Roast chicken & mushroom risotto

A good risotto should be creamy and soft, never sticky or heavy.

SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion or 2 banana shallots,

finely sliced

350g risotto rice

200ml white wine or vermouth

500-700ml hot chicken stock

50g unsalted butter

350g button, chestnut or flat

mushrooms, finely chopped

150ml double cream or crème fraîche

200-300g leftover roast

chicken, shredded

30g parmesan, grated, plus extra

to serve handful of finely chopped

flat-leaf parsley

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion over a low heat for 5-10 mins until softened but not too coloured. Add the rice, turn up the heat and stir to toast for 30 seconds until the grains are slightly translucent.

2 Splash in the wine and stir well until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add most of the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring and making sure each addition has been absorbed before adding the next.

3 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the mushrooms until golden. Add the cream or crème fraîche, season and bubble together. Tip the mixture into a blender or mini food processor and blitz to a paste.

4 Once the rice is almost cooked, add the mushroom paste and a little more seasoning. Stir. Add another good ladle of stock along with the chicken and parmesan. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 5 mins – this relaxes the rice and makes the risotto silky. Top with the parsley and some extra parmesan, then serve.

GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 828 kcals • fat 43g • saturates 23g • carbs 71g • sugars 3g • fibre 1g • protein 30g • salt 1g