Oven Baked Risotto

A simple way to simultaneously clean out the fridge, create a filling meal and stock the freezer for the busy days to come.

4 serves, 10 mins prep, 45 mins cooking

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, diced

1 tsp minced garlic

1-2 shallots, diced

2 cups veggies, diced

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp tomato paste

2 tsp chicken stock powder

1 cup Aborio rice

2.5 cups boiling water

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat ovenproof casserole dish on stove to medium heat.

2. Add a drizzle of oil and chicken, browning on all sides.

3. Add garlic, fry for 1 min. Add shallots and veggies. (I used pumpkin, capsicum, 1 tomato, frozen peas). Fry for a couple of minutes until softening.

4. Add thyme, tomato paste, stock powder, salt and pepper. Combine, then add rice. Stir to coat rice in flavours from veggies, then add all the water.

5. Stir, cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes.

6. Remove from oven, stir and test rice. If not completely cooked you may need to add a touch more water and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

7. Serve topped with Parmesan

Tractor Snacks Tips

• This isn’t the most perfect or traditional risotto but a delicious and easy fork meal.

• A variety of veggies can be used providing they will hold their shape a bit, such as sweet potato, spinach, carrot, mushrooms, beans, etc.

• Add bacon for some extra flavour

• Frozen peas can be added in the last 10 minutes of baking so they hold their shape and colour better

• Freeze in airtight containers once cooled. To reheat, transfer from freezer to fridge the day before or just microwave directly from frozen. It may go a bit mushy with reheating and over-stirring.