Chicken, White Wine and Pea Risotto

, from Issue #38. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Chicken, White Wine and Pea Risotto

Risotto is a labour of love. Our recipe is made using chicken, white wine and peas, creating a dish that's worth the wait.

 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

500 grams boneless chicken thighs, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock, hot
1½ cups peas, cooked and drained
zest of 1 lemon
small knob of butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Cut the chicken into large, bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and cover to keep warm.

Add the onion, leek and garlic to the same pan, season and cook until tender. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until it has been absorbed. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until each has been absorbed before adding the next. When the rice is cooked, after about 20 minutes, stir in the chicken along with any resting juices, the peas and lemon zest and cook for another 2 minutes. Gently stir through the butter and cheese. Season.

To serve: Spoon the risotto into warm shallow dishes and scatter over extra Parmesan if desired.