beer risotto with mushroom garlic chicken

It's beginning to feel a lot like autumn. The AC has officially been turned off for the season. My windows are perpetually open and, when I wake up, my room is decidedly chilly. Yes, that's right, chilly. Chilly is not a temperature I have felt in what feels like months...because it has been months. I've felt everything from warm to blistering hot and I think I even experienced temperatures right around "kill me now" on several occasions this summer. But, chilly? This is a long awaited moment for me.

In honor of my chilly fall weather, I decided to have a nice little "Kate night" at home this past Saturday. What's Kate night, you ask? Well, it's quite simple. Kate night is like date night...but it's only for me. No boys/friends/roommates allowed. It's just lil' ol' me doing anything and everything I please. I call the shots on Kate night.

This particular Kate night was no exception. Let me paint you a picture. Scene One: Me, stirring risotto and roasting chicken, whilst singing (loudly and horribly off-key) to some Brantley Gilbert blasting in the background. Scene Two: Me, with a big bowl o' risotto, settling in for a four-hour marathon of The Mentalist and day dreaming about Simon Baker wearing lots of sexy vests. Scene Three: Me again, calling it a night before midnight (a feat not accomplished but for once in a blue moon) and snuggling into my nice, warm bed.

Best. Kate Night. Ever.

And so I bring you the fruits of that wonderful Kate night. No, I can't share with you my day dreams of Simon Baker and his man vests. But I can bring you this wonderful Beer Risotto with Mushroom Garlic Chicken. Make one or the other, but probably you should just make both since it tastes so dang good together. The Mushroom Garlic Chicken is super easy and the Beer Risotto, while intimidating in theory, is so simple once you get the rhythm down. Add liquid, stir as it absorbs, repeat until desired consistency is reached. Easy enough. Trust me, the time will fly as long as you have some Brantley Gilbert blasting in the background. A glass of wine never hurt, either! Together, this is the perfect chilly autumn dinner. Kate night (or date night) approved!

Beer Risotto with Mushroom Garlic Chicken

Chicken:
4 chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
6 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
8 ounces of beer

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pat chicken completely dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add canola oil. Add chicken skin-side down and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in mushrooms, shallot and garlic, then pour in beer. Top with cubed butter. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, the place in the oven for 30 minutes. Toss the mushrooms and shallots mix twice during cooking time.

Risotto:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
12-16 ounces of beer
1 3/4-2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
While chicken is cooking, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in olive oil and butter, then add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in rice and stir to coat completely, then cook until opaque, about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add in beer and stir every minute or so until the rice soaks up the liquid. Add in chicken stock (about 1/2 cup at a time) and continue stirring until absorbed. At this point my rice had enough liquid, so do a taste test and if it is still super chewy, add a little more liquid and stir until absorbed. Repeat until desired consistency is reached. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

Serve with risotto on the bottom, chicken on top, and a ladleful of mushrooms and onions.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: How Sweet It Is