Risotto with Roasted Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Mushrooms

One of my absolute favorite things to eat, is risotto. You can prepare risotto in so many ways, which is what makes it so fun to work with! Now, let me put a little disclaimer in here, risotto is by no means, a quick dish, it takes time and a little love ;) It does require some patience, but the end result is a bowl full of creamy, hearty, goodness that you and your family will crave over and over!

I made this risotto the day after I ran a half marathon, that's right, I RAN A HALF MARATHON!! Can you believe it? Well, neither can I! I needed a recovery meal, and this is what I came up with. This dish is packed with whole grains, good carbs, protein, all of the things my body needs to help with recovery. My family all had seconds and took leftovers to school/work, so this one is a winner! P.S. You don't need to run a marathon to enjoy this, I would put this dish in the comfort foods category, which is something I think we can all appreciate ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked risotto rice (I always us arborio rice, this makes a great risotto)

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups low sodium, low fat chicken broth

1 whole chicken, roasted or cooked in the slow cooker (skin removed once cooked, and diced)

1 pint crimini mushrooms, sliced with stems

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 tbs. marscapone cheese (can substitute lowfat cream cheese, can also be omitted)

1 large sweet potato, diced in cubes and roasted until golden brown

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed, coursely chopped

Olive oil & Salt

Pepper to taste

Method:

Heat pan to medium-low heat, drizzle with olive oil, saute onions, mushrooms and garlic until onions and garlic are tender and mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Add risotto, stir to avoid burning, saute for 1-2 minutes, deglaze the pan with wine, allow the wine to simmer with risotto until all of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice. Add the broth 1/4 cup at a time, making sure the liquid has been completely absorbed into the rice before adding more liquid. Once all of the broth has been added and rice is al dente, season to taste, stir in chicken, thyme, parmesan and marscapone cheese. Garnish with sweet potatoes and more fresh thyme. I'm eating my leftovers as I type this...so good ;)

Toasted pinenuts would really finish this dish off! I rarely cook with nuts as my son is allergic (I wait for when he is at a sleepover!) Happy cooking!