Chicken Risotto

Mum decided to get her Italian cookbook out this month; she attempted this traditional Italian dish of Chicken Risotto. It is a really good all round healthy dish that tastes great (obviously everything she cooks is good, who said I was biased!).

The dish includes rice, which gives you carbohydrates for energy and chicken fillets giving you protein for strength. When mixed with other ingredients such as tomatoes and peppers, you get plenty of vitamins and minerals.

So the chicken had a great flavour, my Mum marinated it before putting it with the other ingredients. When you marinate meat you cover it in sauce and leave it for a while to soak up the flavour. Once my Mum mixed everything together the meal had a great fresh, warm taste. Well done Mum that was my favourite meal of the month.

• 8fl oz risotto rice
  
• 2 skinless/boned chicken breasts
  
• 1oz butter/or 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  
• 1 clove of garlic
  
• 1lb ripe plum tomatoes
  
• 1 large red pepper
  
• 1 pint chicken stock/ or water
  
• salt, pepper and basil to garnish

1. Heat butter or oil in large non-stick frying pan, add chopped onion and lightly fry, stirring occasionally.
   
   
2. Add tomatoes and chopped red pepper, season with salt and pepper.
   
   
3. Cut chicken breasts in to cubes and add to simmering vegetables in pan. Gently pan-fry chicken for 20 minutes.
   
   
4. Add risotto rice and chicken stock and gently stir until the liquid reduces leaving the rice fluffy.
   
   
5. Garnish with basil and serve.