Lemon and Asparagus Chicken with Simple Risotto

I like this dish because it is simple and pretty.  My daughter loves lemon and tolerates asparagus. Cooking the asparagus in the pan the chicken was cooked in and squeezing the lemon over the top got her to admit that the asparagus was "actually pretty good."  Even though the dish is simple, it looks beautiful when you put it on the table so everyone thinks you went all out.  You can also bake the risotto in the oven with the stock after you pass the sauté stage reserving the wine and parm for the end but it is less creamy.

Ingredients for the Chicken and Asparagus

3-4 thin sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup of flour, seasoned generously with salt and pepper

1/2 a bundle of asparagus, woody ends removed and sliced into bite sized pieces on the bias

1 shallot, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4-1/2 cup of chicken broth

Olive oil

Additional salt and pepper as needed

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Mix flour, salt and pepper in a dish that will work well to lay the chicken in to coat.  Lightly coat the chicken in the seasoned flour and sauté until browned on each side, about 3-5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from the pan, pour off all but 1 tbsp of the oil and add in the asparagus, shallot and garlic. Sauté the vegetables for about 2 minutes. Add in 1/4 cup of chicken broth and bring to a boil stirring for about 2 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through, adding more chicken broth as needed.

Ingredients for Risotto

1 onion, chopped

1 cup of arborio rice

1/2 cup of white wine

4 cups of warm chicken stock

1/2 cup of grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Bring the chicken broth to a boil on another burner and turn down to low.  Heat olive oil in a pot large enough to cook the rice in.  Sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the rice and stir for another minute or two.  Pour in the wine and stir until the liquid has been absorbed.  Add in a quarter of the chicken stock and stir until liquid has been incorporated. You do not need to stir constantly but you should stir very often or the rice will begin to stick to the bottom of the pot. Repeat adding and stirring on the broth until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from heat, add in the parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.