Mushroom Risotto with Chicken, Caramelized Onions and Parmesan

So as I've mentioned before, I'm from the lovely city of Madisonville, Texas where the annual Texas Mushroom Festival is hosted. Growing up I may have never been a fan of eating this fungi... but since high school I've come to appreciate its delicious qualities! I love adding mushrooms to my pizza, omelets, and salads. They make a fantastic companion to this creamy risotto, contributing to a beautiful presentation that will make it look like you worked a lot harder than you did ;)

What You'll Need:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup Arborio (medium grain) rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1 cup extra
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of brown sugar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

What To Do:
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a saucepan set over medium heat.  Once melted, add the diced onion and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the rice to the pan, stirring to coat.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.  Stir 2 1/2 cups of broth into the rice.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

While the rice is cooking, add 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat.  Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized.  Remove the onions to a plate, cover and set aside. Slice chicken breasts horizontally to create small strips. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I also added garlic powder). In the same skillet the onions were cooked, add the chicken strips and cook for three minutes on each side or until seared and no longer pink.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer.  In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.   Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions, draining any remaining juices from the pan with them.

When the rice has completed cooking, add ¾ cup of broth to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the Parmesan.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, add up to 1/4 cup of broth to add moisture and loosen the texture.  Layer risotto, chicken, and caramelized onions, and garnish with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.

adapted from Annie's Eats