Hearty chicken risotto to warm the heart on autumn evenings

One thing I always have in my cupboard is a bag of risotto rice. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to knocking up a dinner in one pan, but which has a sense of style about it.

You can make risotto with any ingredients, keeping it purely veggie or adding meat or seafood as well. It’s the rice which is the important bit.

Risotto rice is short grain and has a lot of starch, which gives the finished dish that creamy texture. You’ll find it in most supermarkets, simply labelled risotto rice, or look for Arborio or Carnaroli rice, both grown in Italy.

The method of cooking involves adding the stock in stages, allowing it to soak into the rice and stirring between additions , to get that velvety finish.

Another secret to this is to add hot stock, which helps the grains absorb it better.

My risotto uses leftover cooked chicken with fresh chestnut mushrooms and spinach to create a hearty dish with autumnal flavours.

For pud, banoffee pie goes down a treat this time of year, especially when it has spicy ginger biscuits in the base.

As a kid, Carnation evaporated milk was the only thing that was ever on our table, in the absence of fresh cream. I have to confess I loved it! But the brand also now includes a ready-made caramel, which makes quick work of creating Banoffee Pie. Dig in and enjoy!

Chicken and spinach risotto 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Generous knob of butter, plus extra to finish
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
• 300g risotto rice
• 1.5 ltrs hot chicken stock (approx)
• 150g cooked chicken pieces
• 2-3 good handfuls of baby spinach leaves, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to finish

Method

• Heat butter and oil in a pan and add the scallions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat, stirring, until beginning to soften.
• Add rice and cook for another minute or so.
• Add a ladle of hot stock from the measure, stirring. Let it sizzle and absorb before adding more.
• Continue adding chicken stock ladle by ladle, stirring and waiting for each addition to absorb before adding more.
• When the stock is half used, add the chicken pieces and stir to combine.
• Continue adding stock till all is used up and the rice grains are plump and tender.
• Stir in the spinach over low heat and allow to wilt.
• Add an extra knob of butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Spoon into bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Banoffee pie

Ingredients Serves 4

• 250g ginger nuts
• 100g butter, melted
• 397g can Carnation ready made caramel
• 200mls cream, whipped
• 50g dark chocolate to finish

Method

• Crush biscuits in a food processor till fine but still with crunch.
• Transfer to a bowl and pour over the melted butter.
• Stir through to mix then press into the base and up the sides of a 20cm loose bottomed non stick lightly buttered flan tin, making sure the crumb base is of even thickness.
• Chill base in fridge for 30 minutes.
• When base is set, run a sharp knife around edge of the tin then carefully press up the base to loosen it from the sides of the tin. Run the flat of a long bladed knife between crumb base and the base of the tin to loosen it.
• Slide crumb base onto a serving plate.
• Spoon the caramel over base and smooth evenly.
• Peel and slice bananas and layer over the caramel.
• Finish with whipped cream, swirling the top.
• Melt chocolate in a pan and drizzle over the top of the cream.
• Chill till ready to serve.

Weekend gargle 

This may be a chicken based dish, but it has hearty flavours so I’m going for a red wine which will do it justice.

Costellore Chianti DOCG 2024 comes from central Tuscany, not the home of risotto, but nevertheless a good match for it!

This bright garnet coloured red wine has lots of autumnal hedgerow fruit flavours and a nice depth of character from touches of spicy cinnamon and cedar.

It’s a great match for a hearty risotto like this, with its approachable style. Try it also with pasta dishes like veggie lasagne.

Find this gluggable red wine now at Aldi stores, at the bargain price of €8.49 a bottle.

RECEIPT

Main dish

Cooked chicken pieces, leftovers

Arborio risotto rice 500g €3.49

Baby spinach 200g €1.39

Chestnut mushrooms 200g 99c

Parmesan cheese 150g €2.99

Total: €8.86

Dessert

Ginger nuts 2 x 300g packs €1.20

Carnation Caramel x 397g can 5 pce, €1.99

Whipped cream 585mls €4.29

Total: €7.48

GRAND TOTAL: €16.34