Roasted Chicken and Barley Risotto

Perfectly roasted chicken with a creamy and filling barley risotto.
Directions for: Roasted Chicken and Barley Risotto

Ingredients

Chicken

1 whole organic chicken

1 lemon, halved

1 yellow onion, quartered

6 garlic cloves, peeled

4 sprig fresh parsley

1 sprig fresh oregano

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

Tbsp sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Barley Risotto

1 cup pearl barley

2 cup water

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, minced

1 Jalapeno, minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

cup robust red wine

2 cup San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed

1 cup organic chicken stock

tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

cup fresh parsley, minced

cup dried currants or raisins

cup smoked Gouda, finely grated

tsp raw sugar

tsp sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Remove gizzards and place chicken in roasting pan. Stuff cavity with lemon, onion, garlic cloves, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Slide your hands under the skin to separate from meat. Insert pats of butter underneath, to make skin crispy. Top with the olive oil, smoked paprika, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Massage it in. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes (depending on size of bird), or until juices run clear when pierced between thigh and breast. Take out of oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Barley Risotto

1. To a medium saucepan add the pearl barley, 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat immediately and let simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Once the barley is done fluff it with a fork.

2. In a large pot heat olive oil on medium. Add garlic shallots, jalapeno, and paprika, and saut for 5 minutes until shallots are crispy. Deglaze the pan with red wine, stir and reduce for 1-2 minutes. Pour in San Marzano tomatoes, 2 cups of chicken stock, thyme, bay leaf, and parsley. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to medium low. Let simmer for the same amount of time as chicken, about 40 minutes

3. To the tomato sauce add currants or raisins, Gouda, raw sugar, sea salt, and pepper. Mix. Add barley and mix again. Add shredded chicken breast and mix well so that the meat comes apart.

4. Ladle risotto into a bowl, top with chicken thigh and enjoy.

See more: Main, Dinner, Rice/Grain, Chicken