Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
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Elevate your dinner with this chicken and chorizo risotto dish. It’s a comfort meal that is worth the time and effort. Made with a deliciously creamy consistency and flavourful, crispy chorizo bits, this one-pan meal is a top choice during the week.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
One-pan meal: I love making this chicken and chorizo risotto because it offers easy cleanup since it’s created in one pan.
Perfect comfort food: Creamy, decadent, and slightly spicy from the chorizo sausage, it’s the perfect meal for cold or chilly weather.
Full of flavor: The chorizo, parmesan, aromatics, and tomatoes help create a burst of flavour in every bite.
What is risotto?
Risotto is a delicious dish from Italy made by slowly cooking it with stock and seasoning. The rice releases its starch as it cooks, creating a creamy consistency. When ready, you have a cosy bowl of creamy yet al-dente rice. It’s a versatile dish; you can add everything from cheese to tomatoes and more (like in this chicken and chorizo risotto dish).
Risotto rice vs. regular rice: Risotto is a recipe that needs rice that has more starch, like arborio or carnaroli. This extra starch helps create its famously rich consistency. Regular rice, like basmati, doesn’t have enough starch to produce the same consistency.
Why do you do one ladle of liquid at a time? Like this chicken chorizo risotto, it’s best to add the liquid one ladle at a time. This method helps the rice absorb the delicious flavours and liquid even more, creating a delicious dish.
How long does it take to cook risotto? It will take about 20 minutes to cook the risotto to the correct consistency.
How do you know when risotto is finished cooking? You can tell it’s done when it has a creamy consistency. It should not be overly thick, either. Another way to tell when risotto is done is with a taste test. The rice will be soft yet have a slight al dente bite.
Here are some other tasty recipes for you to try: Vegetable Paella, Slow Cooker White Bean Stew with Crispy Bacon and The Best Turkey Sandwich in 10 minutes!
Ingredients
Chorizo – I use cooked chorizo for this chicken and chorizo risotto. However, you can also use raw chorizo crumbles. Before adding them to the recipe, ensure you pan-fry them first so they are cooked and crispy.
Parmesan – Other types of cheese also work well with this chicken and chorizo risotto recipe. For example, you can use asiago for a bolder flavour. Pecorino and sharp cheddar also work well.
Chives – Adding chives adds a burst of colour and a fresh flavour. Other fresh herbs are great in this recipe, like fresh parsley and basil. Remember to add them on last, so they don’t get wilty.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Chicken and chorizo risotto recipes are great because you can easily adjust them to your flavour preferences. Try these variations next time you make chicken and chorizo risotto.
Add veggies: Adding some yummy veggies can make this recipe a bit healthier and more filling. I recommend options like peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, and frozen peas. Pan-fry/cook the veggies first before adding them to the risotto.
Sub chorizo for a different type of sausage or bacon: If chorizo isn’t your cup of tea, try other options like bacon, sausage, or pancetta. Remember to cook/crisp up the protein first before adding it.
Add shrimp: Turn this yummy chorizo risotto recipe into a seafood dish by topping it with cooked shrimp.
Use leftover chicken: If you don’t have time to pre-cook the chicken, you can make this recipe quickly using leftover roast chicken from earlier in the week. Or, grab a rotisserie chicken and chop it up before adding it to the risotto.
Give it a kick of spice: Turn up the heat on this chicken risotto recipe by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper. Add this spice in while the risotto is cooking, ensuring you start with a small amount so it’s not overly spicy.
Add butter for more creaminess: You can make this dish even more decadent by adding butter. Use unsalted butter to avoid an overly salty recipe.
To add a starter to this recipe, try some Warming Soup Recipes
How to make chicken and chorizo risotto
- Start by finely chopping the onions and slice the chorizo into bite size pieces (Image 1).
- To a large pan, add the chorizo along with the olive oil. Gently fry over a low heat for around 6 minutes, allowing the fat to render and the chorizo to crisp up (Image 2).
3. Next, remove ⅓ of the crispy chorizo and set aside. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Gently fry over a medium heat for around 4 minutes,, stirring frequently (Image 3).
4. Then add the tomato puree and continue to fry for a further 3 minutes and add the garlic to fry for the last minute (Image 4).
5. Once the tomato paste has darkened in colour, add the arborio rice into the pan and stir to coat. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar/water to mix, then add 2 ladles of chicken stock. Stir frequently (Image 5).
6. Place the seasoned chicken thighs into the airfryer and cook for 10 minutes, before turning over and cooking for a further 10 minutes. Then set the chicken aside to cool before slicing (Image 6).
When the stock has fully absorbed, add another 2 ladles of chicken stock. Continue this process, until you have around 150ml of stock left.
7. After around 20 minutes of cook time/when you have 150ml of stock left, add the spinach, cooked chicken thighs, parmesan and cream. Stir to combine and slowly pour in the remaining stock (Image 7).
