Sundried Tomato Mushroom Risotto & Roasted Chicken

True Italian risotto is a delicacy we should all add to our rotation of regular recipes. It’s simple, yet complex, in that the process requires care and never a departure from the stove side.

This devotion and non-stop nurturing of the arborio rice yields a thick, creamy, and utterly delicious comfort food that always leaves me Craving4More.  😀

Sundried Tomato Mushroom Risotto & Roasted Chicken

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
(both olive oil and butter have different smoke points and will release flavors differently and at different times, yielding a more complex and romantic flavor profile).
1 large shallot, minced
sea salt and pepper
½ cup sundried tomatoes, oil-packed (yes, include the oil)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups arborio rice
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
freshly chopped Italian herbs
2 Tbs. butter
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
fresh Italian herbs + sea salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Melt 2 Tbs. butter over high heat in a cast-iron Dutch oven.

Season the chicken with herbs, salt, and pepper.

Pat the chicken dry and sear, skin side down, in the melted butter, until golden brown.

Flip and sear the opposite side (3-4 minutes on each side).

Cover and transfer to the oven and bake until cooked through to 165°F.

Meanwhile, heat the tsp. olive oil and butter in a separate large pot. Add the shallots, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, herbs, and salt and pepper. Sauté until the shallots are translucent.

Add the rice and stir until well coated in the oil and butter, and also translucent.

Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. With each addition, bring the mixture to a simmer until most of the broth has absorbed, and then add more. Remember to stir constantly.

Continuously add the broth until the rice is creamy.

Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. This will “fluff” the rice.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Serve alongside the seared and roasted chicken.