Baked Chicken Risotto

I started making this risotto when Charlie was a baby because we quickly discovered that he loves garlic and rosemary, so this became one of his favorites. I hadn't made it in a while until yesterday, and when Charlie began to eat it, he said, "This is really good, Mommy!" So it seems to still be something he likes. This is a really simple dinner and can easily be made ahead of time. I made it yesterday morning and just heated it up while I was steaming some broccoli to go with it at dinner time.

Baked Chicken Risotto

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 pound organic free range chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp organic rosemary, chopped
4 1/4 cups organic chicken stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until liquid is all absorbed into the rice and chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Baby and Toddler Cookbook by Rachael Anne Hill)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium.