CHICKEN
Cooking Poultry: General Directions
• Prepare the poultry for cooking.
- Defrost completely.
- Arrange poultry pieces with thicker pieces at the
outside edge of the baking dish. When cooking legs,
arrange them like the spokes of a wheel.
- Cover the baking dish with waxed paper to reduce
spattering.
- Use a browning agent or cook with a sauce to give a
browned appearance.
• Watch the poultry as it cooks.
- Drain and discard juices as they accumulate.
- Shield thin or bony pieces with small strips of
aluminum foil to prevent overcooking. Keep foil at
least 1 inch from the oven walls and other pieces of
foil.
• Poultry is done when it is no longer pink and the
juices run clear. When done, the temperature in the
thigh meat should be 180-185°F.
• Let the poultry stand after cooking covered with foil
for 10 minutes.
The Poultry Cooking Table below provides detailed
directions, Power Level, and Cooking Time settings for
most cuts and types of poultry.
CHICKEN COOKING TABLE
CHICKEN
Chicken pieces
(21/2-3Ibs.)
POWER
LEVEL
HI
Chicken whole HI
(3-31/2Ibs.)
Cornish Hens
whole
(1-11/2Ibs. each)
HI
COOKING
TIME
41/2-51/2minutes
per pound
12-13 minutes
per pound
6-7 minutes
per pound
DIRECTIONS
Before cooking, wash pieces and shake the water off.
Place pieces in a single layer in a microwavable baking
dish with thicker pieces to the outside. Brush with butter or
browning agent and seasonings if desired. Cover with
waxed paper. Cook until no longer pink and juices run
clear. Let stand covered 5 minutes.
Before cooking, wash and shake off water. Place breast
side down on a microwavable roasting rack. Brush with
butter, or browning agent and seasoning if desired. Cover
with waxed paper. Cook 1/3of estimated time. Turn breast
side up, brush with butter, or browning agent. Replace
waxed paper. Cook 1/3of estimated time again. Shield if
necessary. Cook remaining 1/3of estimated time or until no
longer pink and juices run clear. Let stand covered with foil
10 minutes. (The temperature may rise about 10°F.) The
temperature in the thigh should be 180°F-185°F when
the poultry is done.
Before cooking, wash and shake the water off.
Tie wings to body of hen and the legs to tail. Place hens
breast side down on microwavable rack. Cover with waxed
paper. Turn breast side up halfway through cooking. Shield
bone ends of drumsticks with foil.
Remove and discard drippings. Brush with butter or
browning agent and seasonings if desired. Cook until
no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove hens from
microwave when they reach desired temperature.
Let stand covered with foil 5 minutes. (Temperature may
rise about 10°F). Temperature in breast should be 170°F
before serving.
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