Ninja Foodi Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

Chicken Mixture

1 lb ground chicken

3+ Tblsp. flour

1 slice white break

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg, whisked

1/2 tsp salt

Egg Wash

1 egg

4 Tblsp. milk

Coating

1 cup fine bread crumbs (not Panko)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

Avocado oil spray

Preparation:
1. Preheat Ninja Foodi to 350 degrees on Air Crisp setting. Insert the air crisp trivet/plate into the Foodi.

2. In a medium bowl, soak slice of bread in buttermilk for 5 minutes.

3. Using a fork, mash the soaked bread (and any remaining buttermilk) to make almost a paste.

4. To the bread, add the ground chicken, whisked egg and salt. Mix together well with the fork.

5. Sprinkle in some of the flour, a little at a time, until the chicken mix still looks wet, but can be scooped and hold its shape. You may not need all of the flour - keep the rest to add later, if the mixture gets too wet again.

6. In a second medium bowl, whisk the egg for the Egg Wash.

7. Add the milk to the egg, and whisk until fully incorporated.

8. In a third medium bowl, mix half of the bread crumbs for the Coating, along with 1/2 of the flour and half of the salt. Reserve the remaining half.

9. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

10. Set the bowls and baking sheet along the counter in this order: Chicken Mixture, Egg Wash, Coating, baking sheet. Put a spoon in the Coating bowl.

11. Scoop a rounded tablespoon of the chicken mixture, shape it lightly with your left hand, then dip it in the Egg Wash.

12. Remove the ball of chicken from the Egg Wash (with your left hand) and drop it gently into the Coating.

13. Using your right hand and the spoon, coat the ball of chicken with the bread crumb and flour mixture, then remove it and place it on the baking sheet.

14. Continue until all of the Chicken Mixture has been made into balls -- it should make about 20. If, during the process, the Chicken Mixture gets too wet, add more of the flour to get it back to a scoopable texture. About halfway through (or if/when your Coating starts to get clumpy, if that happens before), whisk in the remaining bread crumbs, flour and salt into the Coating bowl.

15. Gently press down on each ball to flatten it into a nugget. Nuggets should be about 1/3" thick after flattening.

16. Lightly spray 7-8 of the nuggets (or however many will fit in one layer in your Foodi) with the avocado oil spray on one side.

17. Gently place the sprayed nuggets, sprayed side down, into the Foodi.

18. Spray the other side of the nuggets lightly with the avocado oil spray once they have been placed on the Foodi trivet.

19. Close the lid, and cook for 3 minutes.

20. Open the Foodi, flip the nuggets, close, and cook for 3 more minutes.

21. Open the Foodi again, and lightly spray the top of the nuggets with one more coat of avocado oil spray. Close and cook for 3 more minutes.

22. Using a meat thermometer, after 9 minutes total of cooking, double check to make sure the internal temperature of the nuggets is greater than 165 degrees (it will likely be considerably higher).

23. Remove the nuggets, and let them sit for at least 2 minutes before serving.

24. Repeat cooking process with remaining nuggets.

NOTE: These can be made and frozen. If freezing, stop after step 15. Place entire tray (parchment paper with nuggets on top) into freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, then remove from tray and put into a freezer-safe plastic bag. They can be cooked from frozen in the Foodi. After 9 total minutes of cooking, assess if they need to cook a bit longer, based on the internal temperature.

Ninja Foodi Fiesta Lime Chicken

Ingredients: 

1 cup chicken broth
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
1 cup uncooked white rice 
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup picante sauce or salsa
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Tajin
1 Tblsp. taco seasoning
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp dried dill weed
1/8 tsp cumin
1 fresh lime, cut into wedges
 
Preparation:
1. Pour the broth into the Ninja Foodi. 

2. Add chicken to the pot in an even layer.

3. Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealed.

4. Set the pressure cook button to 12 minutes for thawed chicken or 15 minutes for frozen chicken.

5. When the time is up, let the pot sit for another 5 minutes, then vent.

6. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board.

7. The rice can be cooked on the stovetop or in the Foodi. If using the Foodi to make the rice, measure the remaining broth in the pot, then add enough water to total 1 ½ cup of liquid. Place the rice in the Foodi, and set the pressure cook button to 2 minutes. When the time is up, let the pot sit for 10 minutes, then vent and remove the rice from the Foodi pot. Rinse the pot.

8. Shred or cut up the chicken.

9. Put the chicken back into the Foodi pot, and set pot to “Keep Warm.”

10. Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, picante and all seasonings.

