Marry Me Chicken Risoni

Recipe notes

Do your mise en place

Mise en place is a French term that means “everything in its place”. It’s about having all your ingredients and equipment ready before you start. This recipe cooks quickly, so have everything chopped, weighed and ready to go.

Scrape up the fond

Searing the chicken leaves caramelised brown bits on the base of the pan, called fond. When the stock goes in, use a wooden spatula to scrape them off firmly. They dissolve into the liquid and give the risoni a savoury depth of flavour.

Keep the risoni moving

Risoni is starchy and cooks directly in the stock, so it tends to settle and stick to the bottom of the pan. Give it a gentle stir every minute or two while it simmers. If it does catch and start to burn, transfer everything to a clean pan and keep cooking.

Don’t boil the cream

Once the cream is in, keep the heat low. If it boils, the cream can split and turn grainy.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The risoni keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so reheat it gently in a pan with a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce. I don’t recommend freezing it, as the cream sauce can split when it thaws.

Ingredient notes

Risoni

Risoni is a small, rice-shaped pasta that behaves like a cross between pasta and rice. Because it cooks directly in the stock rather than in a pot of boiling water, all of its starch stays in the pan and thickens the sauce. It does like to settle and stick to the bottom, so give it a stir every minute or two while it simmers. Take it off the heat when it’s al dente, as it keeps softening in the cream.

Sun-dried tomatoes

These bring a concentrated, sweet and tangy tomato flavour that cuts through the richness of the cream. I use a jar of sliced sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Drain them before they go in. You can use a spoonful of the oil from the jar to sear the chicken for extra flavour.

Parmesan

Grate it finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping. Grating it fresh from a block gives a better result than pre-grated parmesan, which often has added anti-caking agents. Add it with the cream over low heat, and taste before seasoning, as parmesan is already salty.