Tonight’s dinner was adapted significantly from this recipe in the September 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine. A huge hit with all of us. We’ve had our first wave of chilly fall weather this week, and this was the perfect warming dish. YUM.
Chicken & Spinach Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes and Basil
2 bonesless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tsp. Baby Bam seasoning
(I REALLY wasn’t kidding – I totally use it in EVERYTHING!)
6 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to package directions and wrung of excess water
(the remaining 6 oz. left in the 16 oz package after you use 10 oz to make Chicken Lasagna Florentine)
4 to 6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 to 3 Tbsp. bottled balsamic glaze sauce (most larger grocery stores carry this)
about 6 cups chicken broth (you may need slightly more or less)
2 cups chopped leek (light green and yellow parts only – rinsed well)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, finely diced (a little more than a cup)
Blot chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle them with 1 tsp. of the Baby Bam seasoning and grill them. Let them cool slightly and then cut them into bite-sized pieces (or slices) and set aside.
Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.
Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek to pan; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium.
Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). About halfway through (after about 2 more cups have been absorbed, after the initial first cup), stir in the chicken pieces and the spinach, a little bit at a time to maintain a constant temperature. After rice is cooked and tender (the only way to really decide is to taste it with a clean spoon), stir in half-and-half and pepper; cook 2 additional minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, remaining 1/2 tsp. of Baby Bam and cheese. Spoon about 1 cup risotto into each serving bowl and drizzle each bowl with 1/2 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp balsamic glaze.
Another option: Prepare the risotto without adding the chicken and then add the chicken slices, in a decorative fan pattern, on top of the risotto.