chicken & baked risotto with melted tomatoes

while i can't boil a pot of white rice to save my life, i can whip together a risotto in no time. and since i haven't had much trouble with risotto, the time commitment can be a pain in the you-know-what sometimes, with all the stirring and babysitting. so when i saw this recipe for baked risotto - completely hands off - i made it the very next day.

while the texture isn't the same as traditional risotto cooked on the stove, if you're looking for an easy rice side dish or risotto that will sit underneath chicken or other roasted meat covered in sauce, this is it.

chicken & baked risotto with melted tomatoes
adapted from baked bree
40 minutes, serves 4

want to short cut this even more? use leftover chicken! skip step two and simply toss the diced chicken with the tomato sauce to heat through before serving.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup arborio rice
1 small onion, diced
3 cups chicken broth, divided
2 large chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
fresh grated parmesan for serving

1. preheat your oven to 400F. pour the melted butter in the bottom of a 9x13 (or equivalent) casserole dish. add the arborio rice and onion and season with salt and pepper. pour 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock over the rice, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
2. while the rice bakes, cook the chicken. pound the chicken breasts relatively thin. coat the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. season the chicken with salt and pepper and saute until cooked through. remove the chicken.
3. turn the heat down to medium low, add the garlic, and cooked until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock. the mixture should be simmering. if it isn't, turn up the heat a bit. once simmering, add the grape tomatoes and saute until they soften.
4. dice the chicken and toss with the tomatoes.
5. when the risotto is done, fluff with a fork and serve.
6. serve the chicken and tomatoes over the baked risotto and top with fresh parmesan.