Ninja Express Chop Review and Recipes

Sharon has been an online writer for over eight years. Her articles focus on everything from cooking recipes to pet care.

Why I Bought the Ninja Express Chop

I have two sisters, and I was talking to each of them on different occasions about how much I had been using my blender lately. The main gist of the conversation was about how aggravated I'd become because my blender was a piece of crap.

My sister Patti recommended the Magic Bullet. She likes it, and so do her four boys, as they use it often for all kinds of things. My sister Chris recommended the Ninja Express Chop. She told me she “uses it daily for everything.” So it was time for me to go shopping and check out my options.

When I saw the Magic Bullet, my first reaction was that I would never be happy with all of its pieces and parts. Seriously, the one I looked at has 17 pieces. For what? I just couldn’t imagine that I would need a Deluxe Magic Bullet unless it also did the laundry and scrubbed floors or something. It seemed way too complicated and also over the price of what I could spend.

I took a look at the Ninja Express Chop. My first thought was “will this be able to do the things I want to use it for?” Okay, so it’s a chopper meant to chop, mince, and puree. But could I make a shake in it if I wanted to?

I chose the Ninja Express Chop initially for two reasons:

1. It was only $19.94 + tax at Walmart.
2. It appeared easy to use because it had only three parts, which for me, meant no headaches with losing pieces, easy cleanup, and easy storage.

The Right Decision for Me

I like to keep things simple. Since I am usually only cooking or baking for two people, the fact that the Ninja Express Chop is a two-cup capacity was not a problem.

This model claims to “chop, mince, or puree ingredients into soups, sauces, dressings, toppings, dips, and more.” I love the “and more” part because I truly use my Ninja for everything.

Why I Like This Appliance

• The power pod is very easy to use with one-touch pulsing. It gives you precise control which helps eliminate the chance of over-chopping something into mush.
• The splash guard really helps eliminate messes and also doubles as a storage lid. I can make a salad dressing, for example, and simply put the leftovers in the refrigerator.
• The Ninja 4 Blade Technology works wonders.
• It’s small with just a few parts for easy cleanup and storage.

What I Wish Was Different

I wish there was a handle on the bowl. It is small enough to hold, but I feel a handle would give you a more secure feeling while using the unit. Also, a handle would make it easier to pour out of the bowl.

Simple Recipes

There are so many things you can easily prepare in this blender. Here are some great ideas to get you started.

Fruit Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
• 1 (7-ounce) container marshmallow cream
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Puree all ingredients.
2. Serve with fresh fruit (bananas or red grapes are my favorites).

Sweet Potato Mash Baby Food

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked sweet potato
• 1 cup melon (cantaloupe or honeydew)
• 1/4 cup plain natural yogurt

Instructions

1. Puree all ingredients.
2. Refrigerate or freeze if not using immediately.

Chocolate Banana Shake

Ingredients

• 1 small banana
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup (optional)

Instructions

1. Puree all ingredients.
2. Decorate with drizzled chocolate syrup on top if desired.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked chicken pieces
• 1/2 celery stalk cut into smaller pieces
• 1/4 mayonnaise
• 1/8 cup walnuts
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pulse chop all ingredients (celery on the bottom) to desired consistency.
2. Serve on toast, crackers, in a wrap, or on a bed of lettuce.

Options: Substitute tuna for chicken. Chop red grapes for garnish on top of salad or mix into salad.

Salsa

Ingredients

• 3 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 onion, cut in half
• Juice of one lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Pulse chop all ingredients except sour cream to desired consistency.
2. Stir in sour cream.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Options: Add peppers such as jalapeño, bell peppers, or banana peppers.

Egg Salad

Ingredients

• 3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Instructions

1. Puree all ingredients to desired consistency.
2. Serve on bread, crackers, or a bed of lettuce.

Options: Add onion or relish.

Thank You for Stopping By

I really love my new blender and hope you give it a try.

If you are interested in something that has a larger capacity, please check out the other Ninja products that I have listed below.

Ninja Products With Larger Capacities

Questions & Answers

Question: Can you make shakes with ice in the Ninja Express Chop?

Answer: I have not tried it. I believe that it would be great at chopping ice but might get messy making that into a shake.

Question: I’m using the Ninja Express Chop NJ100, how do you get carrots to puree?

Answer: Try adding a bit of liquid/water.

Question: Could I make salad dressing in this? One of the ingredients is an avocado would it make it smooth or would it still be just tiny pieces/chunks

Answer: It will get fairly smooth.

Question: Can I grind coconut using the Ninja express chop?

Answer: Yes :)

Question: How do you puree cooked chicken?

Answer: You can puree chicken in the Ninja Express!