Ninja Woodfire Grill Smoked Chicken

1
votes
0 Comments
Jump to Recipe

Share via

Ninja Woodfire Grill Smoked Chicken makes a delicious meal that will blow you away with the smoky flavor, crispy skin, and incredibly juicy meat.

» You might also like this Traeger Brisket recipe and Traeger Smoked Sweet Potatoes.

When we first got our Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill, we were really excited to try smoking a whole chicken on it. Making a whole chicken on a pellet grill or electric smoker is pretty easy, but it takes quite a while to cook it that way in order to infuse it with all that delicious smoky flavor.

After using the Woodfire grill a few times, I can confidently say that it takes about half the time to smoke a chicken and get just as much or more smoky flavor.

We’ve made this whole chicken on the Woodfire Grill so many times now, because it always turns out great. You really can’t beat it because of the wonderful smokiness and tenderness of the meat with very little intervention from you. If you love this chicken you read should try our Ninja Woodfire Grill smoked duck.

» Read up on the 4 Best Smoker Grill Combos.

Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill

For this recipe, I used my Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill, which is a new offering from the kitchen appliance brand that makes our beloved favorites, the Ninja MaxXL Air Fryer and the Ninja Creami. The Woodfire Grill is a portable outdoor grill with 7 functions: grill, smoke, air fry, bake, roast, broil, and dehydrate.

Why I Like It

It imparts an amazing amount of woodfire flavor into the food with just 1/2 cup of pellets.
It’s incredibly fast and efficient.
It cooks faster and with more smoker flavor than my full-size smoker – by far.
There’s no guessing, especially with the built-in temperature probe available on the Pro version.
The food comes out with a perfect crispy or seared exterior that’s both gorgeous and super tasty.
It’s very portable and can be set up anywhere on a sturdy surface with a power outlet nearby.

Guess what? We’ve brokered a deal for you, our lovely readers.

Use our coupon code to get a discount on the grill!

Use FLK30 to get $30 off the PRO version of the grill ($459.60 before the discount)
Use FLK40 to get $40 off the base model of the grill ($369.60 before the discount)

Buy on Ninja’s Website

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what you will need to make a whole chicken on the Traeger:

Whole Chicken – You can cook any size whole chicken you want, just remember that the cooking time will vary. This recipe uses a 4-pound chicken.
Homemade Rub: Paprika, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder. This rub is one that we use for all of the bbq meats we make. It’s easy to mix up and use for everything.

Equipment Needed

Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill – I love this little outdoor smoker. It’s smaller than a regular pellet grill, but it still burns pellets to add flavor and aroma to the food.
Wood pellets – There are many types of pellets available. Ninja has their own special blend. I recommend the all-purpose which is a blend of maple and cherry. You can use other brands of pellets though.
Meat thermometer – Many smokers have a thermometer built in, but if you don’t have one you’ll want to get an instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen.

Thermapen ONE (read our review)

» Reads in one second or less
» Accuracy of ± 0.5°
» 5-year warranty
» Auto-rotate display; motion-sensing
» Insanely long battery life (2000 hrs)

GET ONE NOW

How to Make Ninja Woodfire Grill Smoked Chicken

Prepare the Rub

A perfectly balanced dry rub does wonders for the flavor, but also seals in the juices and keeps the chicken from drying out.

We use this dry spice rub on everything, because it’s packed with flavor and adds a perfectly balanced punch of spice to every bite. The spices that go into this rub all work together to create a great flavor profile.

