This is a Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals recipe. I religiously watched her show when I was first married (almost 10 years ago!) and printed off a bunch of recipes I would like to try. A lot of them I never got around to because there were things I was afraid of (like shallots, fresh herbs) not to mention, our budget did not include being able to purchase these more pricey items. So this recipe, along with a few others, sat in a binder in the cupboard where I keep my recipes. It finally saw the light of day when I wanted to find something new to make.
I had never made risotto but I love risotto and found the courage to try making it. Well, my first got at it was not a success. Which was a shame because the mushrooms in it were one of the most expensive parts of the whole meal! But I guess you live and learn - which I did :)
Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups beef broth (yes, beef broth)
Directions
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, half the chicken pieces, and a couple of crushed cloves of garlic.
Brown chicken 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Add remaining oil, another single turn of the pan, remaining chicken pieces and garlic. Brown chicken 2 minutes on each side and remove. Add vinegar to the pan. Let it cook off.
Add butter, shallots, and rosemary to the pan and cook 2 minutes, add flour and cook 1 minute more. Whisk in wine, reduce 1 minute. Whisk in broth and bring liquids up to a bubble. Return chicken to the pan and simmer over moderate heat 7 to 8 minutes to finish cooking chicken through.
Mushroom stock and vegetable stock are now available on soup aisle of market in 1 quart paper containers. They are both rich and deep in color. These stocks are necessary for the preparation of this dish.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dried porcinis (look for these in produce department)
- 1 quart mushroom broth or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon (1 turn around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry Sherry
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped to about 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup (3 handfuls) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Coarse salt and pepper
Directions
Place dried porcinis and stock or broth in a saucepan and bring stock to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium to medium high heat. Add shallots and saute 2 minutes. Add arborio rice and saute, 2 or 3 minutes more. Add Sherry and cook the liquid completely absorbed. Add several ladles of hot stock or broth and reduce heat slightly. Simmer, stirring frequently until liquid is absorbed.
Remove mushrooms from water and reserve cooking liquid. Coarsely chop the porcinis and add them to the rice. Continue to ladle broth into arborio, half the remaining amount at a time. Stir mixture each time you add broth and remove from heat when the rice is cooked to al dente. Cool and store any remaining liquids if there are any.
The ideal total cooking time for perfect risotto is 22 minutes. The consistency should be creamy.
Stir in thyme and a few handfuls of grated cheese. Season your risotto with salt and pepper to your taste. Serve creamy mushroom risotto from the hot pan with warm, crusty whole grain breads.
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