11. Stir the sauce into the chicken.

12. Serve chicken over rice, in buns, or as lettuce wraps. Squeeze lime over each serving.

Buffalo Chicken Chalupas

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, tenderized

4 Tblsp ranch dip seasoning

2/3 cup Greek yogurt

½ cup cottage cheese

½ cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

2-4 Josephs Pita or 2-4 chalupa shells

¼ cup Colby Jack cheese

¼ cup mozzarella cheese

1 Roma tomato, sliced

Shredded lettuce

 

Preparation:

1. Season both sides of the chicken breast with the ranch powder.

 

2. Spray both sides of the chicken breast with cooking spray, then air fry on 400 degrees for 9-10 minutes. (Alternately, put 2 Tblsp olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken breast.)

 

3. While chicken is cooking, combine yogurt, cottage cheese buffalo sauce in a small blender. Blend till smooth.

 

4. Once the chicken is fully cooked, dice it into very small chunks.

 

5. Combine chicken with buffalo sauce.

 

6. Spread some of the chicken mixture on one side of a piece of pita or chalupa. Top with cheeses, then fold in half tightly.

 

7. Spray outside (both sides) of the pita/chalupa.

 

8. Cook in air fryer at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. You can add a ramekin on top of each one to make sure they stay closed while in the air fryer.

 

9. Garnish with tomato and lettuce.

 

Ninja Foodi Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, approx. 3 1/2 lb.

Cavender's Greek Seasoning

4 Tblsp. vegetable oil + 4 Tblsp. vegetable oil

2 cups water

Preparation:

1. Cut pork loin in half.

2. Coat entire outside of each piece of pork loin with Cavender's, pressing it lightly into meat.

3. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the SEAR/SAUTE button.

4. Press START.

5. Put 4 Tblsp. oil into cooking pot of Ninja Foodi.

6. Once oil is hot, put one half of the pork loin into the cooking pot. Sear pork loin on all sides, so that it is crispy and slightly hard to the touch and the seasoning is locked onto the meat. You may need to spread the oil around to achieve this.

7. Remove the half pork loin to a plate, and repeat step 6 with the other half.

8. Once both halves are seared, turn off the Ninja Foodi, and insert the cook & crisp plate.

9. Pour water into the Foodi.

10. Place both halves of the pork on the cook & crisp plate, arranging them so that they don't overlap and so the lid will close securely.

11. Close the crisping lid, press the AIR CRISP button, and set the temperature to 400 for 10 minutes, and press the START button.

12. After 12 minutes, open the lid, and use tongs to turn the pork loins over. Brush the top of the pork loins with oil.

13. Repeat step 11.

14. After the second set of 12 minutes of cooking, open the Ninja Foodi, and test the center temperature of each pork loin half with a meat thermometer.

15. Continue repeating steps 11 and 12 in 4-minute increments until the center temperature of each pork loin half is 130 degrees.

16. Let pork loins sit in closed Ninja Foodi pot for at least ten minutes before serving. Pork is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 145 degrees, which should be achieved by carryover cooking.

17. Slice and serve immediately.

Ninja Foodi Chicken Quarters

Ingredients:

4 chicken leg quarters, skin intact

Salt

2 cups water

Sauce of choice or 3 Tblsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Lightly salt the front and back of each piece of chicken.

2. If sauce is desired, rub sauce onto all sides of chicken. If not, rub chicken with oil on all sides.

3. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the PRESSURE button.

4. Put cook & crisp plate into cooking pot.

5. Pour water into the Foodi.

6. Place chicken onto cook & crisp plate, standing pieces up. It's ok if they touch. 

7. Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock the lid in place.

8. Turn the pressure valve to SEAL.

9. Turn on the Ninja Foodie, and press the PRESSURE button.

10. Set the TIME to 20 minutes, then press START (leave temperature on HIGH).

11. The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 20 minutes. Once the 20 minutes of cooking is completed, allow the pressure to natural release for 8 minutes.

12. After 8 minutes of natural release, open the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

13. Once the lid unlocks, use tongs to remove (carefully, as they will be tender), and coat with additional sauce or seasonings, as needed. You do not need to empty the water.

14. Close the crisping lid, press the AIR CRISP button, and set the temperature to 400 for 5 minutes, and press the START button.

15. After 5 minutes, open the lid, and use tongs to turn the chicken over.

16. Repeat step 13 a second time -- air crisp the chicken for 5 more minutes.

17. Once the second set of 5 minutes of crisping is done, verify that the chicken is crisp enough for your liking. If not, repeat for several minutes until chicken reaches desired crispness, then serve.

NOTE: The internal safe serving temperature for chicken is 165 degrees. When testing the temperature of bone-in meats, be sure that thermometer probe is not touching a bone.

