Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

This recipe was originally from Crepes of Wrath again, but I *significantly* adapted it. :)

2 lbs. skinless chicken breasts (1-2 is fine)
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces (or however much you have)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups arborio rice (or however much you want to make)
1 cup dry white wine (Vermouth works in a pinch)
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated (optional, but really makes this come together)
salt and pepper, to taste

Place your chicken breasts in a large pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the water and shred with two forks, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside. Don’t worry about it cooling, it’ll be heated again when it’s added to the risotto.
You can also bake or grill your chicken – however you like.

Place your butter, onion, and garlic in a large pot and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the rice and cook until shiny and glossy, about another 3 minutes. Add in the white wine and allow the rice to absorb it. This is where I digress from the original recipe… and a trick I learned from dad – you don’t have to do the add some, stir, wait, add some, stir, wait mess – you can add the liquid (HOT) and “set it and forget it” – just reserve some liquid for the end, in case you need to add more to get the right consistency.

While you cook the rice, cook your asparagus by steaming it, or a sneaky trick is to by the precooked frozen spears from Trader Joes. My fav! You can also sauté them quickly in a frying pan. Frankly, I’ve made this and just thrown them in while the rice cooks, and it works fine. J

Add in the Parmesan cheese (or not), then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add in the steamed asparagus and the shredded chicken. Give everything a good stir and serve immediately.

No picture, because we gobbled this up!