Chicken and Basil Risotto

I didn’t particularly like risotto until about a year ago. My love of cheese is clearly growing as I age, and I think I was always put off ordering risotto at restaurants when it’s full of slugs (mushrooms). It’s surprisingly easy to make and I usually make enough for two days because THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH REHEATING RICE. I’m not sure who recently decided and spread across the internet that you couldn’t reheat rice, how do you think your Chinese takeaway makes special fried rice?

I learnt how to make risotto with Selina one day, but this particular flavour combination was from my friend and fellow pesto fiend Ria. I made my usual base of onion, garlic, white wine, black pepper with Tesco Arborio Risotto Rice. Ria swears that a good dollop of mascarpone at the end changes everything, and I now agree.

From all the recipes I’ve looked at in writing this post, this one by Jamie Oliver seems most similar to the method I use. There are a fair few risotto methods and flavour combinations on BBC Good Food too. I used this recipe once and it was a disaster; it’s too easy. There’s no stirring involved and you can’t see how well your rice is coming along. Beware: most of the recipes don’t state a specific risotto rice and the cooking times can vary.

I chose to add chicken to my risotto this time so cooked it separately to be added in at the end. You can choose to cook it first in the same pan before you add your risotto rice and stock if you wish. I find pancetta cubes and chorizo work great in first.

Ria’s secret ingredient on top of lashings of Parmesan for added cheesy creamy goodness.

Serve with some buttery green vegetables and a basil leaf or two.

Harleigh Reid

I write about food and eat a lot.

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