8. When the spinach has wilted and the risotto is fully cooked, top with fresh chives and the crispy chorizo. Serve up and enjoy! (Image 8).
Tips and Tricks for best results
Remember to toast the rice before adding any liquid. This extra step adds quite a bit of flavour to the chicken and chorizo risotto. Additionally, toasting the rice means it will hold up better as you cook it, so it doesn’t become mush.
Don’t add too much salt at the beginning since parmesan and chorizo are both salty. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to reduce the salt of a recipe. While there are some ingredients you can add to help balance out the salt levels, there’s no way to remove the salt. Ensure you season the salt sparingly in this recipe.
If you taste it at the end and it’s not salty enough, you can add more.
Here are a few yummy rice recipes to enjoy this week: Beef Keema (Mince Curry), Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk and Creamy Tuscan Inspired Rigatoni with Pork Mince
How to store leftovers
Risotto (including this chicken and chorizo risotto) has the best consistency when freshly made. So, I recommend halving the recipe if needed. As risotto sits, it gets thicker. It will still taste delicious when reheated but won’t be quite as good as if you eat it fresh.
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool fully. Then, pack the risotto in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It should be good for up to three days. For the best results, leave the chorizo and chives off the leftovers. Then, add them on top after reheating the risotto.
Make ahead instructions
The key to turning this chicken and chorizo risotto into a make-ahead recipe is by par-cooking the rice. Follow the directions noted below, but remove the rice from the stove when it’s about 75% cooked. Spread the rice in a wide container, then allow it to cool fully. Once cooled, you can keep the risotto in the fridge for up to one week. When you’re ready to continue making the creamy chorizo risotto, add a ladle of broth and the rice to a pan and cook it until it’s creamy.
You can also prep the chicken by cooking it beforehand, but I don’t recommend cooking it more than about a day or so in advance so it’s still fresh when you’re assembling the dish.
Reheat instructions
The best way to reheat chicken and chorizo risotto is by adding it to a pot on the stove. Put a small amount of broth in the pot and cook it over low heat until it’s creamy again. Alternatively add a little water and place the risotto in the microwave for a few minutes until heated throughout.
FAQs
The best part about risotto is that it tastes good with many types of meat. You can add sausage, chorizo, chicken, scallops, shrimp, etc.
No, you do not pre-cook risotto rice. It will cook over the heat as you slowly add in the liquid.
There are a few tricks that will help with cooking chorizo risotto recipes. For one, it’s best to use warm broth. It’s also necessary to use the correct type of rice (like arborio). Avoid stirring the dish too often while it cooks, or it will break up the rice.
The most common mistake made with recipes like this chicken and chorizo risotto is overcooking the dish. Ensure the rice is still al dente when you remove it from the heat.
Since risotto is typically eaten as a main dish, many Italians will eat veggies on the side. Or, you may see a plate with meat on the side.
Chicken or veggie stock is best for risotto, as they have a lighter flavour. These types of broth allow the aromatics and other ingredients to shine through.
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Chicken and Chorizo recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
Ingredients
- 110 g chorizo, sliced into semi circles (£2.50/2)=(£1.25)
- 1 white onion, finely diced (£0.10)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 8 tbsp tomato puree (£0.60)
- 500 g arborio rice (£2.40)
- 50 g parmesan, finely grated (£1.85/2)=(£0.92)
- 70 ml cream (£1.15/2)=(£0.58)
- 500 g chicken thighs, cooked (£3.30/2)=(£1.65)
- 75 g spinach (£1.00/2)=(£0.50)
- Fresh chives, finely chopped (£0.60)
Cupboard essentials
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.2- 1.5 litres stock
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar + 3 tbsp of water
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- To a large pan, add the chorizo along with the olive oil. Gently fry over a low heat for around 6 minutes, allowing the fat to render and the chorizo to crisp up.
- Next, remove ⅓ of the crispy chorizo and set aside. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Gently fry over a medium heat for around 4 minutes,, stirring frequently. Then add the tomato puree and continue to fry for a further 3 minutes and add the garlic to fry for the last minute..
- Once the tomato paste has darkened in colour, add the arborio rice into the pan and stir to coat. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar/water to mix, then add 2 ladles of chicken stock. Stir frequently.
- When the stock has fully absorbed, add another 2 ladles of chicken stock. Continue this process, until you have around 150ml of stock left.
- After around 20 minutes of cook time/ when you have 150ml of stock left, add the spinach, cooked chicken thighs, parmesan and cream. Stir to combine and slowly pour in the remaining stock.
- When the spinach has wilted and the risotto is fully cooked, top with fresh chives and the crispy chorizo. Season to taste, serve up and enjoy!
Notes
- Toasting the rice before adding liquid enhances the flavour and ensures a firmer texture in the chicken and chorizo risotto, preventing it from becoming mushy during cooking.
- Don't add to much salt to this recipe, as parmesan and chorizo already contribute saltiness; add sparingly initially, and adjust at the end if needed, as salt cannot be removed once added.
Nutrition
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