Chicken Risotto

If you’re looking for a delicious weeknight dinner, you have to try this chicken risotto recipe! Flavorful and packed with tender chicken – this creamy chicken risotto recipe is pure comfort food at its finest! In just 30 minutes, you can have this delicious meal on the table in no time.

Chicken and rice pair together so well, and risotto is the perfect way to combine these favorites. This creamy chicken risotto is made from Arborio rice, which absorbs the flavors of the chicken stock as it cooks. The result is a rich and creamy dish with a perfect texture!

To make this recipe even more delicious, I’ve added a good helping of parmesan cheese, lemon juice, thyme, and fresh basil. Parmesan cheese adds a nice nutty flavor, while lemon juice brightens the dish up. The herbs add an amazing aroma and flavor – you won’t believe how simple this chicken risotto recipe is once you’ve tasted it!

What Is Risotto?

Risotto is an Italian dish that gets its creamy texture from the starches released by short or medium-grain rice (such as Arborio) when cooked.

The key to making a successful risotto is to cook it over low heat and add the broth slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. This way, each grain of rice absorbs the broth and releases its own starch, which creates a creamy consistency.

Be sure to cook your chicken risotto in a large pot or dutch oven, as it usually doubles or triples in size as it cooks!

Why You’ll Love Chicken Risotto

• Quick and easy recipe. This chicken risotto recipe is simple enough to make on a weeknight yet fancy enough to serve as a dinner party main course! Most of this recipe is cooked in one pot, so clean-up is a breeze.
• Use up leftover chicken. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken pieces. You can even use a rotisserie chicken to make this dish even easier! Simply chop the chicken and add it to the rice as it cooks.
• Creamy consistency. The starchy rice gives this creamy risotto its signature texture – without the use of heavy cream! Your whole family will love this creamy rice dish.

Ingredients For Chicken Risotto

• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Thyme
• Chicken broth
• Butter
• Arborio rice
• Shallot 
• White wine
• Parmesan cheese
• Lemon juice
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Green onion
• Basil

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

Instructions For Chicken Risotto

1. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot or dutch oven on medium until shimmering.
2. Season the diced chicken with thyme.
3. Brown the chicken in the pot in 2 batches, and remove once browned.
4. In a small saucepan, warm the chicken broth on low heat.
5. Add the butter to the pot and melt.
6. Add the rice and shallot, and stir to coat in the butter and oil.
7. Cook until very lightly toasted and the shallot is sweating; about 3 minutes.
8. Add the chicken back into the pot.
9. Add the wine.
10. Stir until almost evaporated.
11. Add the chicken broth one cup at a time, stirring almost constantly.
12. Stir until it’s almost all soaked up by the rice.
13. Repeat with the warm chicken broth until the arborio rice is cooked through.
14. Add all of the remaining ingredients.
15. Stir to combine, adjusting consistency with more broth.
16. The finished risotto should be creamy.

What Can You Put in a Chicken Risotto?

I opted to add green onions, garlic cloves, and shallot to keep the flavor profile light and fresh. However, you can add so many things to your chicken risotto! Here are some ideas:

• Mushrooms: stir in some fresh mushrooms for an earthy flavor.
• Green peas: add a pop of color with some fresh or frozen peas.
• Spinach: stir in some spinach for even more nutrients.
• Bacon: bacon and chicken risotto is a match made in heaven!
• Tomatoes: add some cherry tomatoes for a tangy twist.
• Artichoke hearts: artichoke hearts add a wonderful flavor to the rice.
• White or yellow onion: swap out the shallot for some diced onion.
• Mozzarella cheese: gooey mozzarella will make this chicken risotto even cheesier!