Risotto with Chicken and Green Pepper

Eat to live and not live to eat.
                               ~Italian Proverb


Have you ever heard of or tried tasting Risotto?  If not, you are missing some great Italian food.  Most Italian restaurants don't serve this one their menu, but it is so good.  The hardest part of this recipe is to stand and constantly stir the broth and rice until everything is finished.  But in the end, it's so worth it...

RISOTTO WITH CHICKEN AND GREEN PEPPERS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 boneless chicken breasts (1/2 lb), skin removed, meat diced
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
salt and pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (do not rinse)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over moderate heat.  When it begins to foam, add the chicken and the green peppers and saute 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste and then set aside.
• Bring the broth to a steady simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the oil in a heavy, 4 quart pot over moderate heat.  Add the onion and saute 1-2 minutes, until onion begins to soften (do not brown).
• Using a wooden spoon add the rice, stirring for 1 minute to make sure all the grains are well coated.  Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and stir until it is completely absorbed. 
• Add the simmering broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently.  Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth to add at the end.  Stir rice constantly to prevent sticking. 
• After about 18 minutes, when the rice is tender but still firm (taste frequently to test), add the reserved broth, chicken, peppers, and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to combine the rice.  Serve immediately to preserve risotto's velvety consistency.  Serves 4.

***  While combining, keep the temperature of the broth and the risotto even.  It should take just under 2 minutes for the rice to absorb each addition of broth (rub your wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot; if you can create a clear wake, it's time to add more broth).  But if the heat is too high, the liquid will evaporate too quickly, and the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot.  If the heat is too low, the broth takes longer to be absorbed; the grains of rice will lose firmness, and the sauce will not be creamy.

Make sure to only use Arborio rice and do NOT rinse...

Dice the boneless chicken breasts...

Dice 1/2 cup of green peppers...

Dice 1/3 cup onions...

Saute green peppers and chicken in 2 tablespoons of butter until chicken is cooked and tender.  Put aside...

In the large pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the diced onions.  Saute until onions are softened...

Add the rice and stir until the grains are all coated...

Have the chicken broth in a saucepan, heating to the same temperature that's for the large pot...

Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and cook until it's all absorbed...

Start adding the rest of the chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time...

Until it starts getting absorbed and you can create a wake with your wooden spoon...

Then add another 1/2 cup of the heated broth...

Until a wake can be created...

Towards the end, you will have a lot more rice and broth in your pot...

But you'll still be able to create a wake, it just won't be like it was when you first started because of everything in the pot...

You should end up with just 1/4 cup of broth that you set aside earlier.  Add this to the pot, along with the chicken and green peppers and add the Parmesan cheese...

Serve immediately...

If you follow these directions, your risotto will turn out perfect, every time!