 

Ninja Foodi Toasties (Grilled Cheese)

Ingredients:

2 pieces of hearty bread

Softened butter or butter spread

Mustard or other sandwich spread, if desired

Sliced cheese, enough to cover both slices of bread

Deli meat, if desired

Preparation:

1. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the AIR CRISP button.

2. Put cook & crisp plate into cooking pot.

3. Butter outside of both pieces of bread, then turn over to non-buttered side to assemble sandwich.

4. Spread inside of bread with any desired sandwich spread or mustard.

5. Place sliced cheese on both pieces of bread.

6. Add deli meat, if desired, on top of cheese on one piece of the bread.

7. Close the sandwich.

8. Place the sandwich onto the cook & crisp plate, and close the crisping lid.

9. Set the temperature to 400 for 3 minutes, and press the START button.

10. After the 3 minutes of cooking is completed, open the Ninja Foodi, and use a spatula to flip the sandwich over.

11. Press the AIR CRISP button, then set the temperature to 400 for 3 minutes.

12. Press the START button.

13. Once the second 3 minutes of cooking is completed, open the Ninja Foodi and remove the sandwich to serve.

Ninja Foodi Chicken Legs

Ingredients:
6-7 medium chicken legs, thawed or frozen
1 cup water or chicken broth
2 Tblsp. olive oil or sauce of your choice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the PRESSURE button.

2. Put cook & crisp plate into cooking pot.

3. Coat chicken legs with oil or sauce, and season as desired.

4. Pour water into the Foodi.

5. Place chicken legs onto cook & crisp plate, being careful not to overcrowd the plate. 

NOTE: If you want to cook more than will fit on the plate, add the broil rack above the cook & crisp plate, then place additional chicken legs on that. 

6. Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock the lid in place.

7. Turn the pressure valve to SEAL.

8. Turn on the Ninja Foodie, and press the PRESSURE button.

9. Set the TIME to 12 minutes, then press START (leave temperature on HIGH).

10. The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 12 minutes. Once the 12 minutes of cooking is completed, open the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

11. Once the lid unlocks, use tongs to turn chicken legs (carefully, as they will be tender), and coat with additional sauce or seasonings, as needed. You do not need to empty the water.

NOTE: If you used the broil rack, remove the chicken that was on the rack to a plate, and remove the broil rack. You will need to complete the next steps with just a single layer of chicken on the cook & crisp plate.

12. Close the crisping lid, press the AIR CRISP button, and set the temperature to 400 for 6 minutes, and press the START button.

13. After 6 minutes, open the lid, and use tongs to turn the chicken legs over.

14. Repeat step 12 a second time -- air crisp the chicken legs for 6 more minutes.

15. Once the second set of 6 minutes of crisping is done, verify that the chicken legs are crisp enough for your liking. If not, repeat for several minutes until they reach desired crispness, then serve.

16. If there are additional chicken legs that you removed from the broil rack, repeat steps 12-15 with those.

Ninja Foodi Italian Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
4 cups penne noodles (12 oz.)
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken (about 2 boneless, skinless breasts) - can be precooked, fresh or frozen breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 cup shredded (fresh) Parmesan cheese
8 oz. (1 package) cream cheese, room temperature
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

NOTE: If chicken is frozen but not cut into pieces:

+ Lay chicken in bottom of cooking pot. 

+ Add 3/4 cup water or broth. 

+ Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock the lid in place. 

+ Turn the pressure valve to SEAL. 

+ Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the PRESSURE button (leave temperature on HIGH). 

+ Set the TIME to 10 minutes, then press START. 

+ The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 10 minutes. 

+ Once finished, release the pressure, remove the chicken, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. 

+ Drain the pot, then continue with recipe.

NOTE: If chicken is already cooked, skip to step 5.

NOTE: If chicken is frozen but already cut into bite-sized pieces, continue with recipe.

1. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the SEAR/SAUTE button.

2. Put olive oil in cooking pot, then add chicken pieces.

3. Sauce the chicken, cooking until the outsides are no longer pink. Turn off the Ninja Foodi.

4. Scrape any stuck meat off the bottom of the pot with a bit of broth and a wooden spatula.

5. Place (or leave) meat on the bottom of the cooking pot.

6. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place chunks on top of chicken (sautéed, frozen or fresh).

7. Pour 1/2 cup of broth over the top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

8. Pour in uncooked penne pasta on top. Leave ingredients in layers -- do not stir.

9. Pour remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth over the top of the noodles.

10. Pour Italian dressing over noodles.

11. Make sure noodles are as submerged into broth as possible.

12. Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock the lid in place.

