I have to say I often struggle to come up with family meals that all of us will love, something that I can cook when the kids have friends over or even when we have friends over and not go to a huge amount of trouble… because let’s be clear I love the socialising and eating part much more than the actual cooking part.
This Baked Chicken & Chorizo Risotto from Hello Fresh ticks all of those boxes, it is really easy to prepare and is a wonderful one pot dish that everyone can dip into. Perfect with salad, some crusty bread and a large glass of cold white wine. This recipe serves two but if you nip on over to the Hello Fresh recipe you can get the ingredient details for up to four people and then you can always double it if you have friends over.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C and boil your kettle. Pour the boiling water into a measuring jug and add the stock powder. Stir to dissolve. Heat a splash of oil in an ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5-6 mins. TIP: Do this in batches if necessary, you want the chicken to brown not stew.
- Return all the chicken to the pan and add the chorizo, stir-fry for 2 mins. Stir in the arborio rice to coat it in the oil, then pour in the white wine vinegar and allow to evaporate. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Cover with a tight fitting lid (or some foil) and pop the dish on the top shelf of your oven for 20 mins. IMPORTANT: The chicken is cooked when it is no longer pink in the middle.
- Meanwhile, trim the baby gem lettuce. Halve the lettuce lengthways, then thinly slice widthways. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Trim the cucumber, quarter it lengthways, then chop widthways into small pieces. Combine the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl. Mix the garlic mayonnaise in a bowl with a splash of water to loosen it up slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put the pine nuts in a freezer bag and roughly crush using the bottom of a saucepan. Tip into a small bowl. Roughly chop the basil (stalks and all) and add this to the bowl. Stir in half the cheese and the olive oil (see ingredients for amount) until you have a drizzling consistency.
- When the risotto is cooked, remove it from the oven and gently fold through the butter and hard Italian cheese. Stir through the baby spinach until wilted. TIP: If the kids don’t like spinach, serve theirs before adding the spinach. Divide the chopped salad between two bowls and dress half with the garlic mayonnaise dressing (unless the kids are really adventurous, in which case dress it all!).
- Serve the baked risotto in bowls with the salad on the side (dressed or not). Finish with a little of the drizzle. Enjoy!
Have you ever heard of Hello Fresh before? Not only do they have loads of fab recipes on their website they also create amazing recipe boxes. I have subscribed to their recipe boxes on and off for the past few years now and have always loved them. They are perfect for when I am feeling stuck in a rut and am sick of eating the same meals over and over again.
If you’d like to try a box for yourself then you can get £10 off using this link. I don’t think you will be disappointed. The food that arrives has always been great quality and the recipes are always pretty simple to create. It has often been a godsend to have a box arrive and have everything we need to make 3 gorgeous meals. You can pick and choose from the recipes too so if there is something you don’t like then you can opt for something else. Absolutely perfect for when you are short on time as you just don’t have to think about what to make or shopping for it or even measuring out the ingredients as it is all done for you.
Let me know if you make this recipe, I’d love to know what you think. We personally love it, chicken & chorizo is a winning combination and we can’t get enough!
Looking for other food ideas then check out these posts too…
