Chicken, Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto

Nutrition per serve

Ingredients

• 250g butternut pumpkin
• 100g marinated goat cheese
• 1pcs onion
• 1bunch thyme
• 1pcs vegetable stock cubes
• 300g free-range chicken thigh fillets
• 150g arborio rice
• 30g pepitas
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 500ml (2 cups) boiling water

Method

1. Step 1 — Roast pumpkin
   Preheat the oven to 200C, fan-forced. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Peel the pumpkin and cut into 3cm chunks. Put on the lined tray, drizzle with 2 tsp oil from the marinated goat cheese, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 20 mins or until golden and tender.
2. Step 2 — Prep ingredients
   ADD CHICKEN OPTION Meanwhile, finely chop the onion. Finely chop the thyme leaves, discarding the tough stems. Crumble the stock cubes into a heatproof jug, add 500ml (2 cups) boiling water and stir to dissolve. Cut the chicken into 2cm chunks.
3. Step 3 — Start risotto
   Heat 1 tbs oil from the marinated goat cheese in a medium deep frypan over high heat. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, for 3 mins or until golden. Remove from the pan. Add 2 tsp oil from the marinated goat cheese to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the onion and thyme, stirring regularly, for 3-5 mins until softened.
4. Step 4 — Cook risotto
   Add the rice to the onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins until the grains are well coated. Stir in the chicken and stock, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 mins or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is almost tender.
5. Step 5 — Prep pepitas and spinach
   While the risotto is cooking, put the pepitas in a cold small frypan over medium heat (starting with a cold pan ensures the seeds toast evenly and prevents them burning). Toast, tossing, for 2-3 mins until evenly golden. Remove from the pan. Coarsely chop the spinach.
6. Step 6 — Finish risotto
   Stir the roasted pumpkin and spinach into the risotto, then crumble in half the goat cheese. Remove from the heat, cover and stand for 5 mins or until the spinach is wilted and the goat cheese is softened. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Divide the risotto among bowls, crumble over the remaining goat cheese and scatter with the pepitas to serve.

Allergens

Milk