Chicken & Mushroom Barley Risotto

A Weightwatchers recipe with 6pts value per serve. The barley gives the risotto a nice chewy texture and makes for a really filling meal. I only had brown mushrooms available so was unable to obtain the porcini and enoki mushrooms and the recipe still tasted delicious.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 serves

Ingredients

• 750  ml  chicken stock, salt reduced
• 10  g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  brown onion, small and finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves
• 200  g  swiss brown mushrooms
• 200  g barley
• 80  ml dry white wine
• 100  g  enoki mushrooms, trimmed
• 280  g chicken breasts, BBQ'ed skinless and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄3 cup chives, fresh and finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated

Directions

1. Place chicken stock, porcini mushrooms and 2½ cups cold water in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and keep hot.
2. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the quartered Swiss brown mushrooms, then cook stirring for 2 - 3 minutes or until tender.
3. Stir in the barley and wine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated.
4. Add the hot stock to the barley mixture, one ladle (1/2 cup) at a time, stirring continuously, until all the liquid is absorbed and the barley is tender (this should take about 40 minutes). Stir in the enoki mushrooms and chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
5. Stir in chopped chives.
6. Serve risotto immediately sprinkled with cheese.
7. Serve with a zero points value salad of mesclun, red onion, sliced green olives dressed in balsamic vinegar.