Almost Hands-Free Lemon Risotto with Chicken, Fennel, and Green Olives
By America's Test KitchenPublished on April 22, 2013
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 ½ cups water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 ½ cups)1 medium fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)Table salt 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)2 cups Arborio rice 1 cup dry white wine 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)⅓ cup chopped green olives 1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Ground black pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds
Before You Begin
This recipe does not employ the traditional risotto method; the rice is mainly stirred for 3 minutes toward the end of cooking instead of constantly throughout. This more hands-off method does require precise timing, so we strongly recommend using a timer. The consistency of risotto is largely a matter of personal taste; if you prefer a looser texture, add extra broth in step 4.
Instructions
- Bring broth and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to saucepan of simmering broth and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to large plate.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to now empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion, fennel bulb, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.
- Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 5 cups warm broth into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
- Add ¾ cup warm broth to risotto and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and olives. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken, and shred meat into bite-size pieces. Gently stir shredded chicken, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, lemon zest, fennel fronds, and chives into risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to ½ cup additional broth to loosen texture of risotto.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 6 as a side dishIngredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 ½ cups)
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
⅓ cup chopped green olives
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 ½ cups)
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
⅓ cup chopped green olives
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 ½ cups)
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
⅓ cup chopped green olives
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a simplified risotto recipe, we swapped our saucepan for a thick, heavy bottomed Dutch oven that trapped and distributed heat evenly and ensured our risotto cooked evenly. We seared bone-in chicken breasts and then poached them in the broth before adding it in two intervals to the rice, stirring only occasionally. And to make sure the bottom of our risotto didn’t cook more quickly than the top, we stirred the pot for just a few minutes and turned off the heat. The rice turned perfectly al dente from the heat retained in the pot, giving us a foolproof risotto recipe.
Before You Begin
This recipe does not employ the traditional risotto method; the rice is mainly stirred for 3 minutes toward the end of cooking instead of constantly throughout. This more hands-off method does require precise timing, so we strongly recommend using a timer. The consistency of risotto is largely a matter of personal taste; if you prefer a looser texture, add extra broth in step 4.
Instructions
- Bring broth and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to saucepan of simmering broth and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to large plate.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to now empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion, fennel bulb, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.
- Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 5 cups warm broth into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
- Add ¾ cup warm broth to risotto and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and olives. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken, and shred meat into bite-size pieces. Gently stir shredded chicken, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, lemon zest, fennel fronds, and chives into risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to ½ cup additional broth to loosen texture of risotto.
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