Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

Risotto – the Perfect use for leftover roast Chicken

I love making risotto.  I find the stirring process quite theraputic, getting that gloopy sticky mixture as the starch from the rice is released.  And, its something where you can be creative with your leftovers and make a meal that’s  almost elegant with things that you might otherwise throw away.

Now, yesterday I indulged my craving for roast chicken.  Then I picked off the remaining meat and made chicken carcass stock, just boiling up the bones with an onion, carrot and bayleaf. And, that gave me the perfect leftovers for Risotto.

This recipe is for Chicken and Asparagus Risotto.  But it’s infinitely variable.  There are even sweet risotto recipes if you happen to like the idea of strawberries…and a rather beautiful beetroot risotto.

Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

Print recipe

• Print with all photos
• Print with main photo
• Print text only

Serves	2
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	25 minutes
Allergy	Milk
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Serve Hot
Region	Italian

This recipe can be adapted to whatever vegetables and/or meat you have to hand. I particularly like pea and ham risotto and lemon risotto (add the juice of half a lemon and a little zest at the end). It's the perfect way to use up left over roast chicken and the stock that you make from the chicken carcass.

Ingredients

• 150g Risotto Rice (Arborio or Carnaroli - don't use normal rice, it won't work!)
• 250ml Chicken Stock (I personally don't think risotto works with a stock cube. I've tried, it doesn't happen for me.)
• 125ml White Wine
• 50g Butter
• 100g Left over Chicken
• 100g Aspargus tips
• 1 tablespoon Cream or Creme Fraiche
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese

Directions

	Heat the stock
	Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan
	Stir the rice into the melted butter and cook gently till it is translucent at the edges
	Pour in the white wine and stir continuously till the wine is absorbed or evaporates and you have a slighly gluey mixture
	Now add in a ladleful of warm stock. Stir again till it is all absorbed
	Continue doing this till most of the stock has been added. The rice should still have some bite, but be soft on the outside. If necessary you can add in a little hot water if you start to run out of stock.
	Add in the asparagus tips and chicken and the remainder of the stock.
	Cook through till the stock is absorbed. Then stir in the cream and parmesan and allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes before serving
	Check the seasoning and serve.

For me, a good Risotto involves a great home made stock.  And, stirring a lot.  I don’t believe risotto made with a stock-cube works in the same way and I think the stirring process is essential to get that lovely silky risotto texture.  Baked in the oven risotto is fine, but not the same!

I’m sending this to Turquoise Lemons for her No Waste Food Challenge because for me, this is my favourite left-overs recipe.  Not least because it’s a good excuse to roast a chicken!