Chicken & Mushroom risotto

Ingredients

• 250 g mushrooms (thinly sliced)
• 600 g chicken thigh (diced)
• 2 shallots (brunoise)
• 3 cloves garlic (brunoise)
• 3 or 4 knobs of butter
• 250 g aborio rice
• 750 mL chicken stock
• 50 mL dry white wine
• 50 mL cream

Method

1. In batches, sear chicken with a good pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Drop heat to medium, add a knob of butter, salt and mushrooms, sauté ‘til brown. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Melt some butter, soften garlic and shallots.
4. Deglaze with white wine, scrape the bottom of the pan.
5. Add rice and cook for a minute or so until semi translucent.
6. Add chicken stock, stir then leave for a few minutes.
7. Stir occasionally, if risotto gets too dry before rice is cooked, add water or more stock if you have some. Keep going until rice is just cooked but risotto is still creamy and sloppy.
8. Add mushrooms and chicken, a knob of butter, cream and stir vigorously for a velvety finish.

Notes

1. You don’t want to cook the chicken all the way through in step 1, you just want colour.
2. You can add some sage to the mushrooms in step 2 if you want.