Baked Chicken And Chorizo Risotto (One Pot!)
A delicious and mostly hands-off one-pot baked risotto that combines tender chicken, smoky chorizo, and creamy rice. Using mostly pantry ingredients and frozen veggies, this is a hassle-free all-in-one dish. No constant stirring of the rice as it cooks, and the dish doesn't even really need a side dish. A perfect crowd pleaser for midweek or any time!
Servings: 6
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion yellow or brown, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for pan-frying
- 1 kilo skinless boneless chicken thighs chopped into medium sized chunks
- 3 large cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 150 grams chorizo (This is roughly 1 Spanish style chorizo sausage, sliced into thin rounds)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (regular or smoked)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs (Italian style or similar)
- 460 grams Arborio rice (2 cups) or another kind of 'risotto' rice such as Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Baldo
- 750 ml chicken stock or 3 cups (= chicken broth USA)
- 125 ml wine (½ cup, white or red) or replace with more chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste concentrated (UK = sometimes called tomato puree)
- 170 grams frozen peas (1 cup)
To stir in at the end
- 30 grams spinach fresh or frozen (1 cup)
- 45 grams grated parmesan cheese (½ cup) plus a little extra to serve
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon (juice only - about 2 tablespoons) plus extra lemon wedges to serve if you like
- fresh parsley or basil (optional) for sprinkling over everyone's dish before serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/355F.
- In a large dutch oven, or other oven-safe pot/pan, pan-fry the chopped onion in a large drizzle of olive oil on a medium high heat until starting to soften.1 large onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chopped chicken pieces and cook and stir until browned all over (2 or 3 minutes).1 kilo skinless boneless chicken thighs
- Add the crushed garlic and then the chorizo, paprika, salt and pepper and dried herbs. Cook, stirring, for another minute or two.3 large cloves garlic, 150 grams chorizo, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs
- Add the rice and stir briefly until it all turns translucent.460 grams Arborio rice
- Finally, add the chicken stock and wine, concentrated tomato paste/puree and frozen peas. Give the pot a final good stir.750 ml chicken stock , 125 ml wine, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 170 grams frozen peas
- Bake the risotto (uncovered) for 40 to 45 minutes or until the rice is 'just cooked' (al dente). If the dish looks too dry toward the end of cooking, you can add a little more stock or water. Most of the liquid will be soaked up but there should still be some left in the pot.
- Stir through the spinach, parmesan, butter and lemon juice.30 grams spinach, 45 grams grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 lemon
- Serve immediately with extra parmesan and the fresh herbs (if using) and if you like lemon wedges on top.fresh parsley or basil (optional)
Notes
What pan to use: A large dutch oven style pot is perfect for this recipe. Otherwise, use any large stove-to-oven pan, such as an oven-safe saucepan with heat-proof handles. If you don't have anything like this, that's OK - simply use a large heavy pot or pan and then transfer everything to a large (preferably deep) baking dish to bake.
Chorizo: Use Spanish chorizo, not Mexican (two different things!). Look for Spanish style dark-colored chorizo sausage rather than the paler kind which tends to be less flavorsome. Also, I usually grab a whole sausage rather than the very thin pre-packaged slices.
Variations: You can use pancetta or even bacon instead of chorizo if you prefer, although the flavor of the risotto will be slightly different. Also feel free to add different vegetables such as frozen broccoli, fresh chopped asparagus or red peppers.
Storing and freezing: Store covered well or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure you cool and put in the fridge quickly. You can also freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Let defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat either in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or gently on the stove with a bit of extra liquid.
Idea for leftovers: Make arancini! Scoop up tablespoons of refrigerated risotto, push a small cube of mozzarella into the middle, then roll in first flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs. Shallow fry in plenty of olive oil on all sides until crispy. Enjoy dipped in store-bought marinara sauce!
Nutrition
Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1104IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 5mg
