Shelly's Recipe

CHICKEN RISOTTO

Category: Rice/Risotto

2 1/2 cups Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
2 lbs of boned chicken pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 medium onions
1 medium carrot
1 stalk of celery
1 garlic clove
A small bunch of parsley
1 bay leaf
1 glass dry white wine
1 tbsp minced parsley
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated cheese

Put the chicken pieces in a pot with one of the onions, the celery, the bunch of parsley, garlic, bay leaf and the carrot. Add cold water to cover and put the pot on the fire; when it reaches a boil, skim off the scum. Simmer for about an hour, until the chicken is done. Fish the chicken from the pot and cut the meat into thin strips, discarding the skin. Strain and reserve the broth.

Mince the other onion and saute it in the butter. When it turns golden (not brown) add the chicken and stir in the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, stir in the rice. Begin adding the broth a ladle at a time, waiting until the broth has almost evaporated before adding the next ladle. Stir continually. Near the end, check the saltiness of the dish. When the rice reaches the al dente stage remove it from the fire, dust it with the minced parsley and a healthy grating of pepper, and serve. Serves 6.

Serve with a light-to-medium flavored red such as light Chianti or Pinot Noir; or a flavorful, but unoaked white such as a Pinot Blanc, dry Chenin Blanc (Vouvray Sec) or a top Pinot Grigio.