Chicken and Chorizo Risotto (Easy Recipe)

This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto is a delicious and easy one-pot meal that combines the classic Italian rice dish with the bold flavours of Spanish chorizo and tender chicken. With the addition of garden peas, this paella-style risotto is not only flavorful but also nutritious. Perfect for quick and easy weeknight dinners or a cosy dinner party with friends and family, 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.

The two main ingredients in this recipe pair so well together, that we often use them in other recipes, like Chicken and Chorizo Pasta or as pizza toppings! If you are a fan of chorizo sausage, try some other recipes, like Chorizo Quiche With Tomatoes or Huevos Rancheros With Chorizo!

Jump to:

• Ingredients and Substitutes
• What is A Secret To Creamy Risotto?
• Step-By-Step Method
• What To Serve Chicken Chorizo Risotto With?
• Storage and Reheating
• Reader Review
• Other Easy Risotto Recipes
• Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto

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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 to season the dish (quantities can be found in the recipe card below).

• 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: 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: or 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 you will lose some of the creamy texture of the dish. Add a small diced red bell pepper too, if you have one!
• parmesan cheese: finely grated.

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.

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 process. 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 and have the right texture when cooked, 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.

Read all about how to make a perfect risotto here, especially if it's your first time making it!

Step-By-Step Method

1. Place chorizo cubes into a large skillet (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.

2. 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.

3. Heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.

4. Add the rice and garlic to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan until the rice is coated in the oil and starting to turn translucent.

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

6. 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. Stir for a minute to warm through.

7. 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.

EXPERT 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.

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.

Storage and Reheating

The best way to enjoy risotto is when it is freshly cooked and the rice is al dente. However, if you have leftovers, let them cool down to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The best way to reheat it is in a microwave, stirring halfway through or in a wide pan with a little water, until piping hot!

Other Easy Risotto Recipes

Looking for another great recipe for weeknight dinners and special occasions? Here are our favourites:

• Smoked Salmon Risotto
• Savoy Cabbage Risotto With Bacon
• Creamy Apple Risotto With Bacon
• Prawn and Chorizo Risotto
• Mushroom and Spinach Risotto
• Risotto Verde