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This Easy Chicken Risotto Recipe is a delicious one pot recipe that cooks easily on the stove top. This is a family favorite dinner idea.
I hope you enjoy this simple weeknight meal. It is my go-to stovetop recipe for a busy weeknight. It is a great recipe for a weeknight meal and a great way to use leftover chicken.
If you love skillet chicken recipes as much as my family, then you should try our most popular recipe, Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe. We have even made Skillet Chicken and Rice Burritos for a quick and easy meal idea.
What's in this post: Chicken Risotto Recipe
What is Risotto?
Risotto is a classic Italian dish that is made with high starch white rice that creates a creamy texture when cooked. Parmesan and butter is added to make this dish even creamier to be served as a main dish or as an appetizer.
Why You Will Love this Recipe:
- Complete Meal Idea – We love this recipe as it is a complete meal. Adding in the cooked chicken with the rice makes the perfect skillet dinner.
- Amazing Texture – We love that this risotto rice is full of flavor and is the ultimate comfort food.
- Simple Ingredients – We love making this dish for an impressive meal idea. Since the ingredients are simple, I can make it as a date night in or for a weeknight dinner idea.
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Chicken Breast
- Salt and pepper
- Onion
- Minced Garlic
- Arborio Rice
- Chicken Broth, warmed
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Fresh Parsley
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas:
- Chicken – We used chicken breasts in this recipe, but you can also make it with chicken thighs.
- Dry White Wine – Feel free to substitute the chicken broth for white wine or chicken stock.
- Seasoning – Feel free to change the spices to what you prefer. You can add in paprika, fresh thyme, or red pepper flakes.
- Veggies – You can also add in veggies towards the end of cooking time for added flavor. Slice mushrooms, chopped broccoli and asparagus are always a great addition.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 – Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 2 – In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Step 3 – Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Step 4 – In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, and cook the onions until they’re translucent.
Step 5 – Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 6 – Stir in the Arborio rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the edges of the grains start to turn translucent.
Step 7 – Add ½ cup of the warm chicken broth to the pan to deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to add the remaining chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently.
Step 8 – Once the rice is al dente and creamy (you may not need all the broth), stir in the cooked chicken to warm it through.
Step 9 – Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter until the risotto is creamy and rich.
Step 10 – Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the risotto garnished with chopped parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!
Recipe Tips:
- Diced Chicken – Dice chicken in about the same size so that it cooks evenly.
- Adding in Chicken Broth – Wait until each addition of the chicken broth is almost fully absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
- Cooking Rice – Cook the rice until it is al dente or according to package.
- Use the right rice – When making this risotto, make sure to use Arborio rice. This recipe will not work for Jasmine or Basmati rice or any long-grain rice. The starch content is not high enough to create this creamy texture.
Serving Suggestions:
This recipe is a complete meal idea. But we do like to make sure we serve with a side of roasted vegetables such as roasted asparagus or zucchini. Make sure to also serve with a side of homemade garlic bread to make sure to every last drop.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store your leftover risotto in the fridge in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 3 days.
Once the risotto has cooled to room temperature, store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, thaw the risotto in the fridge overnight. Then reheat the risotto in a baking dish in the oven.
More Easy One Pot Recipes:
We love hearing from you. If you make this Chicken Risotto Recipe, please leave us a comment or star review.
Chicken Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts diced into bite-size pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth warmed
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, and cook the onions until they're translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the Arborio rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the edges of the grains start to turn translucent.
- Add ½ cup of the warm chicken broth to the pan to deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Continue to add the remaining chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost fully absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
- Once the rice is al dente and creamy (you may not need all the broth), stir in the cooked chicken to warm it through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter until the risotto is creamy and rich.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the risotto garnished with chopped parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!
About how long does the rice cook? The recipe says cook time is 15 minutes but after cooking the chicken, sautéing the onion, and cooking the rice for 2 minutes before adding broth, there isn’t much of the 15 minutes left. Does it absorb the broth very, very quickly? Thanks!
Sorry for the confusion. The rice generally takes about 15-20 minutes until it’s cooked through. I have updated the cook time in the recipe card with this time as well.