No Stir Chicken Risotto

Ok, ok, I know what the package of risotto says, “stir constantly,” right?  So what am I talking about?  No stir risotto?  Why yes, that is exactly what I’m saying!

Quite a few years ago, my boyfriend (now husband) and I attended a happy hour at the Space Needle in Seattle. It was one of those events where they bring in a chef and demo food and wine with a great view from the observation deck.  The chef they brought in made a risotto.  He said, “I know that many people are afraid of risotto, but really, there’s nothing to be afraid of!” and proceeded to teach us how to make a good risotto.  Needless to say, I am not afraid of risotto.  As a matter of fact, with a little prep work while my son is napping, it’s a really simple dish to make.  And my whole family loves it, so we eat it almost every week. 
Here’s the recipe:

No Stir Chicken Risotto

2 cups risotto

4 cups gluten free chicken broth (I like Costco Chicken Stock or Imagine Organics Chicken Broth)

1 lb chicken thighs

8-10 medium mushrooms

1 onion

Cheddar cheese to taste (I use about 1/2 lb (or 1-1/2 cups grated) of white cheddar)

Parmesan cheese to taste (I use about 1/3 cup, grated)

1/2 tsp Italian herb seasoning

Olive oil

Water as needed

In a 6 qt pot, heat chicken broth until a low boil.  Cube chicken and sauté in olive oil until cooked.  Chop onion and slice mushrooms. Once chicken is cooked, add mushrooms and onion and sauté until mushrooms are soft and onion is translucent.  Add risotto and Italian herb seasoning and mix well (I usually let it cook for about a minute. Don’t let the risotto stick to the pan).  Add heated chicken broth, stir to incorporate, and bring to a simmer.  Place a lid on the pan and let it simmer.

After 10 minutes or so, give it a quick stir to see if the risotto is sticking to the bottom. If it is, add some water (1 cup is usually plenty).  Put the lid back on it.  If it was really sticking, you may want to check it again.  If not, check it at 15 minutes or so.  Cook for 20 minutes or until rice is no longer crunchy. 

Grate the cheddar cheese and parmesan and mix it in. 

That’s it! How easy is that?

Note: To speed up the cooking process, I cube and sauté my chicken separately.  While this is cooking, I cook the mushrooms and onion, then mix it all together and add the risotto. It cuts 15-20 minutes out of the cook time.