RECIPE FOR CHICKEN RISOTTO RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 180ml of boiling water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes, then drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
  2. When they are soaked, chop the porcini and place in a 3-litre casserole dish with the reserved soaking liquid. Trim and chop the chicken thighs, then peel and crush the garlic. Add both to the casserole dish along with the rice and stock. Pick in most of the thyme leaves, reserving a few for garnish. Stir everything to combine, cover tightly with tinfoil and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
  3. Meanwhile, chop up the butter and finely grate the Parmesan. When the risotto is ready, remove from the oven and add the butter and cheese to the risotto. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the risotto thickens. Divide between bowls and top with extra Parmesan to serve.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pan. Add the lardons and fry for 5 mins over a low-medium heat. Stir in the onion and fry for 10 mins more until the onion is soft but not coloured.
• Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring, for 5 mins. Stir in the risotto rice and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins until the rice has started to turn translucent.
• Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble away over the heat. Pour in a quarter of the chicken stock and set a timer for 20 mins.
• Continue cooking, stirring very frequently, topping up with a splash more stock as it gets absorbed – this is best done in three more stages, until the rice is cooked and most of the stock has been absorbed (you may not need all the stock). The texture now should be creamy, like rice pudding.
• Stir through the chicken, warm briefly, then turn off the heat. Stir through the parmesan and parsley, cover and leave to rest for 5 mins to allow more liquid to be absorbed into the rice. Season to taste and serve with extra parmesan, if you like.