Lemon chicken risotto with bell peppers

I had a simple version of this in a restaurant the other week and thought to myself: I could do that! So I came up with this. A lot of the technique here comes from watching my dad make his fine risotto over the years. 

A few things about risotto first. The main thing is to add the stock gradually and keep stirring till most of the liquid has been absorbed. Then add a little more etc. It takes time. You can't rush a risotto. One of the worst risottos I ever had was about 18 years ago and a "risotto" came out of the oven as if it was a pasta bake. No! No! No! It was bloody awful.

Rice: use Arborio rice. Nothing else will do. Trust me.

Serves: 2
Cost: 3.40 zl per person (1.04 US Dollars, 67p UK, 2.48 Brazilian Real)

What you'll need:

- 100-120g Arborio rice
- a good litre of stock 
- extra flavourings for the stock:

1 tsp all spice

1 tsp dried lovage leaves

2-3 bay leaves

1 dried red chilli

salt to taste

- a splash of white wine

- 1 medium onion finely chopped

- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped

- 1/3 each of red/ green/ yellow peppers chopped

- 100g chicken thigh meat off the bone cut into thin strips

- handful of basil leaves

- juice of half a lemon

- 2-3 tsp grated parmesan cheese

- salt and pepper to taste

Let's get grooving!

1. The stock. The easy way is to dissolve around 2 stock cubes in one litre of hot water. The harder (but tastier way) is to boil down a chicken carcass for a couple of hours with some left over vegetables. Strain. Let the liquid settle in a closed container and put in the fridge. When you take it out of the fridge, the fat will have settled at the top. Skim it off.

2. Pour the remaining liquid in a pan and heat. Get the flavourings together.

3. Get those herbs and spices into the stock! This is going to be ticking over on a low heat while you get everything else ready.

4. Prep the other ingredients:

5. A nice glug or two of olive oil (extra virgin this time) in a hot pan.

6. Onions in. Sweat down for around 10 minutes till reduced and translucent.

7. Garlic in. Give it a minute.

8. Chicken in. I've opted for thigh meat. Why? Because it retains its juice better. Breast meat tends to dry out if cooked longer than 10-15 minutes. Thigh meat also has more flavour.

9. When the chicken is almost all sealed (white - around 5 minutes), get the peppers in.

10. Give it 30 seconds

11. Rice in. Let it absorb the juices for at least a minute.

12. Give it a splash of white wine. Enjoy the "whoosh" as it hits the hot pan and starts to evaporate.

13. Ok. Now it's time to start ladling in the stock (this will take around 25 minutes). Put two ladles in first. Wait till that's absorbed and then add two more. Repeat and stir until the rice is al dente. Keep tasting - that's the only way you'll know when it's there!

14. Just around when the rice is al dente (and I repeat, this will be after around 25 minutes), add some basil leaves.

15. Squeeze in the lemon juice

16. Parmesan in. Melt through. 

17. Serve!

What did this cost?

- chicken: 2.50 zl
- rice: 1.25 zl
- peppers: 1 zl
- the rest: 2 zl

Total: 6.75 zl
Serves: 2
Per person: 3.40 zl