Craving a restaurant-worthy risotto without the fuss?
Get ready to unlock the secrets to a creamy chicken and mushroom masterpiece, where perfectly browned ingredients mingle in a symphony of flavor, guaranteeing a dish that's far from gluey.
Ingredients
Let's gather our ingredients, shall we? I'm using olive oil – just a teaspoon to a tablespoon. If you're feeling fancy, grab about 2.5 oz of streaky bacon!
We'll need 12 oz of chicken thigh fillets – cut 'em up! Mushrooms, too, about 13 oz. Swiss browns are my fave. Don't forget 2 tablespoons of butter, two minced garlic cloves, and one diced onion – brown, white, or yellow, your call! For a simple alternative to chicken thigh, chicken breast also works wonderfully.
Next, half a cup of white wine – or broth, if you're not feeling boozy. It's time for 1 1/4 cups of Arborio rice – the risotto star remember? And 4 cups of chicken broth.
For finishing touches: half a cup of Parmesan cheese, 1-3 tablespoons of butter and fresh parsley. That's it!
Instructions
Now, let's look into the cooking instructions! First, heat 1 tsp of oil in a pot over high heat. Cook bacon until golden – then transfer it to a small bowl.
Leave about 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pot – discard the rest! Cook the chicken until browned. After that, transfer to a separate bowl. Next up: mushrooms! Cook 'em until light golden and add to the chicken bowl. Just like chicken pot pie, this dish benefits from the use of browned chicken for enhanced flavor.
Turn the heat down to medium, melt 2 tbsp butter, add garlic and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Turn heat up to high, add the rice, and stir for under a minute – grains should be partially translucent.
Add wine and scrape the pot (get those yummy bits!) until the alcohol smell disappears – about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add ~3 cups of broth. Stir just once or twice until the liquid is absorbed. Check the rice and add ½ cup of stock at a time, stirring in between as the liquid absorbs, until done to your taste. Add chicken and mushrooms to heat through.
Recipe Notes
Cooking this creamy chicken and mushroom risotto is a breeze, but a few things can make it even better! I've learned some cool stuff along the way!
Try these nuggets of wisdom:
- Arborio Rice is a must! Seriously, don't use any other kind—or it's not risotto!
- Big pot, big dreams! If your pot's too small, it won't cook evenly.
- Don't burn the rice! Toasted rice? No, thanks! We want creamy, not crunchy.
- Firm but not hard! That's the rice endgame.
I think finding that perfect balance is key! You want it just cooked through, and also… if you run out of chicken broth, hot water works just fine! You don't have to use *all* of the stock. Now that's clever!
Nutrition Information
I'm always curious about the nitty-gritty, so let's explore into what's inside this dish, shall we? For one serving—we're talking about 571 grams—you're looking at around 658 calories.
Now, let's break it down further: you've got 59.7 grams of carbs, contributing to 20% of your daily intake. Protein is a star here, with 41.9 grams—that's a whopping 84%!
Fats come in at 24.8 grams (38%), and saturated fats aren't too scary at 10.8 grams (68%). Cholesterol? It sits at 111 mg (37%). We've got 1274 mg of sodium which is 55%. Potassium is decent, 905 mg – 26%.
Fiber's at 3.4 grams—a little boost. Sugar isn't much of a devil at 3.9 grams. You get some vitamins–A, C and minerals iron and calcium.
It's a balanced meal… mostly! Enjoy!
Short Recipe Version
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1.5 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups chicken broth, warm
- 1 cup cooked chicken, diced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook until tender.
- Add Arborio rice to the pan and stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in white wine and stir until absorbed.
- Add warm chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next.
- Continue until rice is creamy and cooked through (about 20-25 minutes).
- Stir in cooked chicken, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition per Serving (Estimated):
- Calories: 450
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 15g