Description
Arancini means “little oranges” in Italian. My mother grew up in Europe and spent 6 years as a child in Italy so she speaks fluent Italian and definitely has her opinion about how I pronounce these cute little crispy risotto balls. I say “are-an-CHEE-nee” but she says it with so much gusto and accent that it puts me to shame. No matter how you pronounce them, stuff them with all kinds of things and you have a great appetizer!
Ingredients
- FOR THE RISOTTO:
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Shallots, Chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ¾ cups Dry White Wine
- 3-½ cups Chicken Stock, Hot
- ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- FOR THE ASSEMBLY:
- Oil, For Frying
- 2 Eggs, Beaten
- 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- FOR THE PESTO:
- 2 cups Basil, Packed Lightly
- ½ cups Olive Oil
- ⅓ cups Pine Nuts, Toasted Lightly
- ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
- Salt To Taste
- Pepper To Taste
- Fresh Lemon Juice To Taste
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 Chicken Breast, Pounded To 1/2″ Thin
- 8 ounces, weight Mozzarella, Shredded
Preparation
In a sauté pan or skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Then add shallots and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add garlic and sauté about 2 minutes longer, being careful not to burn garlic. Add Arborio rice and toss until coated with the mixture. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and stirring until it’s absorbed.
Slowly start adding the hot stock, about 3/4 cup at a time and stir until it’s absorbed. Repeat adding additional 3/4 cups of stock until all of the stock is added. Risotto should be slightly al dente, and not be mushy. When done remove it from the heat, cover and let the risotto cool for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
While risotto is cooling, heat oil to 350-375 F in a fryer or pan that’s deep enough to hold the arancini.
Prepare pesto. Place all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Prepare chicken. Heat your grill or grill pan to medium/medium-high. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Brush grill with oil or spray with grill spray. Grill chicken for about 3 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked though. Remove it from the grill to a plate, cover with foil and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. Chop into small bite-sized pieces.
Assemble arancini. Heat oven to 375 F. Remove risotto from refrigerator and roll it into 1-1/2″ balls. With your thumb, press a nice big pocket in the middle of the risotto ball so it almost looks like a catcher’s mitt. Place a layer of cheese, pesto and chicken into the pocket, then cover with a little more cheese. Put enough risotto over the cheese to form a ball and fully surround and seal in the filling. Set your assembled arancini aside.
Put your beaten eggs into a shallow bowl. Put your breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. Dip arancini first in egg, then roll in panko bread crumbs, then set it on a plate. Repeat until all balls are finished.
Place arancini in hot oil for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t crowd the pan, you’ll want to do this in batches. Remove the fried arancini from the oil using a slotted spoon. Drain on a paper towel and continue with this process until all arancini are finished.
When finished frying all of the arancini, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven and bake at 375 F for about 5-7 minutes so the cheese can melt. Remove from oven and serve with the remaining pesto sauce.
