I made in my Ninja Foodi and I am so excited to share it!
Don’t have a Ninja Foodi?
You can make this in a pressure cooker (InstantPot) or slow cooker, or you can adapt it and roast it in the oven. I have further instructions in the note section of the recipe card below.
Why you will love whole chicken in Ninja Foodi
- Simple, classic flavors – spicy and savory chicken and veggies is a winning combination
- One pot meal – pressure cook and air fry everything together
- Great for leftovers – you can even use the meat and bones in other recipes
- Keeps your kitchen cool – skip the oven and save energy too
How to make perfect instant pot whole chicken
Keep in mind that the Ninja Foodi takes a bit of time to get up to pressure — that is not included in the cooking time located in the recipe card.
Don’t forget the liquid
This Ninja Foodi whole chicken recipe starts with the pressure cooker function, so you need at least 1 cup of liquid in the pot. I used water, but feel free to substitute chicken or vegetable broth for more flavor.
If you want to get extra fancy, you can adjust the seasonings to complement your favorite wine or beer and use that as the liquid instead!
Use an instant read thermometer
Every recipe needs room for adjustment, and when you’re dealing with raw poultry, you don’t want to mess around! Cook your Ninja Foodi roasted chicken according to the recipe, then check the internal temperature before you call it good.
Insert the probe into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful not to hit bone (the extra heat from the bone will affect the temperature reading). Once your thermometer reads between 160-165 degrees F, it’s done!
Let it rest
It’s important to let your Ninja chicken rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing. This allows time for the meat to relax so you don’t lose all the juices!
Also, bone-in meat and poultry will continue to cook as it rests. Allowing that extra time will get it to a perfect internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roast Chicken Dinner
What to make with leftover roast chicken?
One of the biggest budget-friendly foods you can add to your grocery list is a whole chicken. Not only do you get a wholesome meal, but you can turn that into so many different meals that no one would guess are “leftovers.”
- Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Spring Rolls with Garlicky Turmeric Sauce
- Moroccan Chicken Quinoa Salad
I also made this chicken zoodle soup with the leftovers and it was so good!
Recently on my nutrition website, I shared 13 healthy recipes using rotisserie chicken. Head over there for more chicken leftover inspiration.
If you don’t have much meat left for leftovers, you can boil the bones and make a bone broth (here’s how to make bone broth in an Instant Pot). From there, you can go forward with a soup or freeze it for later use.
What vegetables go with Ninja Foodi whole chicken?
I chose some of my favorite Southern spices and vegetables for this recipe. I wanted something full of flavour to be balanced with hearty vegetables that will hold their shape.
The vegetables I used in this instant pot whole chicken dinner are:
- Corn
- Baby potatoes
- Onion
- Green pepper
Other great options could include green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower.
How many calories are this Southwestern roast chicken dinner?
According to the nutrition calculator I use for this recipe, 1/4 of the whole dish (including the corn, peppers, and potatoes) is 598 calories total, 53g of carbohydrate, 34g of protein, and 27 grams of fat.
The issue with this calculation is that the 3lbs of chicken includes the bones. Also, I didn’t make a gravy so the protein and fat counts will be less than what’s listed (making the calorie count go down as well). Another thing to consider is if you don’t eat the skin, you’ll be taking in less fat there as well.
More Ninja chicken recipes:
Ginger Lime Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Southwestern Whole Chicken in Ninja Foodi
Ninja Foodi whole chicken, a one pot recipe that uses the pressure cooker and air fryer function, makes one healthy and delicious meal!
Equipment
Servings 4 people
Calories 604kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lbs whole chicken
- 2 lbs baby potatoes one small bag
- 2 ears of corn cut into 8
- 1 green pepper cut into large cubes
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 head of garlic
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- cilantro optional garnish
- 1 tsp avocado oil I used this spray
Southwestern Rub
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- In the pot of the Ninja Foodi, lay out the corn, baby potatoes, 3/4 of the onion, and green pepper.
- Rub the inside of the chicken and outside with the rub mix.
- Chop the top of the head garlic and give it a hit with your knife. Throw it inside the chicken cavity, along with the 1/4 of the remaining onion. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Add the water, place on the lid, seal and pressure cook for 22 minutes on high.
