Baked Chicken Risotto Recipe

My mum didn't make a lot of rice dishes other than rice puddings for my dad. He just loved rice puddings and couldn't seem to get around having it used any other way. I do remember that he got to enjoy a really good fried rice though, so maybe that is why mum began to experiment a little bit more with rice as a main meal. I came across this recipe in her file and although I never had it at mum and dads place, I decided to try her recipe and see if I enjoyed it. It is quite an easy risotto to make and one that I am sure you will enjoy as much as I did when I made it.

INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken breast fillets - sliced
2 cups arborio rice
3 cups chicken stock ( I make my own using chicken carcasses)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks - finely sliced
2 cloves garlic (can use bottled crushed garlic)
400g tin diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini - sliced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
roasted cherry tomatoes with cracked black pepper - to serve

METHOD:

Heat oil in a large pan or wok.
Add leeks and garlic. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally till tender.
Stir in lemon rind, chicken and rice to coat in oil mixture.
Add stock, tomatoes, zucchini and half the cheese and parsley to mixture. Bring to the boil then transfer to a baking dish and put in oven.
Cook in a moderate over of 180C for about 25 minutes or until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Serve with the roasted cherry tomatoes that have been seasoned with the cracked black pepper.