Ingredients:
For the Risotto:
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Chicken Piccata:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
Prep the chicken:
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and pound them to an even thickness (about 1/4 inch).
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess.
Start the risotto:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, then reduce heat to low to keep it warm.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the Arborio rice and toast it for about 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Build the risotto:
- Add the white wine to the rice and cook until it’s mostly absorbed, stirring frequently.
- Begin adding the warm chicken broth one ladleful at a time, stirring continuously until mostly absorbed before adding more broth. Repeat this process for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender but still slightly firm (al dente).
Cook the chicken:
- While the risotto is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the floured chicken breasts to the hot skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm.
Make the piccata sauce:
- Deglaze the skillet with the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the butter and capers, and cook for about 1 minute until the butter is melted.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Finish the risotto:
- Stir the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and baby spinach into the risotto. Cook until the spinach wilts (about 1 minute) and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the risotto from the heat.
Assemble and serve:
- Spoon a generous portion of risotto onto plates.
- Top with the cooked chicken breasts and spoon the piccata sauce over the top.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy immediately!
Tips:
- Don’t overcrowd your pan when cooking the chicken – you may need to do this in batches.
- For extra crispy capers (optional): Pat the capers dry thoroughly and fry them in a bit of oil in the skillet before making the sauce.
- If you don’t have white wine, you can substitute an extra ½ cup of chicken broth.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is best!
