Chicken and Green Asparagus Risotto

Seafood is popular in the seaside town of Cascais, but it’s not the only entree you’ll discover during our cooking vacations in Portugal. Traditionally associated with Italy, risotto also has an important place in Portugese cuisine, and not just because it goes quite well with every kind of wine, whether it be red, white, or sparkling. Risotto can be made with seafood, or as this recipe from Chef Fernando Monteiro proves, chicken and fresh asparagus too!

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Chicken and Green Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients

• 400-500 gr Carnaroli rice
• Unsalted butter
• Olive oil
• Chicken breast (Start with a whole chicken)
• Asparagus (8-12 stalks)
• Shallots
• Fresh parsley
• Garlic cloves
• Bay leaves
• Chicken stock
• Pepper
• White or sparkling wine
• Parmesan cheese

Serves: 4
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Cook method: simmer

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Instructions

1. Boil the chicken in water, along with a medium onion, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove of garlic, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Drain the chicken and its contents through a sieve and keep the stock for later on.

3. Separate the breast, legs, and wings from the chicken. Dice the chicken breasts.

4. Trim and fix up the asparagus.

5. Place a pan on the stove and let it heat up. Add the rice, and stir until the rice becomes crispy without burning.

6. To the pan, add olive oil, 1 shallot, 1 bay leaf, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until ingredients are golden.

7. Add white wine or sparkling wine, and let the rice soak up the wine.

8. Add your chicken broth little by little, and then put the chicken and asparagus into the pan as well.

9. From this moment on, it is very important to keep a close eye on the dish. Stir constantly. Cook for 12 minutes and season with salt, pepper, and (optional) Worcestershire sauce.

10. After 2 additional minutes, add the butter and freshly grated parmesan cheese to make the risotto cream and juicy.

11. Top with parsley before serving.

Check out our cooking vacations in Portugal, or explore our blog for more recipes!

By Peg Kern

Check out more of our risotto recipes, including:

• Risotto al Chianti Classico
• Italian recipe for risotto with black truffles
• Venetian risotto
• Carnaroli risotto with shrimp bisque

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