This one-pot recipe for oven-baked chicken risotto will easily become a new family favorite meal. This no-stir method is the easiest way to make risotto and the flavor is out of this world!
Picture this: you are sitting at a fancy restaurant (kid-free). You order off the menu and enjoy the creamiest, most flavorful risotto along with a glass of fine wine. If you've heard anything about risotto, you know that it often requires a lot of attention to make and you truly savor this special treat on your night on the town.
Okay, back to reality. We all can dream, right? Reality is that on busy weeknights with three busy girls, I just want to get dinner on the table that's easy as well as delicious.
What if I told you that you can make risotto at home without standing over the stove the entire time? This chicken risotto is a flavorful comfort meal that can be enjoyed as a weeknight meal or be served at your next dinner party!
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Ingredient Notes
Here are a few helpful tips on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs - I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs because they don't dry out as easily as breasts (and they're cheaper!).
- Seasonings - Salt and lemon pepper give the chicken a peppery, zesty flavor.
- White wine - They say to cook with a wine you'd drink, but I'm not a huge wine drinker. I typically have a bottle of white cooking wine from the grocery store in my fridge for recipes like this. Otherwise a dry pinot Grigio, sauvignon blanc or a chardonnay would work well. It gives the recipe a hint of acidity and enhances the flavor of the dish.
- Arborio rice - A short grain Italian rice that has a high starch content making it perfect for dishes like creamy risotto
- Chicken broth - Store-bought or homemade
- Milk - Whatever kind you have on hand. Adding it will help with the creaminess of the risotto.
- Parmesan cheese - Melts into the risotto for a rich, flavorful and cheesy finish!
- Peas - Frozen peas actually work best. Adding them during the last few minutes of cooking ensures they don't get mushy.
How to Make Baked Chicken Risotto
Traditional risotto requires a good amount of time standing at the stove stirring it while the liquid absorbs, and then you add some more. While delicious, I wanted to find a way to recreate this dish as an easy baked version that's perfect for a busy weeknight!
Prep - Season the chicken with salt & lemon pepper. Get your oven proof skillet, Dutch oven or braiser nice and hot and brown the chicken until it has some nice color (it doesn't have to be fully cooked at this point). Move the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Next, sauté the onion and garlic.
At this point, there will be a bunch of yummy goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan from the browning of the chicken and the flavor of the onion and garlic. This is all flavor!
When you add the white wine to the pan, the liquid hitting the hot pan will deglaze the pan and release all those yummy bits back into the dish. And don't worry, the alcohol will all cook off.
No wine? No problem! - Feel free to substitute more chicken broth in place of the wine if you don't have any or prefer not to use.
Add the rice. Sauté the mixture for a couple minutes until the rice just begins to turn translucent. Add the chicken broth and chicken chunks back in and bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and move to the oven. No more standing over the stove!
Bake - Bake the risotto for 30 minutes covered.
Finish - To finish the risotto add milk, parmesan cheese and frozen peas. Bake the risotto for another 10 minutes to heat everything through and allow the rest of the liquid to absorb.
Serving Tips
The risotto is best served right out of the oven. A dish like this really doesn't require any side dishes as it already includes a protein, grain and vegetable although a simple garden salad would be a nice addition.
I always like to top my risotto with some extra parmesan cheese and a dash of black pepper.
Recipe Variations
Chicken - Use chicken breasts instead!
Rice - Arborio rice is typically a common ingredient found in most grocery stores, but if you can't find it there are some alternatives. These substitutes will work, but none will be able to quite duplicate the creamy, plump arborio rice.
Common substitute suggestions:
- Sushi rice
- Basmati rice
- Pearled barley
- Farro
Check out some other Arborio alternatives here. Please note that the cooking time may need to be adjusted if using one of these substitutes.
Cheese - Use pecorino romano, gruyere or fontina instead of parmesan. Dairy-free cheese (& milk) could be used to make this recipe dairy-free.
Peas - Use asparagus pieces, diced zucchini, sautéed mushrooms or broccoli florets instead!
FAQ
A dutch oven, braiser or other oven safe skillet with cover will work for this recipe. Just be sure the handle and cover are ovenproof so it can go right from the stove to oven. Pans like these are heavy-bottomed and can withstand high heat and maintain heat evenly.
If the risotto is still crunchy, it needs more time to cook. Add more chicken broth and continue cooking until tender.
Other Main Dishes You'll Love
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📖Recipe
Oven-Baked Chicken Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 # chicken thighs boneless skinless, cut into 1" chunks
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt & lemon pepper. Add to the Dutch oven and brown 4-5 minutes until the chicken has some nice color (doesn't have to be fully cooked). Remove chicken from the pan.1 # chicken thighs, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. lemon pepper
- Add another 1 tbsp. olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add white wine and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan.1 cup yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup white wine
- Add arborio rice and stir frequently until the rice just begins to turn translucent, 1-2 minutes.1 ½ cups arborio rice
- Stir in chicken broth and add the chicken pieces. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.4 cups chicken broth
- Stir in milk, parmesan and peas. Place back in the oven uncovered for another 10 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.½ cup milk, ½ cup parmesan cheese, 1 cup frozen peas
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