Child Friendly Lemon Chicken Risotto Food

LEMON CHICKEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Season with the salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and plate it on a cutting board. Once cool, slice into pieces.
• With the saucepan still hot, add the butter. Add the rice and stirring often, toast the rice until it's somewhat translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the white wine, constantly stirring or at least stirring every minute or so, until the rice absorbs the wine. Once the wine is absorbed, add in 1 1/2 cups of the stock, stirring until the rice absorbs the liquid like it did with the wine. Repeat this 2 to 3 more times, until all stock has been added and the rice is al dente. You want it to appear "hydrated" - and want there to be some liquid left when serving. This process should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the scallions, lemon zest, parmesan, basil and parsley. Taste and season the rice additionally, more salt or pepper if needed. This will differ on the salt level in your stock, so don't be afraid to add more. Stir in the sliced chicken. Serve immedaitely with extra chopped herbs on top and lemon wedges on the side.

LEMON RISOTTO WITH PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200º/390ºF.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and finely chopped rosemary on both sides.
• Add olive oil to an oven-safe pan and sear the chicken, skin-side down, over high heat until golden brown. Place the pan into the oven and allow to roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on size and if you are using bone-in chicken) or until the chicken breasts just cooked through. Remove and allow to rest.
• In the meantime, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep pan and sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds before adding the risotto rice.
• Allow the rice to toast for a minute, stirring to coat in the oil, then pour in the wine. Stir to combine and allow the rice to simmer until reduced.
• Reduce the heat and add the chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring to incorporate until the rice is creamy and cooked to your preference.
• Stir in the Mascarpone, butter, Parmesan and lemon juice then season to taste.
• Slice the chicken breasts and serve on the creamy lemon risotto.

MUSHROOM-STUFFED CHICKEN WITH LEMON THYME RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. First, make the stuffing. Finely chop the soaked porcini and set aside. Heat the oil in a shallow pan, then gently cook the onion for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the porcini, button mushrooms and thyme leaves, season, turn the heat up, then cook for another 5 mins until the mushrooms have softened.
• Add the wine to the pan, then reduce fiercely until nearly dry. Add 50ml of the porcini soaking liquid, then continue to reduce for a couple of mins until you have a syrupy sauce. Allow to cool for a couple of mins, then carefully spoon between the skin and the flesh of the chicken breasts. Can be made a day ahead and chilled, or frozen for 1 month. Defrost in fridge before cooking. Season, place on a baking tray, skin-side up, then cook in the oven for 20 mins, until the chicken is cooked through and golden.
• While the chicken is cooking, make the risotto. Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan. Add the celery and onion, then cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until softened. Add the rice, coat it well in the oil, then cook for 1 min. Gradually add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring with each addition until absorbed. Continue adding the stock and stirring until the risotto is oozing and thick - about 20 mins. Stir in the thyme, lemon juice, zest and Parmesan.
• When the chicken is cooked through and golden, remove from the oven. Spoon the risotto onto serving plates, sprinkle with the extra Parmesan and top with a chicken breast. Spoon over the juices from the chicken pan, then serve immediately.

SPICY LEMON CHICKEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Combine the cumin, coriander, chilli, garlic, fresh coriander leaves and oil.
• Add the chicken and marinate for as long as possible.
• Grill until chicken is cooked through.
• Keep warm.
• If you prefer you can cut the chicken into small pieces before you marinate it.
• To make the risotto bring the chicken stock to a simmer.
• Keep hot on a low gas.
• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.
• Add rice and stir until mixture is coated in oil.
• Add more oil if necessary.
• Add wine and stir until absorbed.
• Add half of the lemon juice and stir until absorbed.
• Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time and stir until all liquid is absorbed.
• If rice is still too chewy add some diluted stock, one ladle at a time, until rice is tender.
• Place spinach leaves in a colander and blanch with boiling water.
• Drain and transfer to a bowl.
• Stir through remaining lemon juice and finely chopped lemon rind.
• Stir spinach mix through risotto.
• Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
• Slice cooked chicken into small strips and stir through risotto.
• Serve topped with more cracked black pepper, lemon rind, fresh coriander leaves and parmesan cheese.

CHILD FRIENDLY LEMON CHICKEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• You will need 2 Litres of good chicken stock or, in the absence of the home made nectar prepare the liquid using chicken stock cubes. Not having the proper stuff will give a less tastier dish. So please, please have a bash at making your own. It is so easy and quick and tastes so much better. Check out the recipe #71349 which works well or one of the others. If you haven't got your own carcass then ask one of your friends to give you theirs as most people just bin them. Your stock needs to be gently simmering before you start the rice.
• Melt butter in a large pan and add the onion (finely minced) and also the garlic (ideally minced also). Don't allow to brown or colour. Make sure the garlic/onion is minced very fine to avoid the 'if this has got onion in it I am not eating it!' comments. Have tried making without but it is needed for flavour.
• Add the rice. Note that for this recipe it called for long grain rice and not arborio. Please try the recipe as it is as it does work and quantities for liquid are correct.
• Immediately the rice has been stirred well add almost all the stock. Most recipes will call for adding the stock bit by bit but (from experience) I can tell you that the quantity of liquid will be correct and life is definitely too short to stand over a hot stove! Specially now online poker has been invented. So add about 3/4 of the stock and bring to simmer. You can't do this with arborio rice but the long grain rice makes the constant stirring and dribbling of hot stock unneccesary. Cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed and your rice is 'nearly there'. If you are timing this it should be about 15/20 minutes after the stock was added.
• Add approx 1lb of chicken left overs (cut into cubes), the zest and juice of two lemons, the peas and rest of the stock if you feel it is needed. Season well and give the cooking time an extra few minutes.
• This dish doesn't really need parmesan but a small amount of fresh parsley could be added. It is beautifully light and tasty. Not an 'elegant' dish but my children absolutely love it and the flavour is good considering the few ingredients.
• Freeze left-overs after adding a tiny bit more stock to leave it a bit 'soupy' to avoid it getting stodge when it cools.
• Enjoy!
• Preparation time excludes making home made stock.