Chicken Risotto Recipes

CHICKEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Combine broth and 3 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cook chicken, flipping once, until golden brown in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet. Add squash in a single layer, season with salt and pepper. Cook, flipping once, until browned in places and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and melt, then add rice and cook, stirring a few times, until translucent and nutty, about 1 minute.
• Add wine to skillet and boil, scrapping browned bits from bottom of pan, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Ladle enough broth into skillet to just cover rice. Simmer until almost evaporated, stirring constantly, and adding more broth, one ladleful at a time, until rice is creamy but still very al dente, 18 to 20 minutes (you will still have some broth remaining in saucepan). Stir in asparagus and a ladleful of broth. Continue cooking and stirring constantly until rice is al dente and asparagus is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Thinly slice chicken and return to skillet with accumulated juices, squash, and cheese, gently stirring to combine. Stir in more broth, a little at a time, until risotto is creamy and sauce evenly coats asparagus and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately topped with more cheese.

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

RISOTTO WITH CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan, then keep warm over low heat.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cubed chicken, and continue cooking until firm and lightly browned; set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in the saucepan and cook onions until they soften and turn translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice, and continue cooking until the rice turns opaque, and the onion begins to brown.
• Stir in the wine and asparagus; cook, stirring constantly, until the wine evaporates. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in 1/3 of the hot chicken stock. Cook, stirring constantly, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in another 1/3 of the chicken stock and continue cooking and stirring until absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Season the risotto with oregano and basil. Pour in the remaining stock, and stir until absorbed again, 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan cheese and chicken cubes.