Creamy Chicken Risotto with Mushrooms

This creamy chicken risotto with mushrooms follows a traditional method and provides you with a bowl of goodness that will comfort you no matter how hard was your day.

Many people believe that making risotto is too much work, but I personally find stirring it soothing. Plus, there's white wine involved, and who says it all has to go in the pot?

This creamy chicken and mushroom risotto is my go-to recipe when I feel a bit down and when I'm sick, too. Some people want soup when they're sick, I want risotto and I'm not apologising for it.

You'll find that this easy risotto recipe is so versatile is also work perfectly well for date night. There's basically no wrong reason to crave this bowl of creamy goodness.

Risotto is a work of love and you'll find that everyone has a slightly different take on it. I have a couple of different recipes that I make myself, but this one is very close to my heart not only because it's super tasty, but also because it's the first risotto I ever made, back when I was a student.

Since then, I modified the recipe until I found the quantities that yield perfect results every time. Sometimes I add carrots to it, which you can do, but to be honest it's perfect as is.

What do you need to make this creamy risotto recipe?

To make the risotto, you need a couple of ingredients, and it's best not to stray from them so you can achieve that perfect texture and creaminess.

Rice - the most important component of the risotto, the rice needs to be the starchy type or you can forget about it. It cannot be substituted with anything else. Arborio is short-grain rice and is the most popular choice for risotto because it's readily available in most supermarkets. Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are two other varieties that you can try if you can find them.

Dry white wine - the best wine to use in risotto is dry, with options including unoaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. I made this recipe with all these options and they all work great.

Grated Parmesan - I know that using read-grated parmesan is super convenient, but I really find that grating your own just makes the risotto taste better.

Chicken breast - you can technically use boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe, but I prefer chicken breast because it's leaner.

Portobello mushrooms - use any kind of mushrooms you want for this creamy risotto. Portobello are my favourite mushrooms, but I wouldn't say no to a combination of dry porcini and chestnut mushrooms.

How do you make it?

In a large pan, heat the butter. Add the chicken breast and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.

Turn the heat to low, add the onions, and fry them for 3-4 minutes until they're soft, but not brown.

Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook over low to heat for 4-5 minutes.

Add the rice and cook for one minute until it becomes translucent.

Pour in the wine and cook for 1-2 minutes until reduced. Pour in half of the chicken stock and cook for 20 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring very frequently.

Top up with the rest of the stock as needed until the rice is cooked al dente and the stock has been absorbed. It's not necessary to use all the stock if the rice is cooked. Make sure you don't overcook the rice and turn it into a mush.

Stir in the parmesan and cover with a lid for a couple of minutes. Season to taste and serve immediately, with some extra parmesan on top, if you like.

Extra tips for the creamiest chicken mushroom risotto

1. You can skip the chicken and only use mushrooms for a creamy vegetarian risotto.
2. For the ultimate comfort risotto, fry up some lardons with the chicken.
3. This risotto is really great the same day you make it. Dig in with abandon, because it's really not the same when reheated.
4. Garlic lovers may want to add a couple of cloves finely minced with the onion.
5. You can also use leftover chicken instead of fresh chicken breast, but add it at the end to make sure it doesn't disintegrate.
6. A teaspoon of Italian herbs works well if you want a different taste.

If you liked this creamy chicken risotto with mushrooms recipe, check out some of my other recipes:

Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta Bake

Tagliatelle ai Funghi (Pasta with Mushrooms)

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Walnuts

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