Chicken Au Gratin with Asparagus Risotto

Start by browning some boneless skinless chicken breasts, in this case, three.  Set them aside while you prepare the au gratin sauce.  In a sauce pan melt 3T butter and add 3T flour.  Stir until flour and butter are uniform and bubbly.  Slowly add about 2C milk until the sauce is creamy and bubbly.  Add 1C diced or shredded swiss cheese and stir until it is melted.  Pour the sauce over the chicken in an oven proof dish.  Bake at 350 F for about 20-30 min until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of about 170 F.  Finish for 5 min under the broiler.

The risotto has appeared here before.  Saute the risotto in 2T of olive oil.  Slowly add 14 oz. hot chicken stock, allowing the rice to absorb it.  At the end, add some asparagus and onion which has been sautéed and finish the dish with 3T grated parmesan cheese.  The dishes are very rich so serve them with a bone dry white wine.