Microwave Chicken (My Favorite Things #1)

You know when somebody tells you something along the lines of... "This recipe is made from sticks and twigs, but you would NEVER guess, it tastes just like that decadent lemon cake from the Macaroni Grill you love so much!" You know what I'm talking about... Cauliflower "mashed potatoes", Ritz cracker "apple pie", zucchini "apple pie", and the list goes on. I have an incredibly hard time getting my brain and taste buds to agree on those recipes.

Now, the recipe I'm going to share is a little bit like that... The first time somebody told me I could cook chicken in the microwave, I was disgusted. Ew. No thanks! So of course, one day we went to my friend's house for dinner and guess what we're having? Yes. Microwave chicken.

As she was preparing the chicken, I was groaning inwardly, while outwardly smiling and saying how great, wonderful, blah blah blah microwave chicken must be. When we sat down to dinner, it was INCREDIBLE. It was the best roast chicken I have ever had and super simple!

What you need for this recipe is a stoneware Deep Covered Baker (Pampered Chef), whole chicken, and spices of your choice. I buy the foster farms chickens that are around 4lbs or so. I recently found them on sale for $0.79/lb and that is a good price in our area. I paid $4.01 for this chicken and we were able to get at least 3 meals out of it for our family of three.

The first step is to rinse off your chicken under cold water and remove all of the random giblet-y parts from the inside cavity. I prefer to take the skin off of my chicken prior to cooking it. To do this, I just loosen the skin and pull it off. I use my kitchen shears to cut off any stubborn areas and trim the fat off as well. When I've finished this, I always give my chicken a good rinse under cold water.

Now you need to pat your chicken dry with paper towels. Then plop it into your baker breast side up and sprinkle seasonings over it. You can season both sides, but I usually just do the top. Salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder make a tasty treat. I like to cover my chicken in the Pampered Chef Smoky BBQ Rub. Mmmmmm.....

Okay, are you ready for the REALLY hard part? Put the lid on the chicken, and toss it in the microwave for 30 minutes on high heat. Make sure to test with a meat thermometer when done! (I've found that mine comes out perfect at only 25 minutes).

*Because I took the skin off of my chicken, the outside isn't actually crispy. The golden brown color is from the BBQ rub that I used on it.

I love how simple this recipe is, and the chicken ALWAYS turns out amazingly delicious and moist. And thanks to Pasta Roni, I can have a complete meal ready in less than 45 minutes (including prep work) AND have time to read a chapter or two in my book while everything is cooking!

Here are a couple of tips for the leftovers: After the chicken has cooled and you have eaten your first meal from it, take all of the meat off the bone and store in the refrigerator. Sometimes I take the chicken carcass and toss it in a pot of water with veggies to make homemade chicken stock. Then I use the chicken I saved for enchiladas, stir fry, sandwiches, etc.

Now, I must add that while this meal saves our family money by not eating out, and using our leftovers wisely, the initial cost of the Deep Covered Baker can cost up to $85. But please don't stop reading now that you saw that price tag! If you know me, you will know that I love saving money and budgeting. I don't just go out and splurge on expensive kitchen items very often (I do however, struggle with buying cute cupcake liners that I don't need).

I am not a Pampered Chef consultant (any more) and I'm not trying to talk you into buying a Deep Covered Baker to make money for myself - in fact, quite the opposite - I believe that by having this, you can save money. We eat out less often when we have quick, easy, and healthy meals at home. I am also in no way being compensated for this review and all words and thoughts are my own! However... I suggest that if you want to purchase a Deep Covered Baker, call up your Pampered Chef consultant (if you don't have one, I know several!) and host a party. It will seriously save you SO MUCH MONEY and it's really not that much work.

Oh... and just so you know... the chicken is only one of MANY incredible recipes I make in my baker!