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Springtime recipes with asparagus and lemon are some of my favorite recipes. There is something so fresh about them! The best part about pairing them with risotto is that it’s creamy and fresh! Chicken is also great at soaking up all the yummy flavor! We recently grew an asparagus garden in our backyard and using these fresh asparagus has been a new fun experiment in our household. I love all the fresh and yummy dishes you can create with them. This dish was a product of that!

The Risotto

I know a lot of people who don’t want make Risotto because it seems like it is difficult. The key to delicious risotto is not rushing it. Risotto cannot be done in an instant. It takes around 22 minutes to make and you do have to be standing there for it to work. But the reward is absolute tastiness! For a good standard risotto, you need to toast the rice first in a pan with some olive oil. Then, add in dry white wine and cook it completely off on medium heat. Stir while you are cooking the wine off. Then, I add in a little bit of warm chicken broth in at a time. I divide how much every broth I need into 6 parts. I add in 1 part broth cook it down, stir, and then repeat the process again. Then, after the 6th time your risotto should be tender and you can add a little parmesan or your favorite cheese on top. This is just a basic recipe for risotto, but the measurements would be, 1 cups arborio rice, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 3 cups chicken broth. It’s way easier than you think! I promise!

I honestly think the best thing about this recipe is the fact that it is a one pan wonder! That’s the best kind of recipe! Easy to make; easy clean up; tasty! My husband said this was like something from a michelin star restaurant. I would have to agree, it’s pretty tasty!

Supplies:

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Saucepan
• Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Chicken Broth
• Yellow Onion
• Asparagus
• Garlic Clove
• Chicken
• Salt
• Pepper
• Arborio Rice
• White Wine
• Lemon (to top-Optional)
• Parmesan (to top-Optional)

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

First, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil to the pan. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add your chicken broth, keep the chicken broth warm. Dice half the onion. Chop the asparagus into 2 inch long rods. Mince the garlic.

Step 2: Sauté

Add the onion and asparagus to the pan and sauté it for 3-5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir continuously while sautíng. Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Cut the chicken in half to make thinner breasts.

Step 3: Brown

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and add the chicken to the pan. Brown on one side for 3-5 minutes. Then, flip and brown again for 3-5 more minutes. The chicken doesn’t have to be cooked fully though yet. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.

Step 4: Risotto

Add the arborio rice to the pan and toast the rice for 1 minute. Then add in the white wine and allow the wine to cook completely off of the rice. This should take about 3 minutes. Then, add in the warmed chicken broth in 1/2 cup at a time. Cook off the liquid each time before adding more broth. Save 1/2 cup of broth for the end of the recipe.

Step 5: Add the Chicken Back In

Add the chicken back into the pan on top of the risotto. Dump the remaining 1/2 cup of broth on top of the chicken. Turn the pan down to low heat and cook for another 10 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Step 6: Top & Serve

Top the risotto with a squeeze of lemon juice on top. Serve immediately.