A creamy, lemon-bright risotto. Lean chicken thigh, slow-released arborio carbs, and peas for plant protein and fibre. Refuels glycogen and lands ~45g protein in one bowl.
Ingredients
or160 grams of rice, white, Italian Arborio risotto, raw
or300 grams of chicken, thighs, meat only, diced
or1 small unit of onions, raw (60 g)
or2 cloves of garlic, raw (6 g)
or800 grams of stock, chicken
or160 grams of peas, frozen, raw
or60 grams of spinach, baby, raw
or1 tablespoon of oil, olive (11 g)
or1/2 unit yields of lemon juice, raw (24 g)
or30 grams of cheese, Parmesan, fresh
or1 tbsp of parsley, fresh (4 g)
or100 grams of wine, white, dry (optional)
Preparation
1.
Warm the stock. Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a small pan and keep it on a low heat next to the hob.2.
Sear the chicken. Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken, sear for 3–4 minutes until golden, then remove to a plate. Don't fully cook through, as it finishes later.3.
Build the base. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining ½ tbsp olive oil, then the onion. Cook gently for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent (don't brown). Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.4.
Toast the rice. Add the arborio and stir for 1–2 minutes until the edges turn slightly translucent. This is what gives risotto its creaminess later.5.
Deglaze. Pour in the wine (or a ladle of stock). Stir until almost fully absorbed.6.
Deglaze. Pour in the wine (or a ladle of stock). Stir until almost fully absorbed.7.
Add stock, ladle by ladle. Add hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each ladle is nearly absorbed before adding the next. This takes ~18–20 minutes total. The rice should stay loose, never dry.8.
Return the chicken. With ~5 minutes of cooking left, stir the chicken (and any resting juices) back in.9.
Final additions. With ~2 minutes left, stir in the peas and spinach. They'll wilt and warm through.10.
Finish. Off the heat: stir through the parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice and most of the parsley. Taste, season with salt + pepper. The texture should be all'onda (loose enough to spread slowly on the plate).11.
Serve immediately in warm bowls. Scatter the remaining parsley and a final crack of black pepper on top.12.
Serve immediately in warm bowls. Scatter the remaining parsley and a final crack of black pepper on top.
