The year 1967 means very little to today’s students. However, the microwave, one of the appliances they rely on day in and day out, made its debut that year.
When microwaves were first introduced, they were believed to cut cooking time in half. The results were usually dry and rubbery, leaving people with a less than savory taste and relegating the microwave to the simple task of reheating leftovers.
The issue with most microwaves is not actually the appliance itself. It does what it was designed to do. The problem arises from the operator’s lack of knowledge about how to properly use it.
Cooking chicken in a microwave is a true test regardless of culinary experience.
When cooked incorrectly the results are best used as hockey pucks but, with a little patience and a decent understanding of the settings on the machine, a meal can be created that is fit to grace the table in a fine dining establishment.
Serve these stuffed chicken breasts with steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
(adapted from recipe4living.com)
Makes 6 servings
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup of chopped onion
2 tablespoons of butter
1 box of stuffing mix (I used Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing)
1 cup of hot water
1 teaspoon of instant chicken bouillon (1 bouillon cube)
1 10 1/2 ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of sour cream
In a two quart microwave safe bowl, microwave the mushrooms, onions and butter on high for two to three minutes, or until the onions are transparent.
Add the bouillon, hot water and stuffing mix and stir gently until it is mixed well and then set it aside.
Lay the chicken breasts one at a time between two pieces of wax paper and gently pound them out flat.
Place a small bit of stuffing in the center of the chicken.
Fold the chicken around the stuffing and secure with a toothpick then place the bundle seam side down in a 1 1/2 quart microwave safe casserole dish.
Pour the remaining stuffing around the chicken.
Combine the soup and the sour cream and pour that over the chicken. You may need to add a little milk to the mix to thin it out a little.
Tightly cover the dish and microwave on high for five minutes.
Reduce the power to medium (50 percent) and cook for 35 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories 397
Fat 17 grams
Carbohydrates 27 grams
Protein 31 grams
