Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables

I made this dish tonight as we are working hard at the new house.   I thought as it said serves 6-8 and there are only 2 of us, we could reheat a couple of nights.  Jim loved this dish.  I have a little left for tomorrow and that is it. 

Ingredients:

4 C chicken broth

½ # fresh asparagus spears

¾ # skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into 1” strips

½ t herbes de Provence

1 ¼ t salt, divided

3 T butter, divided

2 T EVOO, divided

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 ½ C uncooked Arborio rice

1 C dry white wine

1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ C freshly grated fontina cheese

¼ C chopped fresh parsley

½ t pepper.

Directions:

1.      Bring chicken broth and 4 C water to a simmer in a large saucepan over low heat. 

2.      Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus.  Cut into 2” pieces.

3.      Sprinkle chicken with herbes de Provence and ¾ t salt. 

4.      Melt 2 T butter with 1 T EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

5.      Add chicken, and sauté 5-6 minutes or until done.  Remove chicken; cover and keep warm. 

6.      Melt remaining 1 T butter in Dutch oven; add zucchini, onion, and asparagus, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.  Remove vegetables; cover and keep warm. 

7.      Sauté rice in remaining 1 T hot oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add wine and remaining ½ t salt, and cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed. 

8.      Add 1 C hot broth mixture; cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this procedure stirring often until all the liquid is absorbed.

9.      Add the pepper, Parmesan and fontina cheese stirring to evenly distribute. 

10.  Add back the chicken and vegetables and stir to distribute evenly. 

11.  Add the parsley and top with shaved parmesan if desired.