Chicken and Chorizo Risotto

Save this recipe for later!

A really simple, family-friendly risotto is great. This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto Recipe is easy, tasty and filling. An awesome family dinner.

I always think people can be a bit snobby about risotto. There are so many “rules” that you have to stick to. 

There’s really no need. I share my tips below, but really, it’s about making something that your family will enjoy.

If they don’t like the “bite” that I recommend, cook it for longer and make it mushy. 

Cook a meal that your kids will eat and enjoy, and forget about making the perfect risotto.

This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto Recipe is one of my favourite easy meals. 

Yes, risotto can be easy, and it can be a great family dinner.

Making Risotto without Cream

Most risotto recipes include at least a splash of cream. 

I actually tend not to. I don’t add cream to my Sausage Risotto either.

You get plenty of creaminess from the rice, and I just don’t think this Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto needs cream. 

You can, of course, add a splash at the end of cooking with the parmesan if you’d prefer. 

Making a Family-Friendly Risotto

I include 150ml of white wine in my risotto with chicken and chorizo. But you don’t have to.

If you prefer just start adding the stock when I add the wine. 

For a family-friendly risotto, I just try to keep things simple.

If your kids don’t like spice, miss the Cayenne Pepper and make sure you get a mild chorizo. 

Adding Veg to Risotto

I make my Risotto with frozen veg. 

For this chicken and chorizo risotto, I just add frozen peas. 

You could also add some frozen sweetcorn or spinach if you wanted to.

Can You Freeze Chicken and Chorizo Risotto?

Yes, you can freeze a chicken chorizo risotto. Just cool it quickly by removing it from the pan and placing it in a tub.

Then, seal when it’s cool and place in the freezer. 

You can also keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

Thaw slowly in the fridge, and warm up gradually in a pan with a splash of water to stop it from drying out. 

Make sure the chicken and the rice is piping hot before serving, adding more water or stock if you need to along the way. 

You can also make Risotto with Frozen Chicken. 

I often do because we tend to have some in the freezer. 

I cook my chicken in the oven with a pinch of salt and pepper beforehand and just add it to the chorizo risotto at the end, before the parmesan. 

Why Does My Risotto Take So Long to Cook?

A good risotto should be cooked but still with a bit of a bite.

It shouldn’t be hard, but nor should it be mussy like rice pudding. 

It shouldn’t be wet as such, but nor should it be dry. Ideally, you want to be able to run your spatula down the middle and leave an empty patch that slowly fills itself. Kinda sticky. 

It should also be creamy. 

All these things are why risotto is often known as the “death dish”. It can be hard to get right. 

For me, the problem was always getting that slightly firm, al dente texture without it taking absolutely ages to get through the “so hard you can’t bite it at all” phase.

I remember once spending about an hour and 3litres of stock trying to get my rice to soften. 

If your risotto rice is still too hard, it needs to cook for longer. But if it’s taking far too long, there might be another issue. 

The two things that I find key are using a big enough pan so that the rice is in a fairly thin layer and not over-stirring. 

Yes, you want to stir your risotto to get a creamy texture and taste.

You don’t need to be militant about it. You don’t need to give yourself an armache.

As the rice expands, it’s got room to move as it simmers. It agitates itself, grain against grain.

So stir often to help it along and certainly to stop it catching to the pan, but you don’t need to stir constantly. 

Your risotto should be ready in around 20-30 minutes, and a litre of stock is usually enough.

Taste after 20 minutes, and then after every ladle, then on.

Don’t worry if you need a bit less or a bit more stock. 

How Difficult is Risotto?

Honestly, not at all. 

As long as you’re not a risotto snob about it. Keep your stock warm, add a ladle at a time, mix often, and stop when the rice is soft but not mushy and neither too dry nor soupy. 

Easy!

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also want to try my Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya and my Chicken and Chorizo Pie.

Chicken and Chorizo Risotto

Author NameAuthor: Donna

A really simple family-friendly risotto is great. This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto Recipe is easy, tasty and filling. An awesome family dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine British

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 724 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
• 3 Chicken Breasts (Diced)
• Pinch Salt and pepper
• 200 g Chorizo (Thinly Sliced)
• 1 Red Onion (diced)
• 3 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 300 g Arborio Rice
• 150 ml White Wine
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Litre Chicken Stock (I make with 2 stock cubes)
• 150 g Frozen Peas
• 50 g Parmesan (+ Extra to Serve)

Instructions

 

• Make the Stock to packet instructions in a large saucepan, and keep warm on a very low heat on the hob.
• Warm the oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the chicken breasts with a pinch of salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes to brown.
• Remove from the pan and set to one side.
• In the same pan fry the chorizo for 2-3 minutes until it’s released lots of oil.
• Add the onions and garlic and fry for 5minutes until soft.
• Add the rice and stir until coated in oils from the chorizo.
• Stir in the wine, cayenne pepper and oregano and add the browned chicken breasts.
• Simmer for a minute or two, stirring often until the wine has been absorbed.
• Add the peas.
• Add one ladle of stock at a time, stirring regularly, adding the next ladle when it’s been absorbed.
• Do this for 20 minutes.
• Taste to see if the rice is soft enough for you, and add more stock if you need to.
• Once cooked stir through the parmesan and serve.

Notes

• You may need a little more or less stock to cook the rice to the texture that you prefer, it may also take longer than 20 minutes.
• Skip the cayenne if you don’t want it as spicy.
• Skip the wine and just add a ladle of stock instead if you prefer.
• Risotto shouldn’t be dry, or soupy. I cook until the rice is al dente, with a bite and not mushy, and you can leave an empty groove in the pan if you scrape the bottom with your spatula.
• Stir often but not constantly, let the rice move a little on its own.
• Using a large pan, so that your rice is in a thin layer will help it to cook faster.

Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.

Keyword easy risotto recipe, risotto

Save this recipe for later!