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Creamy Chicken and Asparagus risotto

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large sauté pan or Dutch oven A wide-bottomed pan gives you space to stir without overcrowding.
  • Ladle Helpful for gradually adding broth.
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula Ideal for stirring without damaging your pan.
  • Box grater For freshly grating Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice essential for that creamy risotto texture
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth warmed
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup dry white wine optional but adds depth
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Zest of 1 lemon optional, for brightness

Instructions
 

Cook the chicken

  1. In your sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced chicken breast, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
    diced chicken breast cooking in olive oil

Sauté aromatics

  1. In the same pan, add butter and sauté onion until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
    diced onions cooking in a bit of melted butter

Toast the rice

  1. Stir in the Arborio rice, cooking for 1–2 minutes until slightly translucent at the edges. This step adds a nutty flavor to the risotto.
    Arborio rice being stirred into sautéed onions and garlic

Deglaze

  1. Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.

Add broth gradually

  1. Add warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding the next ladle. This process takes about 20 minutes.

Add asparagus and chicken

  1. When the rice is nearly done (about 15 minutes in), add the asparagus and cooked chicken. Stir occasionally until the asparagus is tender and the rice is creamy but al dente.

Finish it off

  1. Stir in Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Add a splash more broth or a pat of butter for extra creaminess.

Serve immediately

  1. Spoon into bowls and top with extra Parmesan if desired.