Risoni is somewhat of a revelation to me. I am one of the few on earth that don’t particularly go for pasta finding it too heavy. I didn’t realise this until a few years ago but my whole life I’d been unwittingly eating something of an Atkins diet eschewing breads and breadlike carbs in favour of meat and salads. But Risoni is another matter altogether. I can eat copious amounts of the slender, hard to catch, rice shaped grains.
This whole salad can be put together hours ahead of time and served cold if its a particularly hot day. Or if you happen to be in the Northern Hemisphere round about now where its much chillier, serving it hot is just as nice. It is simplicity personified and wonderfully healthy to boot.
Risoni with chicken, pesto and peas
Serves 2
- 300grams Risoni
- Chicken breast or tenderloins
- 100g pesto (I used a basil and cashew pesto dip by Always Fresh)
- Lemon juice and olive oil
- 1 cup cooked peas
1. Cook risoni in water for 10 mins until al dente
2. While it is cooking, cook chicken pieces under grill or in frypan
3. When risoni is done, rinse and mix with 2 tablespoons of pesto and peas, 1-2 tablespoons of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper
4. Plate risoni and plate grilled chicken on top. Drizzle pesto on top of the chicken.