13. Turn the pressure valve to SEAL.

14. Turn on the Ninja Foodie, and press the PRESSURE button.

15. Set the TIME to 5 minutes, then press START.

16. The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 5 minutes. Let the pressure natural release for 2 additional minutes, once the 5 minutes of cooking is completed.

17. After the 2 minutes of natural release, open the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

18. Once the lid unlocks, open and stir the pasta, meat and cream cheese together.

19. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese, and gently fold noodles and meat together again. 

20. Set/close lid on pot (no need to seal). Let pasta sit for 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt, sauce to thicken and noodles to continue to soften, then serve.

Ninja Foodi Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

12 oz spaghetti or angel hair noodles, broken in half

1 (43-45 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

2 lbs (or less) ground beef, thawed

3 cups beef broth or water

Preparation:

1. Place the ground beef in the cooking pot.

2. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the SEAR/SAUTE button.

3. Press START.

4. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up while cooking.

5. When beef is almost fully cooked, turn off the Ninja Foodi.

6. If there is a substantial (visible) amount of grease in the bottom of the cooking pot, blot it up with paper towels; or remove the beef, drain the grease, and then put the beef back in the pot.

7. Spread the broken noodles over the beef, making sure to have them crossed up and separated, not in a big clump.

8. Add water/broth, then pour spaghetti sauce over the noodles.

9. Gently "stir" the spaghetti, meat and sauce, in an attempt to mix some sauce and meat in between some of the noodles. Try to make sure the noodles are mostly covered by either sauce or broth.

10. Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock the lid in place.

11. Turn the pressure valve to SEAL.

12. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the PRESSURE button (leave temperature on HIGH).

13. Set the TIME to 5 minutes, then press START.

14. The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 5 minutes. Let the pressure natural release for 5 additional minutes, once the 5 minutes of cooking is completed.

15. After the 5 minutes of natural release, open the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

16. Once the lid unlocks, open and stir the pasta and meat together, then serve.

Ninja Foodi Quick Alfredo Noodles

Ingredients:

12 oz. dry pasta

1 16-22 oz. jar alfredo sauce

3 cups chicken broth

1 Tblsp. dried parsley

Preparation:

1. Pour chicken broth into cooking pot.

2. If using long pasta (full-length fettuccine, angel hair, spaghetti, etc.), break pasta in half.

3. Place pasta in cooking pot.

4. Pour entire jar of sauce over noodles.

5. Sprinkle dried parsley over the top of the sauce, then lightly stir. If using long noodles, make sure they are separated and not in a big clump.

6. Place the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi, and lock lid in place.

7. Turn pressure valve to SEAL.

8. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the PRESSURE button (leave temperate on HIGH).

9. Set the TIME to 3 minutes. then press START.

10. The Ninja Foodi will take several minutes to pressurize, then will cook for 3 minutes. Let the pressure natural release for 5 minutes once the 3 minutes of cooking is completed.

11. After the 5 minutes of natural release, open the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

12. Once the lid unlocks, open and stir the pasta. Allow it to thicken for 5-10 minutes, then serve.

NOTE: Rotisserie or cooked chicken can be stirred in before serving, once all cooking is complete. Chicken can also be cooked ahead of the above process using the SEAR/SAUTE functions of the Ninja Foodi and a little oil to sear bite-sized pieces of fresh chicken. Once chicken pieces are seared, begin with step 1 above. Leave seared (not fully cooked) chicken in the cooking pot, and stir it into the uncooked pasta, broth and sauce. It will continue cooking along with the noodles.

Ninja Foodi Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

Chicken wings, separated/cut into drums and flats

1 cup chicken broth

Dry seasoning(s) of choice

2 Tblsp. oil

Preparation:

1. Put Cook & Crisp plate into Ninja Foodi cooking pot. You will use the attached crisping lid for cooking.

2. Pour the cup of chicken broth into the cooking pot.

3. Dry the wings off well with a paper towel.

4. Toss the wings in the oil, and add dry seasonings to the wings.

5. Place the wings onto the Cook & Crisp plate in a single layer.

6. Close the crisping lid. 

7. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the AIR CRISP button.

8. Make sure the temperature displayed is 390. If it is not, change the temperature to 390.

9. Set the TIME to 12 minutes, and press the START button.

10. As soon as the 12-minute cycle is completed, use a coated pair of tongs to turn each wing over.

11. Close the crisping lid, press the AIR CRISP button, and set the temperature to 390 again.

12. Set the TIME to 12 more minutes, and press the START button.

13. When the second 12-minute cycle is completed, remove the wings and toss them in the sauce of your choice. If desired, dry powdered sauce can be mixed with melted butter and brushed on wings after cooking is completed.