Cheesy Chicken Risotto with Broccoli

risotto with broccoli in a large saute pan

Cheesy Chicken Risotto with Broccoli

This Chicken Risotto will be your new favorite all-in-one dinner. It's filled with velvety risotto, juicy chicken, sharp cheddar cheese and lots of roasted broccoli.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easydinner, risotto

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 642kcal

Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Equipment

Cast Iron

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

US Customary - Metric

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.
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!)
6 cups chicken stock or broth, unsalted (or water*)
Cook the chicken: Heat remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or in 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
Make the arborio: Add 2 Tbsp. butter to the same pan, and allow to melt. Add in the onions and sweat onions for ~5 minutes or until onions soften and become fragrant. Add in the garlic, thyme and more salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Add in the arborio rice and stir until the grains look translucent, ~2 minutes.
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, 1 1/2 cups arborio
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).
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, keeping 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.
Lastly, add in the shredded cheese, cubed chicken and roasted broccoli. Stir to combine and serve warm.
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

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