Apple Risotto with Walnuts and Grilled Chicken

This is an absolute favorite of mine to make for a fall dinner! It’s hearty, sweet, savory, and creamy with a touch of cinnamon! All of the best flavors together in one dish!!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup yellow onion, small diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup apples, peeled, small dice (I use peak ripe McIntosh, they are my absolute favorite!)
• 1 ½ cup Arborio Rice
• ½ cup crisp white wine, I used chardonnay, but you could use pinot grigio if you have it as well
• 2 cups chicken stock, low sodium
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp. parsley, minced
• 1 tsp. sage, minced
• 2 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
• Cinnamon apple chips for garnish
• 3-4 Fireside Apples hallowed out

Directions

In a large sauce pan, bring the chicken stock and apple cider, along with the cinnamon stick to a low boil.

In a separate medium sauce pan heat the oil and butter together over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and apples and sauté together until soft and translucent about 8 minutes.  Then add the rice and toast for one minute. Add the white wine, and let it soak into the rice. Stirring the rice constantly. Slowly start adding the hot stock/cider to the rice, one ladle full at a time. Continue stirring the rice until each ladle full gets absorbed.  It takes about 20-25 minutes until the rice is done to your liking. Finish this off with the parsley and sage and a little parmesan cheese if you wish.

In a small pan toast the chopped walnuts for about 5-7 minutes just until you can smell them. Chop them up and add to risotto.

Heat a grill pan with a little bit of oil and grill the chicken for about 7-8 minutes on each side depending on thickness of chicken. When fully cooked, dice into small cube and stir into the risotto.

If you would like to serve your risotto inside of the hallowed out apple it’s perfect for a small appetizer or dinner party!! Just take a fireside apple. Or any really firm apple you prefer, core out the center, but don’t go all the way to the bottom. Then with a sharp paring knife just keep going around in circles until the center starts to hallow out and you have a small bowl shape in the apple. Then with a small teaspoon spoon in the risotto and garnish as you wish. I served the risotto with a couple baguette slices with apple and brie on the side.

Parmesan Crisp

Ingredients

• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour a heaping tbsp. of cheese onto a baking sheet lined with either silicone or parchment paper. Silicone baking sheet is highly recommended. Space out the mounds about ½ inch apart. Bake for about 5 minutes rotate pan and then another minute or two until melted and golden. Let cool completely and then add to the risotto.