The best possible combination of weeknight gourmet and comfort food is a creamy risotto…and it is surprisingly healthy too! Risotto, in its most basic form, is a medium grain arborio rice that is super saturated from cooking in a flavorful broth. Any broth can be used, from seafood to beef to chicken or vegetable and any combination of ingredients can be added for vegetables or protein. The basic ratio, culled from a variety of different recipes, is 2 cups of dry arborio rice to 3/4 cup wine plus 6 cups of stock. The rice is sauteed in fat until it starts to turn translucent and then hot stock is added slowly, 1 cup at a time, until each cup is absorbed. Veggies can be added anywhere in the process depending on if, how, or how long they need to cook, and cooked protein is added at the end. Because I am trying to cook a bit healthier, I’ve streamlined the fat from a butter/olive oil combo to just a tablespoon of olive oil.

Here’s my take on a lazy gourmet version using pantry staples you probably have on hand (for my recommendations to stock your pantry, see THIS post):

Chicken Risotto Recipe

serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 sweet onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 cups arborio rice

• 3/4 cup dry white wine (buy something tasty and drink the rest with your meal!)

• 2 boneless chicken breasts (Bell and Evans chicken is my current favorite), cooked and cut into cubes

• 6 cups chicken stock (I like to use Minor’s or Better than Bouillon base to make my stock)

• 1 cup frozen peas

• salt and pepper to taste

• fresh grated good quality parmesan

Directions

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer over low heat and keep covered. Lazy gourmet tip: If you don’t already have cooked chicken on hand, you can poach the chicken in this pot of broth while you are making the risotto - I’ve even taken it straight out of the freezer and cooked it this way!

Add oil to a large saute pan. Saute onion and red pepper until onion is translucent, add rice and continue cooking until rice is translucent around the edges of the grains (the centers will still be opaque). Do NOT let the rice brown…this will require stirring often and medium low heat.

Add the wine and simmer until absorbed. Add hot stock from the simmering pot one cup at a time, waiting until each cup has been absorbed before adding the next (I use THIS 8oz ladle). Keep stirring often to distribute the rice evenly in the liquid and prevent browning.

When almost all the stock has been incorporated, add frozen peas and chicken cubes (if you have poached the chicken while cooking the rice, the chicken should be done around the same time as the rice.)

Serve the risotto in shallow bowls and top with fresh ground pepper and fresh grated parmesan.

Here are my picks for risotto (or pasta or stew or entree salad) bowls! Click on image for more info:

Variations: I have also made this with fish stock or a combination of fish and chicken stock and added sauteed shrimp or scallops and roasted corn (I keep leftover kernels cut from grilled ears of corn in the freezer, but you can also buy frozen roasted corn or canned corn). I’ve also tried a variation with red wine and beef stock, which was delicious. Pretty much any veggie can be added - some excellent options I’ve tried include: sauteed cherry tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed pea pods, sauteed asparagus, sauteed or steamed broccoli. Risotto is such a versatile dish, the combinations and variations are endless!

Enjoy!

 *Please note that this page contains affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission at no extra charge to you.