Risotto with Chicken and Herbs

By ebdonahue

Ingredients

• 5 5 5 Cups low-sodium chicken broth *
• 2 2 2 Cups water
• 1 1 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 2 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
• 4 4 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1 1 Large onion
• table salt
• 1 1 1 Large garlic clove
• 2 2 2 Cups Arborio rice
• 1 1 1 Cup dry white wine
• 2 2 2 Ounces Parmesan cheese * *
• 1 1 1 lemon
• 2 2 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 2 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• ground black pepper

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from onlinecookingschool.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare Ingredients
Peel and finely chop 1 large onion. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Peel and mince 1 garlic clove. You should have about 1 teaspoon. Grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese. You should have about 1 cup. Juice lemon to yield 1 teaspoon juice. Chop parsley to yield 2 tablespoons. Chop chives to yield 2 tablespoons.

Bring Broth to Simmer and Prepare Chicken
Bring 5 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Cut 2 bone-in chicken breasts in half crosswise. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.

Cook Chicken
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to saucepan of simmering broth. (Do not wash Dutch oven.) Cook chicken until instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate.

Sauté Aromatics and Rice
Add 2 tablespoons butter to Dutch oven set over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 cups Arborio rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.

Add Wine and Simmer
Add 1 cup white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add Broth
Stir 5 cups warm broth mixture into rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Add 3/4 cup warm broth mixture to risotto and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Shred Chicken
Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken, and shred meat into bite-size pieces.

Finish and Serve
Gently stir shredded chicken, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives into risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup additional broth mixture to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately.

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Active Cooking Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings

* * This unconventional cooking method for risotto leaves you free to do other tasks in the kitchen as the rice cooks, but it does require careful timing. We recommend that you use a timer when simmering the rice to ensure that the rice does not wind up soft and overcooked.