What you’ll need (you can find the quantities for each in the recipe at the bottom of this post):

Paprika
Salt and pepper
Brown sugar
Chili powder
Onion powder
Garlic powder

Pat dry the chicken and season it all over with the dry rub. Be liberal with it. More seasoning means more flavor.

uncooked chicken on the Ninja woodfire grill

Prepare the Grill

Fill the pellet basket with pellets.
Place the chicken, breast side up, on the grill.
Insert a meat probe in the thickest part of the breast.
Close the door. Set the dial to Smoker. Set the temperature to 350°F. If you have the Ninja Woodfire Pro, you can use the built-in temperature probe to monitor the meat temperature, so set it to 165°F. The machine will turn off when the meat reaches that temperature.
If you don’t have the Pro, you should set the timer for 1 hour of cook time and then about 15 minutes before, start to check it with an instant read digital meat thermometer.
Select START/STOP to begin cooking.
When the chicken is at 165°F, remove it from the grill and rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

Serve with Smoky Bourbon BBQ sauce.

Smoked chicken on the Ninja woodfire grill

How to Store & Reheat Leftover Chicken

Storage

Leftovers should be cooled down before storage. However, do not leave them at room temperature for more than two hours. The “danger zone” for bacteria growth in food is between 40°F and 140°F, so it’s important to get the food cooled down and stored properly as quickly as possible.
Store your leftover chicken in a shallow airtight container or zip-top plastic bag. This helps the chicken to cool down uniformly and quickly, thus reducing the risk of bacteria growth.
If you plan to eat the chicken within 3-4 days, store it in the refrigerator. Make sure your refrigerator is set to below 40°F. If you want to store it for a longer period, like a few months, store it in the freezer. For best quality, use frozen cooked chicken within 4 months.

Reheating

You can reheat your chicken in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave.

Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), cover the chicken with foil to prevent it from drying out, and heat it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Depending on the size and quantity of your leftovers, this can take 10-20 minutes.
Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium heat, add a bit of oil or broth to prevent the chicken from drying out, then add your chicken. Cook it, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Microwave: Put the chicken in a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a microwave-safe lid or wrap it with microwave-safe plastic wrap, and heat it on medium power, stirring occasionally, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Be careful not to overcook it, as microwaves can dry out chicken quickly.

Regardless of the method you use, always check that the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) with a food thermometer before consuming.

Try these buffalo ranch chicken wraps with any leftover chicken you might have.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you check the temperature of smoked chicken?

To determine when the smoked whole chicken is ready to be removed from the Traeger, insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, being careful not to touch the bones. Once the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, it is fully cooked and ready to be taken off the grill.

What kind of pellets should I use to smoke chicken?

When it comes to smoking meats, there are numerous wood pellet varieties to choose from. While any type of wood can technically be used, certain ones are more suitable for chicken due to its mild flavor. I tend to go for cherry, apple, or pecan for their more mild flavor.

Can I use a regular pellet smoker for this recipe?

You can use a pellet or electric smoker to make whole chicken but the timing will be different than in the Ninja Woodfire Grill. Follow our instructions for Traeger or pellet grill smoked chicken.

What to Serve With Smoked Chicken

You can serve this smoked chicken with several side dishes. It goes well with fresh salad, potato salad, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese etc. You can slice it thinly and make a sandwich out of it.

Side Dishes to Try

Salads
Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Corn & Black Bean Pasta Salad
Bacon, Jalapeno & Corn Salad
Classic Wedge Salad
Pear & Gorgonzola Salad

Veggies
Roasted Asparagus with Cranberries & Feta
Shaved Asparagus with Pesto
Roasted Green Beans & Mushrooms
Crispy Roast Potatoes

Soups
Popcorn Soup
Butternut Squash Soup

Before You Go

Since you made it to the end of this article, you’re probably pretty interested in smoking on a Traeger. Here are a few more articles we think you might enjoy.

Smashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes and honey sriracha potatoes

27 Potato Side Dishes to Serve With Any Meal

03
Dec

4.7 from 91 votes

Oven-Baked Tomahawk Pork Chops

13
Dec

5 from 44 votes

Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle

21
Dec

10 Unique Ways to Make Scalloped Potatoes

22
Dec

Like it, Love it, Want Some More of It? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. We really love it when you save our recipes to Pinterest 😊