This creamy chicken and chorizo risotto is a delicious meal all made in one pot. A non-traditional risotto recipe packed with fantastic flavors, perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
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Why you'll love it
- The meal is made in one pot for minimal mess in the kitchen
- Although risotto takes time, it's really easy to make
- Chicken and chorizo tastes great together
- A mild but flavorful meal that the entire family will love
- Great for weeknight dinners or special occasions
Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Juicy, tender chicken thighs are perfect for this dish. You can also use chicken breasts if you want to keep it low calorie.
Chorizo: Chorizo sausage is really flavorful, and pairs perfectly with the spices and chicken in this risotto.
Chicken stock / chicken broth: Broth is used as the main liquid in the recipe. You can also use vegetable stock, or a chicken stock cube + water.
Arborio rice: Also known as risotto rice, this short grain rice gives risotto the right texture. Don't substitute for other types of rice like Basmati or Jasmine.
Canned diced tomatoes (UK: tinned chopped tomatoes): These give the risotto a lovely tomato base. You can also use tomato sauce or tomato passata.
Onion + garlic: Add flavor to the risotto.
Seasoning: Use a combination of dried parsley, paprika, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to season the dish well.
Parmesan cheese: A little cheese makes the risotto much more creamy. Omit it for a dairy free version of the dish.
Instructions
First, sauté the chicken until it's tender and almost cooked. Remove it from the pot, and sauté garlic, onion and chorizo until it's soft and fragrant.
Add dry rice and seasoning, and sauté for another minute. Then, add canned diced tomatoes and a little chicken broth.
Cook the risotto on low to medium heat while stirring continuously. When the liquid is almost completely absorbed, add a little more broth. Repeat until all liquid is absorbed, and the rice is cooked.
When the rice is almost cooked, add back the cooked chicken thighs. They will warm back up and finish cooking while the risotto finishes.
Add shredded Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Top tips
- Adding the chicken stock slowly, and allowing the liquid to be absorbed over time is key to a soft, creamy risotto.
- Season the chicken risotto to taste before serving. Depending on the salt content of your chicken broth, you might have to add a little extra.
Serving suggestions
Risotto is best served as an entree for lunch or dinner. I love to serve it with a side salad or some bread. Here are some of my top choices:
- Bread: garlic bread, toasted bread or dinner rolls
- Salad: Pear and Walnut Salad, Olive Salad, Artichoke Chicken Salad
- Other side dishes: Easy Homemade Croutons, Mediterranean Roast Vegetables
Variations
With vegetables: If you want to add some more veggies to the dish, you can add diced vegetables along with the dry rice before you start adding water. Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach and sun dried tomatoes are great options to try.
Spicy chicken risotto: If you want to make the dish a little spicy, you can double or triple the amount of red pepper flakes. Alternatively, add some diced raw chili along with the onions and garlic.
Creamy: Make the risotto extra creamy by adding some creme fraiche or heavy cream towards the end of the cooking time.
Leftovers
Store leftover chicken and chorizo risotto in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in a microwave or in a pot on the stove top for a few minutes, and serve it warm.
You can also freeze the risotto for up to 6 months, and defrost it in a refrigerator overnight before reheating it. Keep in mind that the texture of the dish might change, as rice and chicken tends to become a little more dry after freezing.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make risotto using water as the liquid, however it's usually preferred to use some kind of broth or stock, as this adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
You might also like these recipes
- Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Smoked Haddock and Spinach Risotto
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Butter Bean and Chorizo Stew
- Instant Pot Pork Chops and Rice
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 2 ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup diced chorizo
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- ½ cup Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a pot on medium to high heat.
- Add diced chicken thighs to the pot, and cook for a few minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot, and set aside.
- Add diced onions, finely diced or grated garlic, and diced chorizo to the pot. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Then, add dry arborio rice and seasoning to the pot. Stir to combine the ingredients, and sauté for another minute to allow the rice grains to warm up.
- Next, add canned diced tomatoes and some chicken broth to the pot. Lower the temperature to medium to low heat.
- Cook the risotto while stirring continuously until the majority of the liquid is absorbed. Add a little more liquid. Repeat the process until all the chicken broth is almost absorbed.
- When the rice has almost cooked through, add back the chicken thighs to the risotto. They will warm back up and finish cooking in the rice.
- After the rice has completely absorbed all liquid, add some Parmesan cheese and season the dish to taste.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover risotto for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a pot on the stove top, or in a microwave.
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