Name: Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 100 g chorizo (cut into small cubes); 1 chicken breast (cut into small pieces); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 brown onion (finely chopped); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 150 g risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli); 800 ml chicken stock; 100 g garden peas (frozen or fresh); 50 g parmesan cheese (finely grated)

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This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto is a delicious and easy one-pan recipe that combines the classic Italian rice dish with the bold flavours of Spanish chorizo and tender chicken. With the addition of garden peas, this risotto is not only flavorful but also nutritious. This recipe is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or a cosy meal with friends and family. Best of all, this recipe only requires one pan, making clean-up a breeze. With just a few simple steps, you can enjoy a creamy, comforting risotto that is sure to become a new favourite in your recipe collection.

Chicken and Chorizo Risotto in a black textured bowl.

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Ingredients and Substitutes

This Easy Chicken and Chorizo risotto recipe will only require 8 simple ingredients plus some salt and black pepper so season the dish.

chorizo sausage: use good quality Spanish chorizo (both mild and spicy types will work great).
chicken breast: we use raw skinless boneless chicken breasts in this risotto. But if you have some cooked leftover chicken, you can simply stir it in at the end and save some cooking time (rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, or shredded baked chicken breasts will do great here). You can also replace breasts with boneless skinless chicken thighs but note that they take longer to cook.
olive oil.
brown onion: can be replaced with shallots or red onion.
garlic cloves: can be replaced with garlic powder, but we highly recommend using fresh garlic, if you can.
risotto rice: use carnaroli or arborio rice – more about rice in the section below.
chicken stock or chicken broth: can be replaced with vegetable stock.
garden peas, petit pois or sweet green peas. If you’re using frozen peas, make sure to defrost them first, as adding them frozen will water down the risotto and it will lose some of its creamy texture.
parmesan cheese: finely grated.

Ingredients for Chicken Chorizo risotto on a gray surface.

And if you are looking for some fresh herbs to top your risotto with, snipped chive and fresh parsley work very well. Alternatively, add some thinly sliced spring onion.

Can You Really Make Risotto Without Wine?

Absolutely! Whilst wine improved the depth of flavour of your risottos, this Chicken and Chorizo Risotto tastes great without it! But if you have one of the two ingredients below, add it to the recipe to give it a little lift, and recreate some of the flavours of the wine without the price tag attached:

Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to your rice after toasting, before adding the stock.
Add 1 tablespoon of white wine or cider vinegar to your stock.

What is A Secret To Creamy Risotto?

We think there are FOUR main secrets to a good risotto. And the secrets lie with the rice and the stock!

Rice for Risotto: Risotto rice needs to be short, starchy and able to withstand long cooking time. Some of the widely available varieties are Arborio and Carnaroli rice (and out of the two, we prefer Carnaroli). Both types of rice are perfect for slow long cooking, letting the rice infuse with all the flavours of stock without losing their shape.
Toast the Rice: toasting the rice in a large pan before adding any stock is an important step in any risotto preparation. The process seals the surface of the rice, helping it preserve its shape and retain the typical al dente texture.
Keep the Stock Hot: Put your stock in a pan and keep it on low heat. This ensures an even cooking temperature. If your stock cools down, it will prolong the cooking time and your rice may become soggy in the process.
Add Stock Little By Little: Not adding all the stock at the same time allows the rice to release its starch at a slow rate, making the risotto creamy. Another advantage of adding the stock gradually is being able to control how much of the stock is actually needed before the rice is cooked.

Step-By-Step Method

Place chorizo cubes into a large frying pan (no need to add oil). Set it over medium-high heat and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until crispy and deep golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, move the chorizo onto a plate lined with a paper towel, leaving any fat in the pan.

Add the chicken pieces into the pan with chorizo oil (add a tablespoon of olive oil if the pan is looking dry. Cook the chicken on all sides, until just cooked through (about 6-7 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces). Scoop the chicken into a bowl, cover and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.

Add the rice and garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until the rice is coated in the oil and starting to turn translucent.

Pour in the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed by the rice.

Once all the chicken stock has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is almost cooked (but retains a little bite), stir in the peas and the cooked chicken. And stir for a minute to warm through.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the risotto between bowls and top with crispy chorizo and extra parmesan.

TOP TIP: If you want to make this Chicken and Chorizo Risotto quicker, you can cook your risotto in one pan, whilst cooking chorizo and chicken in the other pan simultaneously.

Chicken and chorizo risotto with garmesan and parsley on top.

What To Serve Chicken Chorizo Risotto With?

This risotto is filling, so you may only need a nice green salad, roasted cherry tomatoes, courgette ribbon side salad or tenderstem broccoli to go with it. But if you are feeding the whole family and they are extra hungry, serve this Chorizo and Chicken Risotto recipe with some crusty bread.

Other Easy Risotto Recipes

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