Celebrating Spring! (Chicken Primavera Risotto)

Asparagus, carrots, peas and chicken make a tasty
risotto that celebrates Spring

When we lived in SoCal, we took Spring for granted. Basically it meant that you could bring out your white pants and shoes. And there were Easter Lillys at the grocery store. 

Here in North Carolina, things are soooo different. The trees are popping with flowers and the neighborhood is awash with yellow daffodils and pink tulips. Windows are also thrown open, at least until the pollen hits. But that's a small price to pay for the incredible leafing out hardwood trees that provide perfect shade for lazy summer afternoons in a hammock.

So when I had to come up with a recipe for the May issue of Southerly (our neighborhood magazine) the following dish was an easy choice. Cheers to Spring! And bring on all things primavera!

Chicken Primavera Risotto

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups chicken stock. If you only have a standard 4-cup box of broth, add in 1 1/2 cups of water and some garlic and/or poultry season to stretch it.
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 3 Tbs Butter, divided
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• ½ cup onion, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• ½  cup dry white wine 
• 10 thin or 8 thick spears of asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas, uncooked
• 1/2 cup each of diced carrots, onions, and halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/8 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (or a few sprigs of thyme chopped)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Additional Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper for garnish.

Method

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil and then reduce the heat to low
• Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan or medium sized Dutch oven heat the olive oil and then brown the chicken in two batches until cooked through; remove to a bowl.
• Now add the 2 tbs of the butter to the pan and sauté  the onion and carrots until the onions are translucent; then add the rice and stir until coated. Raise the heat to medium high and pour in the wine, stirring until fully absorbed. Then begin to add hot chicken stock in ½ cup increments, stirring now and then until absorbed before adding more. Hint: it’s time to add liquid when a spoon dragged thru the mixture creates a “canyon.” 
• After about 10 minutes add the asparagus, tomatoes, peas, poultry seasoning and chicken. Continue adding broth as above, stirring to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. After about 10 more minutes the rice will be tender, but still firm. At this point, add any remaining stock and stir until it is mostly absorbed, but still loose.
• Now you are ready to finish the dish. Turn off the heat and vigorously stir in the  the remaining 1 Tbs of  butter, parsley and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Enjoy.