Microwave creamy chicken and mushrooms
This tender creamy chicken recipe is all cooked in the microwave for a quick and easy meal for one with a touch of luxury.
This recipe is part of a budget microwave meal plan for one. In March 2023, it was costed at an average total of £2.17 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. It is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz potatoes, well scrubbed and cut into roughly 4cm/1½in chunks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú mushrooms (any variety), sliced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 100–150²µ/3½–5½´Ç³ú chicken breasts, boneless and skin removed, cut into roughly 5mm/¼in slices
- 10g plain flour
- 100ml/3½fl oz hot chicken stock, made with ½ stock cube
- 3 tbsp double cream
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú frozen peas
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
Arrange the potato chunks in a single layer in a large microwaveable bowl or shallow dish. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons water. Cover with a microwaveable lid or dinner plate and cook on HIGH for 6 minutes (1000W) or 7 minutes 30 seconds (800W), or until tender, turning and stirring the potato pieces halfway through cooking. Drain, cover and leave to stand.
Place the oil, onion and mushrooms in a large microwaveable bowl and season with lots of black pepper. Toss well together. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes (1000W) or 3 minutes 40 seconds (800W). Stir in the garlic and chicken, cover and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes (1000W) or 3 minutes 40 seconds (800W), or until the chicken is cooked, stirring halfway.
Stir in the flour, followed by the hot stock and cream. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 minutes (1000W) or 2 minutes 30 seconds (800W), or until the sauce has thickened. Stir well and set aside (take care as bowl will be very hot).
Place the peas in a microwaveable bowl, cover and cook on HIGH for 2 minutes (1000W) or 2 minutes 30 seconds (800W), or until hot. Reheat the potatoes in the microwave on HIGH for about 1 minute, or until hot. Serve the creamy chicken with the potatoes and peas, sprinkled with a little black pepper.
Recipe Tips
This recipe has been costed as part of the Budget Microwave Meal Plan for One. If following this plan, you will need to buy two chicken breasts to use across three recipes. Two chicken breasts should weigh a minimum of 300g/10½oz, leaving you 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú chicken for each recipe. Wrap what you don’t use on the first day in kitchen foil and freeze until required. Defrost in the fridge. If you are not following the plan, you can use up to 150g/5½oz chicken for this recipe without needing to adjust the timings.
Toss the potatoes in a little butter after draining if preferred. Instead of the potatoes, serve this chicken with microwave rice or boiled rice.
To make a meat-free version of the recipe, increase the mushrooms and leave out the chicken and swap the chicken stock cube for a vegetable stock cube.
Use any frozen or fresh vegetables you have handy instead of the peas. Small bags of ready-prepared fresh vegetables are a little expensive but useful if you are worried about larger amounts going off before you have a chance to use them.