Risotto Renaissance

Creamy Chicken and Tomato Arborio Rice for Dinner

45 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalian
Herb's take

Let’s take a scenic detour from pasta to risotto, marrying plump arborio rice, juicy chicken, and ripe tomatoes in Northern Italian fashion. You’ll master the gentle, ladle-by-ladle method that coaxes starch from the rice into creamy submission. (No cream required!)

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer and keep it over low heat.
  2. 02
    Season the chicken pieces all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  3. 03
    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the chicken and sauté until golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  4. 04
    Lower heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in onion and cook until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. 05
    Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  6. 06
    Pour in arborio rice and toast, stirring constantly, until edges of the grains look translucent, about 2 minutes.
  7. 07
    Splash in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until most of the wine evaporates.
  8. 08
    Stir in the diced tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
  9. 09
    Add a ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of hot broth to the rice. Stir frequently until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  10. 10
    Continue adding broth, one ladle at a time, stirring after each addition and waiting until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding more. Repeat until rice is creamy and tender but still has a slight bite, 18 to 22 minutes.
  11. 11
    Return the chicken (and its juices) to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  12. 12
    When the rice is done, turn off the heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan, then adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper.
  13. 13
    Fold in fresh basil. Let the risotto rest, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
  14. 14
    Serve immediately in warm bowls, with extra Parmesan for sprinkling if you’re feeling indulgent.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.