Equipment
Ingredients
Main Components
- 200 g mushrooms, sliced
- 100 g onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic, crushed
- 350 g chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut widthways into 5mm slices
- 6 g paprika
- 15 g all-purpose flour
- 150 ml chicken stock, hot
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100 g baby spinach
- 100 ml heavy cream
Sides and Seasoning
- 220 g green beans, trimmed
- 250 g long-grain rice, cooked
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1106 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbohydrates
- 135 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 701 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 171 mg
- Potassium
- 1923 mg
- Calcium
- 258 mg
- Iron
- 23.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 189 mg
- Phosphorus
- 813 mg
- Zinc
- 6.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 627 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 43 mg
- Vitamin D
- 6.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 300 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.90 mg
- Niacin
- 28.5 mg
- Folate
- 480 mcg
- Water
- 587 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place sliced mushrooms and chopped onion in the large microwaveable dish. Season with black pepper.
Cover the dish and microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes (1000W) or 5 minutes (800W) until vegetables are softened.
Add crushed garlic, sliced chicken, and paprika to the dish. Toss to coat evenly and cover.
Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes (1000W) or 2 minutes 30 seconds (800W).
Stir in the flour, followed by the hot chicken stock and halved cherry tomatoes.
Place baby spinach leaves in an even layer on top of the mixture. Cover the dish.
Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes (1000W) or 2 minutes 30 seconds (800W).
Stir in the heavy cream until the sauce is uniform.
Microwave on HIGH for a final 2 minutes (1000W) or 2 minutes 30 seconds (800W) until the sauce is hot and chicken is cooked to 74°C/165°F.
Let the chicken rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place trimmed green beans in a shallow microwaveable bowl with 45ml (3 tbsp) of water. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes (1000W) or 3 minutes 40 seconds (800W).
Heat the pre-cooked rice in the microwave according to package instructions until piping hot.
Drain the green beans. Serve the chicken and sauce alongside the rice and beans.
Chef's Notes
- Using hot chicken stock helps maintain the temperature in the microwave, ensuring faster and more even cooking.
- The resting period is essential for the chicken to finish cooking gently without becoming rubbery.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Cream sauce may separate slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power until internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Troubleshooting
Chicken is pink in the center
Cause: Slices were thicker than 5mm or microwave heating was uneven.
Fix: Microwave in 1-minute increments until internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Prevention: Ensure uniform slicing and stir the dish halfway through cooking if your microwave does not have a turntable.
Sauce is thin and watery
Cause: Vegetables released more moisture than expected or flour was not fully incorporated.
Fix: Microwave uncovered for an additional 2 minutes to reduce the sauce.
Prevention: Measure stock accurately and stir flour thoroughly into the juices before adding liquid.
Cultural Context
This recipe is a modern, rapid-cooking interpretation of 'Pollo alla Toscana', utilizing microwave technology to emulate the creamy, vegetable-rich profile of the traditional Italian-American dish.
