Cheesy Chicken Risotto with Broccoli
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If you’re looking for a big ol’ bowl of comfort and a ridiculously delicious dinner idea, this chicken risotto recipe has you covered.
It’s filled to the brim with creamy risotto perfection, roasted broccoli bits, tender pieces of chicken and lots of yummy sharp cheddar cheese. It’s an all-in-one type meal and we can’t get enough of it!
Chicken risotto sounds like a fancy meal but in reality it’s really easy to make. It’s one of those meals you can make for a weeknight dinner but feels like a total restaurant quality dinner.
Our pantry is rarely seen without a bag of arborio on the shelf. We use it in this mushroom parmesan risotto and love making these arancini rice balls with it, too!
What to love about this risotto:
- It comes together pretty quickly once you have everything prepped!
- It’s mega-flavorful
- It’s totally decadent and comforting.
- You’ll feel so proud after making it. Trust me, you’ll only get better and better each time you make it with practice and lots of stirring, tasting, and stirring!
- It’s cozy and makes really yummy leftovers.
Table Talk with Tawnie
For me, this dish is more than just a meal; it’s a cozy hug in a bowl. I love how risotto transforms simple ingredients into something o yummy with just a little patience and stirring. It’s one of my go-to comfort meals to make and the whole family always loves it. Which is saying a lot when you don’t have to make separate meals for your kids! Perfectly cooked risotto, tender chicken, roasted broccoli, cheesy goodness – what’s not to love!? 😊 PS: feel free to leave out the chicken and use veggie broth for a vegetarian friendly option!
Ingredients you’ll need
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli, cut into small florets get roasted in the oven and then stirred into the risotto at the end. I love adding in roasted broccoli compared to steamed because it’s both crisp and tender and they’re just little irresistible bites of heaven.
- Arborio rice: It’s crucial to use arborio instead of long-grain rice such as basmati or jasmine. These varieties do not contain enough starch to achieve the creaminess we all adore about risotto. You can find arborio in most grocery stores in the grain section.
- Chicken: Boneless chicken breasts or thighs work great, but in a pinch, you can use a rotisserie chicken!
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Buy a block and grate the cheese fresh for the best flavor.
- Other ingredients needed: white onion or shallot, broth, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
How to Make Chicken Risotto
Don’t let the steps intimidate you. Once you have all the ingredients prepared and ready to cook, this recipe will fly by! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
Roast the broccoli
Season the broccoli and roast for 12-15 minutes at 425°F
Cook the chicken
Cook the chicken pieces and set aside. This recipe is great if you also have leftover chicken to use up! You can just stir in the leftovers at the end.
Make the arborio
Saute the onion and the add the arborio, gradually adding ladlefuls of warm broth. This process will take ~20-25 minutes for the arborio to cook.
Stir in the goodies
Stir in the broccoli, cheese, and chicken. Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired.
Serve!
Serve up this goodness straight away & enjoy!
Success Tips
- Use warm broth. Keep broth at a simmer in a saucepan. This will keep the temperature from dropping each time you add it to the rice. This process will help the rice absorb the liquid faster, resulting in a better texture.
- Stirring the rice frequently is key. Not constantly, but frequently. You can take 30-second breaks!? Stirring the rice continually will add air to the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey. Yet if you don’t stir enough, the rice will stick to the bottom and burn. It’s important to stir frequently because risotto’s creaminess comes from the starch generated when grains of rice rub against each other. So do stir often, but feel free to give your arms (and the rice) a break.
- The rice should be cooked at a medium high heat throughout the cooking because if you cook the rice on a low heat, it will never cook. But you also want to avoid extremely high flames and rapid boils.
- Don’t rinse the rice. Doing so will remove its sticky consistency. Washing the rice strips off the starch, which is the key element to maintaining that classic creamy texture. And we want creaminess!
- Toast the rice in the pan for a minute or two before adding the broth. We don’t want it to burn or become hard.
FAQ
Do I have to use Arborio rice to make risotto?
Arborio rice (risotto rice) is a preferred rice to use when making risotto. You can also use Carnaroli and Vialone nano rice if you can find it in stores, or order online. Arborio rice is a short-grain Italian rice that has a high starch content that imparts a creamy texture, and the thickness of the grain helps it stay intact during the cooking time. If you use a long grain rice such as basmati or jasmine, you’ll end up with a pilaf style dish instead.
Why does risotto take so long to make?
