Chicken, Parsley, & Butternut Squash Risotto; a 2020 day

I still have parsley growing. It’s a biennial and even though it’s almost impossible to pull out in the spring after it seeds, I let it grow anyway.

It’s nice to have some fresh green in the winter and summer is a long way off.

In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, author of “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, pulling stubborn parsley could become an SEP (Somebody Else’s Problem).

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Chicken, Parsley, & Butternut Squash Risotto

Print Recipe

If your chicken breasts tend to be large you could use chicken tenders for this…. or only use 1 chicken breast. I use chicken in stir-fries and risottos a lot in the winter so I often cut a breast in half – freezing them 1 1/2 to a package.

• Author: Katie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Risotto

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto – Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) dry, white wine
• 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken stock
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbs butter
• 3/4 cup (3oz, 90gr) Parmesan cheese – freshly grated 
• Condimenti:
• 10oz, 300gr) chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces 
• 10oz (300gr) butternut squash, cut into small pieces
• 4 tbs parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil 

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Instructions

• Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat. 
• In medium sauce pan heat butter; add 1/2 of the onion and sauté until transparent.
• Add rice and sauté, stirring, for 1 – 2 minutes until rice has white center.
• Add white wine and stir. 
• Start condimenti. 
• When rice has almost absorbed all the wine add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir. When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring. 
• Before you add the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just ‘al dente’ – slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it a few tbs at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. 
• At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff – it will not hold its shape on a plate. 
• Add the Parmesan, parsley, and condimenti, stir well, spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
• Condimenti:
• Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add 1/2 onion and sauté 5 minutes.
• Add chicken and sauté until starting to brown. 
• Add butternut squash and sauté 5 minutes longer.
• Cover and cook over low heat until chicken and squash are done.
• Keep warm until needed. 

Notes

Do not be intimidated by risotto – it’s one of the easiest things you can cook. There is no need to stir constantly but do stir vigorously from time to time. The risotto should have visible liquid when you are ready to serve. It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be very stiff. 

Keywords: chicken risotto, butternut squash risotto

It’s been a weird day.

It’s 2020 – why should that be unusual (she says, rhetorically).

In addition to the parsley doing well, I noticed that the quince has started blooming.

It’s December.

I was looking out the upstairs window and noticed that all the tips of the branches of my lilac were white. I went out for a closer look. There were tiny, malformed lilacs on the tips of the big branches.

That’s not where they normally blossom and…. It’s December.

Guapa, our brave big dog, started acting very nervous and upset this afternoon. She kept running to me as if she wanted to go out, but then wouldn’t go near the door. She wouldn’t settle down anywhere although it was time for her afternoon nap.

I finally saw, or rather, heard the problem. There were 2 bees buzzing around.

I repeat…. it’s December.