Just Peachy Chicken with Risotto

We were never big fans of peaches. Maybe it was the fuzzy texture, maybe it was the squishyness. Our only conclusion is that they must be an acquired taste because now, man are they delicious. On a lazy, rainy Sunday morning we walked by a small farmer's market and were instantly attracted to these orangey/sherbety-colored jewels. To the touch, they were perfect, slightly firm. Our minds started spinning- we had leftover prosciutto from the paninis we made for lunch the previous day and instantly thought to pair the two. We love the combination of the sweet, juicy peaches with the salty prosciutto. For color and flavor, we decided to add some leaves salvaged from our dying sage plant. While we enjoy cooking, we have to admit lacking the gardening gene. So we puddle jumped back to our kitchen and came up with this little Sunday meal:

Chicken with Sauteed Peaches, Prosciutto and Sage 

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 c flour
1 c bread crumbs (we threw in some dried parsley and Parmesan)
1 egg beaten (we were out of eggs so used 1/4 c milk)
1 T EVOO
2 peaches sliced in half moons
1/8 lb diced prosciutto (about 3 slices)
1 t chopped fresh sage
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
1/8 c chopped onion
salt and pepper throughout

On medium heat, saute the onion in olive oil and 1 T butter until translucent. Add the prosciutto and saute until crispy. Add the peaches and cook down for approximately 10-15 minutes. Throw in the sage and butter and cook for a couple more minutes on low.

Pound the chicken and season. Flour both sides, dip in the egg mixture, then bread crumbs on both sides. Coat the bottom of the frying pan with 1/2- inch of EVOO and turn to medium-high heat. Add the chicken, it should sizzle upon entering the pan. Cook for 2 minutes then flip. Since the chicken is so thin, it will not take long to sear, so keep an eye on each piece-dry chicken is the worst! Transfer to a plate and pour the sauteed peaches on top.

Rainy Day Risotto

2 T EVOO
2 T butter
1/4 c chopped onion (a whole shallot would work too)
1 minced garlic clove
1 T lemon juice
2/3 c white wine (whatever you’re drinking!)
4 c chicken broth (we used store-bought, it was a lazy Sunday)
1 1/2 c Arborio rice
10 stalks chopped asparagus
1 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c Parmesan cheese (feel free to use more if you’re a cheese fan)
salt and pepper throughout

In a small pot, heat the chicken broth on a low flame. In a separate pan, saute the onion in the olive oil and butter on medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and stir for a couple more minutes. Add the rice to toast for a few more minutes. Now this is a trick (Marni) learned while studying abroad in Italy. Add a ladle of chicken broth to the toasted rice mixture. Once that is absorbed, add the wine.

For the next phase of the risotto, be focused yet patient. We usually have a wooden spoon in one hand and glass of wine in the other. Slowly add 2 ladles of broth at a time to the sauteed rice mixture. Once it is absorbed, add more. This process will most likely take approximately 20 minutes. Feel free to stir the rice to keep it from sticking and quicken the absorption. Eventually, the rice will plump up and have a creamy texture. At this point, we add the mushrooms and asparagus (or any other seasonal vegetable you may have-we love to work with peas, leeks, red pepper, tomato, corn...) that we lightly sauteed in some olive oil beforehand as well as the lemon. Once you are happy with the consistency, take the risotto off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. This serves 4-5 generous portions.