Marry Me Spinach and Chicken Risotto

For the prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. (If preparing the entire recipe right away. If prepping ahead, wait to preheat the oven until just before finishing up the risotto.)
2. Place spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook for 1 minute on high power.
3. Transfer the wilted spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon of butter until smooth. Set aside.

For the risotto:

1. Combine the butter and olive oil in a large, oven-proof Dutch oven or braiser pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, then swirl the pan a bit and heat until the butter is hot and bubbly.
2. Add the onion and diced celery Stir well to combine, then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are nice and soft.
3. Continuing over medium heat, add the garlic and the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. The rice may begin to take on just a bit of color, but don’t worry if it doesn’t.
4. Add the wine, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes. If it’s taking longer, turn up the heat a bit.
5. If prepping ahead, stop here. The mixture can sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until ready to finish then preheat the oven to 350˚F.
6. Add the 3½ cups of chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring the rice mixture to a boil. Cover tightly and place in the preheated oven.
7. Check the rice at 16 minutes. There should only be a little broth left that hasn’t been absorbed. You may need an extra few minutes in the oven if there’s still a good bit of broth that’s not been absorbed. If so, return the pan to the oven for another 2-3 minutes.

For the spinach puree:

1. Place spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook for 2 minutes on high power.
2. Remove from the microwave, remove the plastic wrap and set aside to cool for a few minutes
3. Combine half (approximately) of the wilted spinach with 1 tablespoon butter and one tablespoon fresh lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. (I use my mini food processor but a regular-size processor will also work.)
4. Puree the mixture for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the other half of the spinach and puree again until smooth. Set aside. Refrigerate if finishing the risotto later.

To finish:

1. Remove the pan from the oven and return to the stovetop over medium heat.
2. Add 1½ cups of chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, adding more broth as needed until rice is tender but still has some bite and the sauce is creamy. This will take 2-3 minutes. Don’t hesitate to add more broth if the mixture seems dry.
3. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach puree, Parmesan, rosemary and lemon zest. Stir until the puree is evenly well incorporated.
5. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add a little more chicken broth, if needed. The risotto should be thick but pourable.
6. Add the chicken and stir again. Rewarm a bit on low heat, if needed.
7. Transfer risotto to a platter or to individual bowls. Serve with additional parmesan cheese and Fresh Herb Caramelized Mushrooms (optional).