RISOTTO CHALLENGE: Entry Three

Darn Good Baked Chicken
and Zucchini Risotto

Adobo Baked Chicken
Ingredients:

• 1 chicken
• 2 table spoons Adobo all purpose seasoning
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• 1 large onion
• 3-5 medium potatoes
• 1-2 cups chopped carrots (bite sized)
  
• 1/3 cup EVOO

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg
   
2. Remove the giblets and rinse chicken and set aside (cool water or vinegar for extra clean chicken)
3. Chop 1/2 of the onion into bite sized pieces
4. Dice 1/2 of the remaining onion
5. Separate the layers of the last chunk of onion (remember to breathe out of your mouth if your eyes start to tear)
6. Peal and chop potatoes until bite sized pieces
7. In small bowl mix EVOO, Adobo, garlic powder and a generious amount of pepper together
8. Place potatoes, carrots and bite size onion pieces in the bottom of your baking dish and sprinkle with Adobo and pepper
9. Take chicken in your hands and try and seperate the skin from the flesh with your fingers without taring it
10. Stab the chicken all over with a knife (allows your flavor mix to get deep into the chicken
11. Using a basting brush lather the chicken all over with your flavor mix.
12. Pour remaing mix under the skin and inside the chicken
13. Stuff chicken with the peeled onion layers and place breast side up in the baking dish
    
14. Sprinkle diced onion and dried parsley all over chicken
15. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes undisturbed
16. After 45 mins remove foil and baste chicken and potatoes three to four times over a 25 minute period
17. Chicken should be done but make sure to poke the meatiest part of the chicken with a knife and check that the juices run clear
    

Notes:

• Chicken should look well seasoned if it doesnt shake some more pepper and adobo on the chicken before placing in the oven.
• Save cooked chicken carcass to make a tasty broth for chicken noodle soups
  

Zesty Zucchini Risotto
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Arborio Rice
  
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 cups white German wine
• 3 tablespoon butter (separated 1Tbs & 1Tbs)
  
• 1 table spoon EVOO
• 1 table spoon chili powder
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini or half bag frozen zucchini
• 1/4 red pepper finely chopped (for color)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 6-10 tablespoons grated parmesan
• pepper

Directions:

1. sautee onions and chili powder in the EVOO and 1Tbs of butter in large heavy pan over medium heat
   
2. bring stock to boil in medium saucepan
   
3. add zucchini to stock when it reaches a boil and lower to lowest heat
4. when onions are tender add rice
5. once rice starts to speckle with white spots add 1 cup of the white wine (at this point start stirring every minute or so)
6. when wine is absorbed add last cup of wine
7. start ladling the hot stock into the pan every time liquid looks absorbed. continue doing this until you are 3/4ths done with the stock. (make sure to strain zucchini from ladle)
8. taste risotto and when mostly tender add one last ladle of stock, zucchini, red pepper and mix together *do not just pour the rest of the stock in with the zucchini
9. add cheese and butter and mix thoroughly
   
10. plate and serve

Commentary:

I didn't get into baking a whole chicken until a few years ago. It can be intimidating at times, but the key is patience and keeping the skin on as much of the bird as possible (keeps it moist). I tried using a rosemary recipe I found online the first time and wasn't a fan of it. I tried again and this time used my Adobo seasoning and I was hooked. Adobo is the all around perfect seasoning for everything. It takes the hassle out of mixing seasonings yourself and tastes good too. You can use any type of this seasoning in this recipe and it will still taste darn good. Just make sure you season every inch of the bird...do not add any extra salt! As for the risotto it turned out waay better then my first try. My only variation to the recipe above would be to sautée the zucchini with a load of chili powder and garlic and add it to the risotto in the very last step. It would add a bit of pop to each bite of the risotto. It does not taste bland by any means, following the recipe above, its just that the flavor of the zucchini gets lost in the risotto. I hope you all enjoy and let me know how it works out for you.