- Let the chicken naturally release for five minutes (this keeps it cooking), then vent it.
- Take off the pressure cooker lid and spray with a quick spray of Avocado oil (this is the one I have) or brush it on.
- Put down the air crisper lid and air crisp at 400F for 10-12 minutes.
- Let the chicken rest for 10-20 minutes
Notes
For the Insant Pot
Follow the same instructions but you’ll have to leave out the air fryer portion. Let it naturally realease. Add 1 cup of water or broth instead of 1/2.
For the slow cooker
Follow the same steps (up until the air fryer portion) but cook on low 8-10 hours or high 5-6. Omit the water/chicken broth.
- The chicken should read on a meat thermometer at least 165F.
- To crisp the chicken, broil it on a sheet pan for a few minutes until brown.
21 Day Fix Roast Chicken
Total recipe: 3 green, 6 red, 4 yellow, 3 tsps. Per serving: 3/4 green, 1 1/2 red, 1 yellow, 3/4 tsp/ Another option is to fill the containers with what you need (1 full red, 1 full green, etc).Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 835mg | Potassium: 1539mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg
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What a delicious healthy meal! I love how easy it looks to make! Just toss in the oven, those are my kind of meals!
This meal looks so good! I would love to recreate it but I need a Ninja Foodie first!!
This recipe looks amazing. I think I may need to invest in a ninja foodi so I can give this a try! Yum!
Oh my goodness, I love mine. I sold my Instant Pot.
This looks delicious and I love the southwest spices. Can’t wait to make it for my family!
Enjoy Kelly 😀
Would love to try your version of a roasted chicken. Looks flavorful and moist!
YUM! I really want to try this
It’s so simple! You’ll love it.
I love my pressure cooker. I haven’t ever tried a whole chicken in there though.
So healthy and delicious dish! We love trying out new chicken recipes, this will be on my list!
This chicken is so inviting. Looks crispy and delicious. I should make it for dinner!
I need that Ninja Foodi!
It’s amazing! I LOVE mine!
I like this southwestern twist on roast chicken. Looks like a great recipe for a slow cooker!
I am loving this whole meal. We eat chicken at least once a week and I like to change it up.
Thanks for the recipe! I am going to try this tonight. I just got my AF yesterday and am excited to jump all in. But what I am unsure of is the step of “Let the chicken naturally release for five minutes (this keeps it cooking), then vent it.” I am wondering if I should just turn it off and let it release or how this is done. I realize I may not get an answer before I start dinner tonight but I will just do what I think I should!
Thanks so much!
Hey Jennifer. Sorry I missed you by one day!
So when it’s done cooking (it beeps) just leaving it will naturally vent for the 5 minutes (there is a timer that starts to count up), then turn the valve.
I want to make this tonight for dinner, but what do I need to do to change it for 6 adults? I can’t wait to try it in my new ninja 8 qt foodie. Please let me know.
Thank you.
Hi Terry!
For future reference, if you hover over the servings (where the 4 is highlighted) a slider will appear and you can change it to 6 servings)! 😀
4.5 lbs whole chicken
3 lbs baby potatoes one small bag
3 ears of corn cut into 8
1.5 green pepper cut into large cubes
1.5 onion quartered
1.5 head of garlic
0.75 cup chicken broth or water
cilantro optional garnish
1.5 tsp avocado oil I used this spray
Southwestern Rub
1.5 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp chili powder
0.75 tsp cumin
0.75 tsp garlic powder
0.75 tsp paprika
My PC didn’t reach full temp before it told me to add more water. The water had completely evaporated. 1/2 a cup doesn’t seem to be enough. Did i do something wrong? It seaked once i added more water.
It burned bottom and asked for more water before it even started cooking. I believe it should be 1 cup unless you’re using small version of ninja foodi.
Made this tonight and my foodi told me to add water about 4 times before it would build up any pressure… not sure what I did wrong 🙁
It meant I had more a chicken stew as it was full of water! I tipped some away before air chrisping but still looked nothing like the pictures!
Hi Randa,
I’m curious what you would change if you’re cooking a chicken from frozen? I want to try this recipe in a couple of days with a full chicken I have frozen. This will be my first time cooking a full chicken so I’m a little nervous. Thanks!