Slow cookers and pressure cookers are amazing. They’re fantastic for everything from chili and steel cut oatmeal to shredded chicken and stew. They’re wonderful time-savers but admittedly have some serious limitations which seem to center largely around recipes that warrant any kind of crispness.
Like a whole chicken with crispy skin!
This Herb-Roasted Chicken is so incredibly moist and full of flavor. Made with fresh herbs, peppercorns, lemon and honey, it’s a simple recipe that somehow feels elevated and pairs perfectly with an assortment of sides from roasted carrots or zucchini to mashed sweet potato or acorn squash.
It’s also a bit of a looker thanks to that picture-perfect crisp skin that’s always the best part of any roasted chicken.
But here’s the real shocker: I made this chicken in a pressure cooker. What!? With that crisp skin!? Yes! I made it in the Ninja Foodi, a pressure cooker that crisps, and it was ready in 37 minutes.
The geniuses behind the Ninja Foodi somehow managed to combine the best aspects of a slow cooker with the speed of a pressure cooker and the oven’s ability to give food the crispness we all love. It has the ability to pressure cook, slow cook, steam, air fry, sear and sautee.
The Foodi’s TenderCrisp lid allows you to finish your recipe with the crisping method of your choice and can be used to add crispness to fresh or frozen ingredients.
(The above picture shows the TenderCrisp lid ajar.)
It has the ability to add texture and crispness into everything from chicken and fish to vegetables, pork and baked macaroni and cheese with that crispy breadcrumb topping everyone loves! No more soggy pressure cooking! Basically the Ninja Foodi is a game changer in the kitchen and it’s how I managed to make this whole roasted chicken with crispy skin in less than 40 minutes. (And yes, that 40 minute time-frame includes prep time, pressure build time, pressure cook time and crisping time.)
This chicken made our whole house smell incredible and felt like the kind of meal I’d take my time putting together for a special Sunday night dinner when, in reality, it was so quick and simple.
I started by placing a lemon-honey mixture in the bottom of the Foodi’s main pot, along with fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic and peppercorns. I then put the chicken in the Cook&Crisp basket, sealed the pressure cooker and let the chicken cook for 15 minutes. Then it was crispin’ time! I replaced the pressure lid with the crisping lid, brushed the chicken with olive oil and sprinkled it with salt and pepper before setting the Foodi to “air crisp.”
In another 15 minutes, I had a whole roasted chicken ready for eating! GAME CHANGER. I’m tellin’ ya!
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PinIngredients
1 whole uncooked chicken (4 1/2 – 5 pounds)
Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup fresh lemon juice)
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt, divided
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Remove packet of giblets, if included in cavity of the chicken. Rinse chicken and tie legs together with cooking twine.
In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, hot water, honey and 2 tablespoons salt. Pour mixture into the pot. Place whole peppercorns, thyme, rosemary and garlic in the pot.
Place chicken into the Cook & Crisp™ Basket and place basket in pot.
Assemble pressure lid, making sure the pressure release valve is in the SEAL position.
Select PRESSURE and set to high (HI). Set time to 15 minutes. Select START/STOP to begin.
When pressure cooking is complete, quick release the pressure by moving the pressure release valve to the VENT position. Carefully remove lid when unit has finished releasing pressure.
Brush chicken with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Close crisping lid. Select AIR CRISP, set temperature to 400°F and set time to 15 minutes. Select START/STOP to begin.
Cook until desired level of crispness is reached, adding up to 5 additional minutes.
Cooking is complete when internal temperature reaches 165°F. Carefully remove chicken from basket using 2 large serving forks.
Let rest 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
