Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

* The amount of oil required depends on how fatty the bacon and chicken is. If you use lean bacon and chicken breast, you'll need 1 tbsp of oil for cooking the chicken and mushrooms (for each step).

KEY TIPS: a) Start taste testing after you add around 3 cups of liquid to the risotto to see if the rice is ready, It should be firm, not soft.

b) Add a splash of stock at the very end to make it soupier than you want because then it needs to be taken off the stove to stir vigorously to activate the starch and make it creamy, and in this step that extra liquid you added will evaporate quickly. Posh restaurants make the risotto very soupy, so soupy that it spreads out on a plate like a thick soup and flows when you tilt the plate. It's extremely rich (they use LOTS of butter), so this home version is creamy, not stodgy, but not as soupy as posh restaurants. Make it to your taste!

1. Risotto must be made with risotto rice, called Arborio Rice. Arborio is starchier than other types of rice which is essential for making creamy risotto. This recipe won't work with normal rice - you'll end up with a pilaf instead of risotto!

2. In order to use this "no stir" method of cooking risotto, you MUST use a large pot or deep skillet so the rice and liquid is spread out. This will not work in a saucepan as the liquid and rice will be too deep.

3. Do not over toast the rice. Over toasted rice = lose creaminess because it skills the starch.

4. The "proper" way is for the rice to be just cooked and still firm, but not hard. If you run out of chicken broth, switch to the hot water in the kettle. You may not use all the chicken stock.

5. Risotto continues to absorb liquid and will become gluggy if left out. So eat immediately! Use leftovers to make Arancini Balls - classic fried method or baked.

6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. These are rather generous serving sizes - it reduces to 526 calories if you assume 5 servings.