Description
This Chicken Soup Risotto is the ultimate mashup of 2 cozy season classics—ultra-creamy risotto meets soul-warming chicken soup.
Arborio rice slowly soaks up a rich, brothy base, loaded with tender shredded chicken and hearty vegetables for that nostalgic, homemade flavor. And the best part? A fuss-free, no-stir method makes it totally hands-off—low-effort comfort food heaven!
An easy one-pot recipe, ready in 45 minutes or less!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- 3 carrots, peeled as desired and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup dry, unoaked white wine
- ¾ ounce fresh “poultry herbs” (approx. 2 sprigs rosemary, 10-12 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs sage), tied together with kitchen twine or removed from the stem and finely chopped
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 5-6 cups chicken stock/broth, divided
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Place the chicken in the pot. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until seared with a golden-brown crust. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Soften the aromatics: In the same pot used to brown the chicken, add 1 tablespoon butter and the celery, carrots, and onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer, until fragrant.
- Toast the rice: Stir the arborio rice into the pot with the softened aromatics. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until toasted.
- Deglaze the pot by slowly pouring in the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer 1-2 minutes, until the wine is nearly cooked off.
- Simmer the risotto: Tie the fresh herbs together with kitchen twine, then add to the pot with the bay leaf, parmesan rind, and 3-4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Nestle the chicken back in the pot, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Finish the risotto: After 20 minutes, the risotto and vegetables should be tender. Remove the spent herbs and chicken from the pot. Shred the chicken and return to the pot with the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and 4 tablespoons butter. Stir to combine well. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve immediately, topping with chopped fresh parsley and lots of cracked pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Wine: The white wine adds complexity to this chicken soup risotto despite its simple ingredient list and short simmer time. Dry, unoaked white wines like Pinot Grigio work best. Wine substitutes ⇢ If you don’t have white wine on hand, dry vermouth is a great alternative. Prefer not to cook with alcohol? Substitute with an equal amount of chicken stock or broth, plus a splash of apple cider vinegar for acidity.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this chicken soup risotto comes from chopping the vegetables. Prep them in advance and you can jump straight in to cooking during the week: Dice 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, and 1 yellow onions and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Storage and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: This chicken soup risotto stores beautifully and its flavor improves over time. Once cooled, store the stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, adding an extra splash of chicken stock as needed to loosen it up.
- Freezer Instructions: This risotto is freezer-friendly too. Once cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or divide between multiple freezer containers, like Souper Cubes, for smaller portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, refrigerate overnight or submerge the container in room temperature water for faster thawing. Reheat on the stovetop for best results.