Risotto isn’t necessarily a hard dish to make, but it does take some time and your undivided attention for 20-25 minutes. It requires you to almost continually stir, and ladle in warm broth to release the rice’s natural starches to make the creamy, velvety risotto we all know and love.
Do you need to add wine in risotto?
Some recipes deglaze with wine, but this recipe doesn’t require that step.
Why is my risotto crunchy?
You may have needed to cook it longer – it’s perfect when it has a soft chew but not mushy or crunchy.
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Cheesy Chicken Risotto with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli, chopped into small florets (~4 cups)
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small 1-inch pieces
- 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
- 1 small white onion, minced (or 1 shallot, minced)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups arborio
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth, unsalted (or water*)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Roast the broccoli: In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Turn the broccoli over onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned around the edges. Set aside & turn the oven off.2 heads broccoli, chopped into small florets (~4 cups), 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Warm the broth: Pour the broth into a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to simmer, turn the heat down to low and simply keep it warm. (The warm broth helps to release the rice's starch and make it nice and creamy, so it's important to keep it warm).6 cups chicken stock or broth, unsalted (or water*)
- Cook the chicken: Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed straight-sided skillet. Once hot, add the cubed chicken pieces. Stir frequently so the chicken pieces don't stick. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, remove with a spoon onto a paper towel lined plate and set aside with the broccoli.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small 1-inch pieces, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Saute onions: Add 2 Tbsp. butter to the same pan, and allow to melt. Add onions and sweat the onions for ~5 minutes or until onions soften and become fragrant. Add in the garlic, thyme and more salt and pepper to taste. Stir.kosher salt and black pepper, to taste, 4 Tbsp. butter, divided, 1 small white onion, minced (or 1 shallot, minced), 5 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp. fresh thyme
- Ladle in the broth in increments: Add the arborio rice and stir until the grains look translucent, ~2 minutes. Add the broth slowly and in increments. Ladle about 1/3 cup of warm broth in at a time and stir frequently. Once the liquid has been mostly absorbed, continue to ladle in more warm broth and regularly stir. This gradual process is key to creamy, perfectly cooked risotto (see video for guidance).1 1/2 cups arborio
- Taste & Adjust: After about 20-25 minutes, taste the risotto. It should be al dente with still a little bite to it. If it's not quite there yet, keep adding broth and stirring. You may or may not use up all of the broth. You'll know the risotto is done when it's not too soupy, not too thick…but when it's creamy and not overly thick. If you run your spatula through the risotto, the risotto should flow slowly back to fill in the space. And of course, taste it! There should be a pleasant chew, on the soft side of al dente. Once it's perfect, add in the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and stir to combine.
- Add in cheese, chicken, and broccoli: Lastly, add in the shredded cheese, cubed chicken and roasted broccoli.1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Serve: Serve warm and enjoy!
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Sometimes concentrated chicken broth or chicken stock can mask the wonderful flavor arborio rice already has so using warm water is also fine.
- Prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking because once you start the arborio you can’t really walk away. Have the cheese grated, onion chopped, garlic minced, etc.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat, add in a little broth or water to make creamy again.
- Make with a rotisserie chicken for convenience, just cut into bite sized pieces and stir in at the end 🙂
- Omit the chicken for a meatless meal.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This recipe was published originally in March 2022 and was updated with new photos Feb. 2025. 📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table
May I use Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar?
that should be ok!
This is the most delicious risotto I have had.
So very tasty. I especially loved the roasted broccoli. It added so much flavour to the dish.
I am so glad! thank you 🙂
SO GOOD! I am a decent cook, but I’ve been scared to make risotto for some reason. The step-by-step recipe put my mind at ease though and now this will certainly be a staple in my house!
I had some left over white wine, so used 2 cups of that first before adding the stock, and swapped cheddar for fresh parm (child doesn’t like cheddar) and it was FAN-TASTIC! So easy, so quick! Thanks!
So glad you liked this one 🙂 thank you so much for leaving a review, I appreciate it!!
This recipe is very through and detailed. I had some left over broth but all in it turned out delicious. I seasoned it to my liking and doubled the servings to feed me and my significant other for the work week!
Yum! This was so yummy! I made some stock earlier in the week and had some leftover rotisserie chicken. We ate it next to a cozy fire.
I’ve made this 3 times now and it’s phenomenal!!
Aw yay!! I am soo glad thank you!! 🙂
It was really good! I would like to try it with asparagus instead of broccoli next time.
I did it with asparagus. Also very good
Amazing! Thank you so much Anne!