Easy chicken recipe

Moist and flavorful! 

The most juicy chicken came out of my kitchen this past weekend. My family gobbled it down with gusto. And where did it come from? My oven? No. My microwave. That's right, I cooked an entire, whole chicken in my microwave in 35 minutes!

Pampered Chef sent me a Deep Covered Baker to try out and I don't believe I have ever fallen in love with a kitchen product so quickly. It has a beautiful glossy outside with my favorite unglazed stoneware inside. However when I first popped it out of the box, my heart sank. No way was this fitting in my tiny microwave. I have a very small, almost dorm-sized microwave. I never use that thing! I thought I was going to have to take it to my Mom's to use her microwave. It is from 1986 and is the size of a Volkswagen.

Imagine my surprise when it did fit in my tiny microwave! Perfectly! I carefully waited until the whole chickens were on sale at my grocery, and I picked one up for this recipe. You must try this—I was amazed how moist the chicken turned out. I think it has something to do with the top being on the baker. It must trap all the moisture in. Plus, I cooked a chicken in 35 minutes! It typically takes three to four hours in my oven! This was perfect for a quick Summer meal, and it didn't heat my kitchen up a bit!

The Incredible 30-Minute Chicken

• recipe courtesy of Pampered Chef
• 1 whole thawed chicken, 3-4 lbs.
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

As you can see from the recipe list, a 3-4 lb. chicken will cook in 30 minutes. Unfortunately my grocery did not have any chickens so small, so my chicken was 4.7 lbs. and took 35 minutes instead. No big deal, if your chicken is a bit larger, just make sure to test it with a meat thermometer.

Spray down the inside of the baker, or rub down with the olive oil. Combine the dry ingredients for the rub (the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme) in a medium bowl.

Take your chicken out of the package and thoroughly rinse it, removing any pin feathers you see. Take out the giblets from the cavity and rinse the inside as well. If there is any excess fat around the cavity, you can cut it off. If you have kitchen twine, tie the legs together, I never have twine so I skip this step typically.

Place the chicken in the baker, breast side up and tuck the wings underneath. Generously rub the dry ingredients all over the chicken. Cover with the top.

Microwave on high, for 30-35 minutes. Take the top off, being careful of the steam. Insert a meat thermometer into the heavy meat of the thigh, being careful not to touch the bone. I also test different parts of the chicken, just to make sure. When the meat registers 165 degrees, it is cooked and safe to eat. Cover the chicken back up for about ten minutes, it will actually continue to cook for a bit. So just wrap up cooking your sides and get the rest of your meal ready.

After ten minutes, carve your chicken. I really love this video here. It is a great way to get the most meat off your chicken. Serve hot!

Time-Saving Tips: Buying a whole chicken is an excellent way to save money. Just buy it, cook it, and chop it up for later. Much cheaper than buying whole breasts, and you have a variety of meat to choose from. And with this new microwave trick, it is even faster. I urge you to check out the Deep Covered Baker. With a few investments on good kitchen products, you can make your easy meals faster and better!

What's cooking in your neck of the woods? Recipes you would like to share? Foods that are new and interesting? Email me.