John Risotto dishes are such hearty, filling meals. You can mix a great range of ingredients and although you need to be active during the cooking process, they are usually fairly easy to make. This is a great chicken based risotto that I think you will enjoy making and most of all – eating.
This risotto combines chicken, grated zucchini and baby spinach for a lovely mixture. Some real tomato depth of flavour is provided through the sun-dried tomatoes added at the end. Parmesan cheese is also mixed through to create a sticky yet wonderfully creamy finish. A very special risotto dish is created.
You need to be stirring the risotto mixture fairly actively as you add the stock. You want to ensure the stock is fully mixed through the rice as well as not letting any rice burn on the bottom of the pan.
I find risotto is best cooked on medium heat as a maximum. Not only does the rice need to absorb the stock, but it also needs to cook to a tender finish as well. High heat generally just helps some of the stock to evaporate and you end up using all your stock before the rice is fully cooked.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 70 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 cups Roast Chicken use Rotisserie chicken and shred.
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Brown Onion diced
- 2 cups Arborio Rice
- 375 g Sun-Dried Tomatoes 1 jar - diced
- 80 g Baby Spinach
- 1 Zucchini grated
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
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- Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 180ºC C (350º F).
- Heat olive oil in large fry pan over medium high heat.
- Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add rice and zucchini, stir to mix through and cook for about 1 minute while constantly stirring.
- Add chicken to rice mixture and stir to mix through. Cook for about 1 minute for the chicken to heat through.
- Add stock, stir to mix through then remove from heat.
- Cover baking dish with lid, then place in oven & cook for about 25 minutes or until stock is absorbed by the rice and is cooked through.
- Remove baking dish from oven, add sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and parmesan cheese. Stir to mix through and until spinach wilts.
- Serve when ready.
Adding the parmesan cheese is an optional ingredient and will make your risotto a lot stickier than a typical risotto. It will also make your risotto a lot creamier than a typical risotto as well. This dish is great without the parmesan, if that is your preference, however it is also great with the parmesan for a nice variation. perhaps try is either way and see which you prefer.
