Spice Roasted Chicken Thighs & Shiitake Risotto

Shiitake Risotto

1. Start dry toasting the rice over a low heat. Keeping a close eye and stirring every minute or two
2. Dice your Shallots, Garlic, Shiitake Mushrooms, Parsley, Thyme Leaves and reserve for the next step
3. In a separate pot, bring the Chicken Stock to a simmer and add two Bay Leaves to steep
4. When the rice is gently toasted, move it to the side of your skillet or pot, add some a small amount of Olive Oil to the empty side and sauté your diced Mushrooms, Shallot, and garlic.
5. Once the the Mushrooms are browned and the shallots are translucent, deglaze with a cup of warm Chicken Stock (if you have some white wine, you can use a half cup of that before the chicken stock for bonus flavour)
6. Continue to stir so the rice doesn’t stick, and keep hydrating as the stock absorbs while the cooking process is happening 
7. Once the rice is tender but al dente, add roughly 3-4 tabs of butter and a heaping tablespoon of Mascarpone
8. Season with salt and pepper and your reserved herbs
9. Add a splash or lemon juice to balance the savoury aspects and richness 

Spice Blackened Chicken Thighs

1. Preheat your oven to 365*F
2. Place the Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs on a cool dry plate with a paper towel
3. Season with Sea Salt and then a generous amount of the spice rub
4. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat to avoid flare ups, but to ensure a nice sear
5. Add some light olive or canola oil to the pan and start the searing proces carefully 
6. Once the chicken is nicely blackened, remove from the heat and turn it over
7. Place the pan of chicken into the oven and roast for around 12-15 minutes or until the inner temperature of the largest thigh is 165*F
8. Once cooked, rest the chicken before slicing

The Plate Up

1. Carve your rested Chicken and lay it on top of the warm Risotto.
2. Season the micro salad with some olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt
3. Top the chicken with the salad and enjoy!