Chicken & Asparagus Risotto

What's great about this dish is that you don't have to use a particular vegetable. I chose to use asparagus, but the recipe I based this on used a bell pepper. I think that mushrooms, carrots, or peas would also be very good! 

Now, this was my first shot at making a risotto, so if it doesn't look quite right please forgive me! I think it was little more dry than a typical risotto, but it was still very good!

To make this chicken & asparagus risotto you will need (4 servings):

• 1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 ONION, diced
• 1 bunch ASPARAGUS
• 1 & 1/4 cups ARBORRIO RICE
• 14 oz. CHICKEN or BEEF STOCK
• 3 Tbs BUTTER
• SALT
• PEPPER
• 1/2 cup WHITE WINE, pick your favorite!
• PARMESAN CHEESE, to garnish

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or ceramic dutch oven. When the oil is hot add the chicken. Once the chicken has cooked through, add the diced onion and cook until the onion starts to get tender. Then melt the butter in the skillet. 

Once the butter has melted, add the rice and stir everything together. Continue stirring for a few minutes to brown the rice a little bit, think 'toasted'. 

Next, add the wine if you have it. If not, add 1/2 cup of your stock. Stir the mixture until the rice thickens. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup of the time, stirring frequently, and adding more liquid once the rice starts to thicken. You want the consistency to be 'slightly liquidy.' (The picture of the rice below is getting dry and needs stock to be added.) 

While the rice is cooking, clean the asparagus and chop off the hard ends on the stalks. Then bake the asparagus for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees F. 

Once you have incorporated all of the stock, taste the rice. If it is still crunchy then add water 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is al-dente. When you are happy with the consistency of the rice, chop the asparagus into bite sized pieces and add them to the risotto. 

It should look something like the picture below! Our risotto was actually a little bit thicker than your typical risotto. Ideally it would have a texture that is thick enough that it wouldn't run all over the plate, but not so thick that it hold its shape as much as mashed potatoes. (Ours was probably a little too close to the mashed potato texture. It was still delicious though!)

After mixing in the asparagus, serve it warm, and top with parmesan cheese!

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Chicken & Vegetable Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 ONION, diced
• 1 bunch ASPARAGUS
• 1 & 1/4 cups ARBORRIO RICE
• 14 oz. CHICKEN or BEEF STOCK
• 3 Tbs BUTTER
• SALT
• PEPPER
• 1/2 cup WHITE WINE, pick your favorite!
• PARMESAN CHEESE, to garnish

Directions:

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or ceramic dutch oven. When the oil is hot add the chicken. Once the chicken has cooked through, add the diced onion and cook until the onion starts to get tender. Then melt the butter in the skillet. 
2. Once the butter has melted, add the rice and stir everything together. Continue stirring for a few minutes to brown the rice a little bit, think 'toasted'. 
3. Next, add the wine if you have it. If not, add 1/2 cup of your stock. Stir the mixture until the rice thickens. 
4. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup of the time, stirring frequently, and adding more liquid once the rice starts to thicken. You want the consistency to be 'slightly liquidy.'
5. While the rice is cooking, clean the asparagus and chop off the hard ends on the stalks. Then bake the asparagus for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees F. 
6. Once you have incorporated all of the stock, taste the rice. If it is still crunchy then add water 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is al-dente. When you are happy with the consistency of the rice, chop the asparagus into bite sized pieces and add them to the risotto. 
7. Ideally it would have a texture that is thick enough that it wouldn't run all over the plate, but not so thick that it hold its shape as much as mashed potatoes. (The pictures above were probably a little too close to the mashed potato texture. It was still delicious though!)
8. After mixing in the asparagus, serve it warm, and top with parmesan cheese!

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I found this recipe on the following website: http://www.sweetcsdesigns.com/one-pot-chicken-risotto/

Baked Parmesan Asparagus

This is super easy and super delicious! All you need is:

• 1 bunch of ASPARAGUS
• 1/4 cup PARMESAN CHEESE
• 2-3 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• SALT
• PEPPER

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the asparagus and chop off the hard ends of each stalk. Arrange the asparagus on a baking tray and then drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Then sprinkle on some salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese! Now all you have to do is pop them in the oven and bake them for 8-10 minutes or until they are tender, but still have a bit of a crunch when you bit into them. 

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Baked Parmesan Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of ASPARAGUS
• 1/4 cup PARMESAN CHEESE
• 2-3 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• SALT
• PEPPER

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Rinse the asparagus and chop off the hard ends of each stalk. 
3. Arrange the asparagus on a baking tray and then drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top. 
4. Sprinkle on some salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese! 
5. Bake them for 8-10 minutes or until they are tender, but still have a bit of a crunch when you bit into them. 

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Chicken & Asparagus Fettuccine Alfredo

So last night we were going to make a chicken and asparagus stir-fry...and then we decided that fettuccine Alfredo sounded really good, so we ended up making chicken and asparagus fettuccine Alfredo!

To make this we used:

• 1 large CHICKEN BREAST
• 1 bundle ASPARAGUS SPEARS
• 2 Tbs BUTTER
• 1/4 cup HEAVY CREAM
• 1/2 cup shredded PARMESAN CHEESE
• SALT
• PEPPER

Start by boiling the fettuccine in a pot of water. Next, season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauteed it in a skillet. Once the chicken has cooked through, set it aside. Cut the asparagus spears into bite sized pieces and then steam it until bright green and tender.

Next, heat the butter and heavy cream in the skillet. Once the butter has melted add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce. When the pasta is cooked through add the noodles to the sauce in the skillet and then add the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. 

Add the chicken into the pasta and toss together making sure that the chicken is still warm. Then add the asparagus and toss that into the chicken and pasta.

When everything is at the desired temperature, serve it up!

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Chicken & Asparagus Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 large CHICKEN BREAST
• 1 bundle ASPARAGUS SPEARS
• 2 Tbs BUTTER
• 1/4 cup HEAVY CREAM
• 1/2 cup shredded PARMESAN CHEESE
• SALT
• PEPPER

Directions:

1. Start by boiling the fettuccine in a pot of water. 
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauteed it in a skillet. Once the chicken has cooked through, set it aside. 
3. Cut the asparagus spears into bite sized pieces and then steam it until bright green and tender.
4. Heat the butter and heavy cream in the skillet. Once the butter has melted add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce. When the pasta is cooked through add the noodles to the sauce in the skillet and then add the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. 
5. Add the chicken into the pasta and toss together making sure that the chicken is still warm. Then add the asparagus and toss that into the chicken and pasta.
6. When everything is at the desired temperature, serve it up!

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