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
- 01In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer and keep it over low heat.
- 02Season the chicken pieces all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- 03Heat 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.
- 04Lower heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in onion and cook until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- 05Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 06Pour in arborio rice and toast, stirring constantly, until edges of the grains look translucent, about 2 minutes.
- 07Splash in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until most of the wine evaporates.
- 08Stir in the diced tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
- 09Add a ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of hot broth to the rice. Stir frequently until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- 10Continue 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.
- 11Return the chicken (and its juices) to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- 12When the rice is done, turn off the heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan, then adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper.
- 13Fold in fresh basil. Let the risotto rest, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
- 14Serve immediately in warm bowls, with extra Parmesan for sprinkling if you’re feeling indulgent.
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