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.
- 6-8 cups Chicken Stock will vary depending on heat and time cooked
- 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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- Pour chicken stock into a saucepan, bring to boil then reduce to simmer while covered until required. Note: if you use stock cubes to first make you stock, then keep on simmer in saucepan as per above.
- 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 stock, 1 cup at a time. Continue stirring regularly until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add 1 cup chicken stock, until rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed. For me, depending on heat I am cooking on, this varies between 6 & 8 cups of chicken stock.
- Add chicken to rice mixture and stir to mix through. Cook for about 1 minute for the chicken to heat through.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and parmesan cheese. Continue stirring to mix through and until spinach wilts.
- Remove from heat and serve.
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.
