Creamy Chicken and Pea Risotto, one of my favourite Italian dishes that can be served in under 30 minutes. Comforting, delicious, this is one of those dinner recipes that the whole family can enjoy. Quick and easy to make, and healthy too, this chicken risotto makes a fantastic midweek meal with very little money.
Risotto sounds like a posh word, but it's just a lovely Italian dish that sums up what homemade comfort food is all about. And with such an amazing combo of chicken peas and rice you can never go wrong. You cook the rice slowly on a low heat so that it can become creamy and have the perfect texture. Whether you add alcohol or not, this homemade risotto tastes amazing every single time.
And that's what makes this dish so delicious, it's not one to be rushes, just add the stock and done. Its creamy texture can only be achieved by slowly adding the stock so that the rice grain cooks perfectly well.
Otherwise we just get a rice dish that is not risotto. In texture, risotto is pretty similar to our Romanian Pilaf, with the big difference being that the cooking technique is pretty different.
Risotto is so versatile, it can be made with endless ingredients to cater for all sorts of tastes and lifestyles. My Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan is vegetarian, but you can make risotto vegan or pescatarian too.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients needed to make creamy chicken and pea risotto
- Arborio rice - a must for risotto, as this rice becomes creamy, while still holds its shape well
- chicken stock - or any other stock/broth of your choice
- onion - it can be either yellow or red onion, or shallots
- olive oil - or any other oil of your choice
- a knob of butter - it adds a subtle flavour to the risotto
- frozen peas - cooked before adding them to the risotto
- chicken breast - or other chicken pieces, cut into cubes
- salt & black pepper
- grated parmesan cheese
- lemon juice
- fresh parsley - to garnish
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Step-by-step photos and instructions
We do need to stir continuously, to make sure the rice cooks properly, and we get the creamy texture a good risotto should have.
- First, we need need to cook the chicken: season it well with salt and pepper, add to a pan with oil, and fry gently until cooked through.
- Set aside, then add the butter and chopped onion to the same pan, and cook until it softens
- Then add the rice, and stir for one minute, so that the rice becomes translucent.
- Add the chicken stock, one ladleful at the time, stirring well until all the liquid evaporates before adding more stock.
- Once it's all cooked, add the chicken, cooked peas, parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Expert tips
Stirring the risotto constantly is a must in order to achieve the creamy consistency a risotto is known for, otherwise the rice will stick to the pan, and it will be rather lumpy.
I did not use white wine to make this risotto, but if you wish to add some, do so after you added the rice. Leave the alcohol to evaporate completely, before starting to add the broth.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can use any leftover chicken you have, or even rotisserie chicken. That will only bring the cooking time down. You can just follow all the steps, and add the chicken in the end with the peas and parmesan.
I actually don't use alcohol at all in my risottos, and they always turn out perfectly. The wine may add more flavour, but cooking without it is no big problem.
I'm not actually a big fan of alcohol in general, so I don't really go out of my way to buy it only for cooking. But, if you do want to add some, it can be added just after the rice is in, and let it cook before adding any chicken broth.
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Creamy Chicken and Pea Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- a knob of butter
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- fresh parsley
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Instructions
- Dice the chicken breast, season well with salt and pepper and add one tablespoon of oil to a frying pan.
- Fry the chicken until tender and cooked through. Remove from the heat, add a splash of lemon juice and set aside.
- Chop the onion and add the remaining oil and butter to a pan. Fry the onion until golden, then add the rice and stir for 1 minute on a medium heat.
- Next, start adding the chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Once the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle of stock until it is all used up.At this stage, the rice is creamy and cooked through.
- Separately, boil the frozen peas in salted water for 10-15 minutes. Drain the water and set aside.
- Add the peas, chicken, parmesan, season with salt, pepper and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
- Click on the US Customary link to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.
- The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.
- Stirring the risotto constantly is a must in order to achieve the creamy consistency a risotto is known for, otherwise the rice will stick to the pan, and it will be rather lumpy.
- I did not use white wine to make this risotto, but if you wish to add some, do so after you added the rice. Leave the alcohol to evaporate completely, before starting to add the broth.
Nutrition
Nikkk says
Could sugar snap peas be used instead of peas
Daniela Apostol says
Sure, that would work too.
Sheri says
I just made this recipe. The only changes I made were that I added carrots instead of peas. We don't like peas. I also added minced garlic. I am daily free, so did not use butter. Just added a little more olive oil at the end. Delish and easy! Thank you! 😋
Daniela Apostol says
I am glad you enjoyed the dish!
Clare Williams says
Amazing! Really easy and taste great. I added some garlic when cooking the onions. Definitely make this again. One of my favourite recipes
Daniela Apostol says
Thank you for your feedback, I am glad you enjoyed it!
ChefBarnett says
Unless you want pea-mush, do NOT cook frozen peas for "12-14 minutes". Just fold the frozen peas in during the last few minutes of cooking.
Daniela Apostol says
Frozen peas do not become mushy after cooking for that long.
Bronwyn says
Been making this for some years now. It's great. I swear first time I made it though it use to have milk added in at the end?? I add in the lemon rind to mine. Though a time consuming meal especially when you're a single māmā to a toddler.
Daniela Apostol says
I know how it feels! As a mum of 3, cooking can be pretty hard when you have to juggle so many things at the same time! My youngest is only 18 months old, and he can be quite a handful at times! I am glad that you love the risotto, it really is worth the effort! I don't think the recipe called for milk, although you can add a splash if you like it creamier.
youthfoodblog says
Hearty and yum!
Daniela Anderson says
You are kind, thank you!
Lina says
I love risotto! Such a lovely recipe!?
Daniela Anderson says
Thank you, Lina!