Microwave Orange Chicken
Submitted by Vixen
Microwave orange chicken roulade with cinnamon-rice stuffing, finished with a glossy orange juice sauce and broken walnuts. A 30-minute dinner that looks dinner-party fancy.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThis chicken dish proves the microwave deserves more credit at dinner than people give it. Pounded thin breast halves get rolled jelly-roll style around a simple rice filling perfumed with orange zest and cinnamon, then steamed in the microwave to keep the meat tender and the filling moist.
The microwave finish is what saves the chicken. Conventional oven cooking dries lean breast meat fast, but the gentle steam-cook in plastic wrap holds the moisture inside. A quick microwave orange sauce thickened with cornstarch and finished with broken walnuts gets spooned over the top, adding crunch and a glossy citrus glaze.
Pro Tips
- Pound the chicken to an even eighth-inch thickness. Thicker spots stay raw while thinner spots cook through, even in the microwave.
- Use cooked, cooled rice for the filling. Warm rice steams in the wrap and overcooks the chicken from inside.
- Microwave at 50% power, not full. High power overheats the outside of the rolls and dries the chicken before the centers cook.
- Stir the orange sauce every 20 seconds while microwaving. Cornstarch sauces clump quickly and unevenly if left alone in the microwave.
Variations
- Swap walnuts for pecans or sliced almonds in the sauce for a different nut profile.
- Add a teaspoon of soy sauce or hoisin to the orange sauce for an Asian-inspired version.
- Use orange marmalade thinned with juice instead of the cornstarch-thickened sauce for a stickier, sweeter glaze.
Ingredients
Directions
Halve chicken breast lengthwise.
Place one portion, boned side up, between two pieces of clear plastic wrap.
Working from the center to the edges, pound lightly with a meat mallet, forming a rectangle about ⅛ inch thick.
Remove plastic wrap.
Sprinkle chicken with salt to taste.
Repeat with the remaining portion of chicken.
In a small bowl stir together cooked rice, shredded orang peel, and ground cinnamon.
Spoon half of the rice orange peel mixture atop one chicken breast portion, spreading it to within ¼ inch of the edges.
Fold in sides, roll up jelly-roll style, starting with one end.
Repeat with the remaining rice-orange peel mixture and chicken portion.
Place chicken rolls, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish .
Cover with vented clear plastic wrap.
Micro-cook the chicken rolls, covered, on 50% power for 7 to 8 minutes or until chicken is tender, rotating dish a half-turn after 4 minutes.
Transfer chicken rolls to a serving platter.
For orange sauce, in a 1-cup measure stir together orange juice and cornstarch.
Micro-cook, uncovered, on 100% power for 1½ to 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly, stirring every 20 seconds.
Stir in broken walnut meats.
Spoon the orange sauce atop the chicken rolls on the serving platter.
Garnish with cucumber roses, if desired.
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