Dinner (and lunch): Risotto with Carrots, peas, chicken and parmesean

Risotto is cheap, which is one reason why I like it.  I also always have onions, frozen peas, chicken bouillon, and some sort of cheese, so I can make it without going to the store.  Recipes always say "serve right away" but that doesn't mean leftovers aren't good too. This made for dinner for 2 and lunch for 2 the next day, which we appreciate since we don't do sandwiches all that often.  Gluten-free bread just isn't really worth it most of the time.


Makes 3-4 servings, especially if you add another veggie with it, and you should.  Salad in a bag?  I love Trader Joe's organic arugula with Trader Joe's Goddess dressing.  Cheap and so easy.  Don't have a TJ's?  I'm so sorry.

Time: 30 to 45 minutes.
Ingredients:

• 5 c. chicken stock (or make it using bouillon like I did.)
• 4 carrots, cut into matchsticks (mine were a little chunkier than that and worked fine)

• 1 small onion diced
• 1 Tb olive oil or rendered chicken fat if you've just cooked the chicken thighs like I did...
•  1/2 lb or 1lb chicken thighs, to your liking or your budget. 
• 1 c. frozen green peas.  CostCo has a great huge bag of organic peas that I use all year.
• 1.5 C. arborio rice

• Lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese (naturally lactose free!)

 Directions:

• In a cast iron pan, cook your chicken thighs on medium-high heat.  Turn over a few times, and cover with a top so they don't loose too much water.  They are done when there is no more blood running and they are cooked through.
• When they are done, remove from heat and let sit so you can shred them later. 

*I like to cook the ones with bones and skin, take the skin off and make tasty crispy chicken skin like chicharrones while cooking the meat, but my vice is sugar.  Fat and I get along just fine.  Also, these are cheaper than w/o bones and skin.* 

• While the chicken is cooking, bring the broth to a boil and add the carrots.  Simmer while you cook the other ingredients.  You won't be adding rice to this pot, so it only needs to be large enough to hold the stock and carrots.

• In a large saucepan (big people, big for all the stock, rice, and ingredients), heat the oil on medium high heat and saute the onions till glassy.  Add the rice a little at a time, and stir carefully with a wooden spoon till it is all somewhat translucent and covered with oil.  
• Once the rice is translucent, add the broth and carrots, a ladle-full at a time, stirring till it is absorbed.  This is the time consuming and tedious part of risotto.  Risotto is not a put-on-the-stove-and-leave-it dish.  You have to stand there. 
• Shred the chicken (once cool) while you are stirring.  I like multi-tasking, keeps me paying attention. 
• When you've added at least half of the broth and carrots, add the shredded chicken.
• Add the peas (still frozen is fine) before the last couple scoops of broth and stir for a bit longer.
• Add half of the cheese and the lemon juice just before serving (stir it in).  Set the other half of the cheese in a bowl on the table for personal flavoring. 

Serve it up!  Voila!

(I never added salt because my bouillon and cheese was salty enough, but you may want some depending on your ingredients.)