Thai Chicken Barley Risotto

Submitted by dicentra

"Cooking Light."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 22
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped green onions, divided
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
• 1⁄2 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 1 1⁄4 cups red bell peppers, strips
• 1 cup sugar snap pea, trimmed
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 4 teaspoons chopped peanuts

directions

1. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onions and 1 tablespoon garlic; sauté 1 minute.
2. Stir in barley, 1/4 cup cilantro, salt, black pepper, 1/2 cup broth, and jalapeños; bring to a boil.
3. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 15 minutes).
4. Combine juice and next 5 ingredients (juice through curry paste); set aside.
5. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add 1 cup onions, 1 tablespoon garlic, lemongrass, and ginger; sauté 1 minute.
7. Add chicken, bell pepper, and peas; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in barley mixture, juice mixture, and milk; bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon nuts.

Reviews

[Paris D]

I would actually give this 3.5 stars if that were an option. I would increase the cilantro to 3/4 cup because you can't taste it at all as written. I would increase the lime juice to 1/3 cup and decrease the chicken to 2 1/2 cups. There is so much chicken in this as it is written that it totally overwhelms the dish. I would also suggest adding an extra tablespoon of lemongrass and a 1/4 cup of peanut butter to the sauce. It doesn't have a peanut flavor as written and I was expecting it to for some reason. My preference would be to have some peanut flavor in the sauce, not just a few peanuts sprinkled on top. As it is written, it is a LOT less flavorful than it looks.