How to Microwave Chicken Breast
Prep Time
1 minCook Time
9-11 minsFree Time
to catch up on meal prep
If you’re looking for a fast and excellent way to cook chicken, look no further than your microwave. Yes — really! Many people think microwaved chicken is dry and chewy. In reality, microwaving chicken breast in an Anyday dish yields juicy, tender chicken.
Compared to cooking chicken on the stovetop or in the oven, the microwave does the job much faster. Microwaved chicken breast is an excellent topping for salads, pasta, sandwiches, and more. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken has a safe internal temperature before serving.
Why Use An Anyday? Anyday's lid traps steam and keeps chicken juicy as it cooks in the microwave. When using an Anyday dish, chicken breast takes about 7-11 minutes (depending on how many breasts) to fully cook in the microwave. As a comparison, chicken breast takes about 15-20 minutes to cook on the stove, and between 30-40 mins in the oven!
What You’ll Need
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast (225g)
- Salt & pepper
Preparation
- Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in one layer in an Anyday Shallow Dish and cover with the lid (knob lifted).
- Cook in the microwave Power Level 6for 9-11 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.✕
Certain foods cook best in the microwave at lower power levels.
[[video-power]]
Different microwaves have different settings. See your microwave manual (or look it up online) to learn how to change your microwave’s power level.
For many microwaves: enter the cook time, press the “Power” (or “Power Level”) button, and select a number between 1-10. Other microwaves may require selecting the Power Level first, and then entering the cook time.
Microwaves list power levels in different ways. Here’s a guide to help you adjust:
PL 10 = 100% = High (default)
PL 9 = 90% = High
PL 8 = 80% = Med-High
PL 7 = 70% = Med-High
PL 6 = 60% = Medium
PL 5 = 50% = Medium
PL 4 = 40% = Med-Low
PL 3 = 30% = Med-Low
PL 2 = 20% = Low
PL 1 = 10% = Low
You will know if the power level has been successfully changed if you hear periodic changes in the microwave’s tone after it begins cooking.
Serving suggestions & tips
- Make a big batch of chicken breast and use it in your meals all week!
- Simple tonkatsu: Dice chicken into medium-sized pieces and mix with a sauce of ketchup, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Serve over rice garnished with thinly sliced scallions.
- Fajitas: Shred and season with chipotle adobo, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Enjoy over a black bean and rice bowl.
- Parmesan: Spoon tomato sauce over the chicken and sprinkle generously with parmesan or mozzarella cheese. Melt cheese in a hot oven or in the microwave.
- Creamy pasta: Mix with alfredo sauce or cream of mushroom soup. Enjoy over cooked egg noodles or biscuits.
- Salad topper: Slice or dice and top a dressed salad.
- Chicken salad: Shred the cooked chicken and mix with mayo or sour cream, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and zest, salt, and pepper. Serve as a sandwich or on lettuce wraps.
- Taco filling: Shred the chicken and season with taco seasoning. Top the tacos with tomato, avocado, and cilantro.
- Chicken alfredo: Shred or dice the chicken, mix with alfredo sauce and some thawed peas and enjoy over pasta or rice.
Recipe notes
- Pierce the surface of the chicken with a fork to reduce popping noises.
- For faster results cook at full power and start with half of the recommended cooking time.
- If the chicken breast is very thick, cut it in half before cooking.
- When chicken breast cooks in the microwave, the chicken will naturally release juices into the bottom of the dish. This broth can be used to cook grains, stir into soups, or start a quick sauce. We think of it as a bonus!
- The lid on your Anyday dish may lift up gently on one side while cooking chicken on full power— this is perfectly fine and normal. This happens because steam pressure has built up inside the dish.
- For frozen chicken breast, add 1 tablespoon of water per piece of chicken breast to boost the steam. Add 4-6 more minutes than the time listed in the table above, or until it is cooked through.
- We recommend using an Anyday Shallow Dish for cooking proteins. If using an Anyday Deep Dish, you may need to add more cooking time.
- Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.
Microwave Chicken Breast
See for yourself— microwaving chicken is simply faster, start to finish.
| Appliance | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| Microwave in an Anyday dish | 9-11 mins |
| Oven* | 35 mins |
| Stovetop* | 20-25 mins |
| Grill* | 20-25 mins |
| Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)* | 25 mins |
Step by Step instructions on microwaving chicken
All you need to know about microwaving chicken
How long does chicken take to cook in the microwave?
| Ingredient | Power Level | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast (225g) | 6 | 9-11 mins |
| 2 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts (450g) | 6 | 14-16 mins |
| 3 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts (750g) | 6 | 17-18 mins |
| 4 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts (900g) | 6 | 20-21 mins |
Depending on how many you’d like to cook, chicken breasts take about 7-11 minutes to cook in the microwave. When cooking frozen chicken breasts, add 5-6 more minutes of cook time to ensure the chicken is thawed and cooked through.
Why do I need to lower the power level?
Power levels in a microwave are there to help us get the best possible results for each ingredient. While it is totally possible to cook chicken at full power for a shorter time, the results will be much juicier and tender if the power level is reduced. By lowering the power we are maximizing the potential of the microwave, ensuring consistent and reliable results.
How to tell when chicken is cooked through?
Chicken breast is done cooking when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the middle of the thickest part of the breast. The chicken will have no pink spots when it’s cut. If your chicken breast isn’t fully cooked after the cooking time is reached, continue cooking in 1-minute increments until the chicken breast is cooked.
How to freeze microwaved chicken?
When freezing cooked chicken breast, it’s important to let it cool completely before putting it into the freezer. If you’re going to use the chicken breast in salads, soups, pasta, and the like, dice the chicken breast and put it into a freezer tray with large cups like the Anytime ½-Cup Freezer Tray. Cover the tray with the lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
How to reheat frozen cooked chicken?
To thaw, pop out the portion of chicken you’d like, and microwave on full power in an Anyday dish with the lid on (knob lifted!) for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. Stir the chicken halfway through cooking to ensure even heating. To store cooked, whole chicken breasts, lay them in a freezer-safe dish or tray with a lid. When frozen solid, you can transfer them into a ziplock freezer bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag. Reheat by placing the frozen chicken breast into a shallow Anyday dish, cover with the lid (knob lifted!), and microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through completely.
How to microwave frozen chicken?
Place frozen raw chicken breast into a shallow Anyday dish and cover with the lid (knob lifted). Add 1 tablespoon of water into the dish per piece of chicken breast to boost the steam. Microwave on full power for the time indicated in the chart above 3-4 minutes or until warmed through completely.
