If you're craving a rich, creamy dinner that doesn't require constant stirring, this chicken chorizo risotto is your answer. Tender chicken, smoky chorizo, sun-dried tomato pesto, and parmesan come together in an easy oven-baked risotto that delivers big flavour with very little fuss.
It's the kind of cosy, one-dish dinner that feels a bit special but still works for busy weeknights - especially when the oven does most of the work for you.
And if you love cosy one-dish dinners, try my Slow Cooker Risotto - Chicken and Mushroom for another comforting option, or my favourite Creamy Chicken Pumpkin Risotto when autumn hits.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Chicken Chorizo Risotto
🕒 Ready In: 45 minutes
👪 Serves: 6
🍽 Calories: 707 per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: chicken thigh fillets, smoky chorizo, arborio rice, sun-dried tomato pesto, parmesan and baby spinach
📖 Dietary Info: gluten-free (check chorizo, pesto and stock labels)
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Rich, creamy and packed with flavour, this easy oven-baked risotto is a cosy, fuss-free family dinner with minimal stirring and maximum comfort.
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This is a family favourite of ours. Such a tasty delicious risotto. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!!!
- Kerry
Risotto has a bit of a reputation for being hard work, but this oven-baked chicken chorizo risotto proves it doesn't have to be. The oven does most of the cooking, so you're free to chat with the kids, tidy up - or enjoy a cheeky pre-dinner glass of wine - while still ending up with a rich, creamy risotto.
Packed with bold Mediterranean flavours, this baked risotto is a regular busy-weeknight winner in our house, right up there with my Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Hands-off cooking: Do the prep, then let the oven handle the rest - no constant stirring required.
- Big, bold flavour: Smoky chorizo and parmesan make this risotto rich, savoury and totally irresistible.
- Family-friendly: Even picky eaters happily go back for seconds.
- Great for feeding a crowd: Budget-friendly and easy to scale up when you've got extra mouths to feed.
- Freezer-friendly: Make ahead or save leftovers - just reheat gently with a splash of stock.
Jump to:
Risotto Ingredients
This chicken chorizo risotto is made with a handful of everyday ingredients that work together to create big flavour with minimal effort.
- Chorizo: Choose a good-quality smoky Spanish chorizo - it adds loads of flavour and forms the base of the dish.
- Chicken thigh fillets: Skinless chicken thighs stay tender and juicy during baking. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, but thighs give the best result.
- Arborio rice: A short-grain risotto type of rice that releases starch as it cooks, giving risotto its signature creamy texture.
- Sun-dried tomato pesto: Adds richness, sweetness and a punch of Mediterranean flavour without extra prep.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan melts beautifully and finishes the risotto with a rich, savoury flavor.
Variations
This chicken chorizo risotto is easy to adapt, depending on what you have on hand.
- Veggie boost: Stir through frozen peas, roasted capsicum/peppers, cherry tomatoes or sliced mushrooms in the last few minutes of baking.
- Add some heat: A pinch of chilli flakes or a little diced jalapeño adds a spicy kick.
- Pesto swap: Replace the sun-dried tomato pesto with basil pesto for a different flavour twist.
- Cheese swap: Try a mix of parmesan and pecorino for extra depth and richness.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free chorizo, pesto and stock - risotto rice is naturally gluten-free.
How To Make Chicken Chorizo Risotto
Do a quick 20-minute prep, pop it in the oven, and dinner's sorted - this chicken chorizo risotto is ready in under an hour.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Brown chorizo: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frypan on the stove and brown the chorizo slices on both sides. Set aside in a baking dish, leaving the oil in the pan. Preheat the oven.
- Brown the chicken: Cook chicken pieces in the pan until just browned.
- Add the chicken pieces to the large pan or baking dish with the chorizo slices.
- Sauté: In a frypan, melt butter and sauté the onion and garlic cloves for a couple of minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add arborio rice and stir to coat.
- Add stock: Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle boil.
- Bake: Carefully transfer rice mixture to the baking dish, cover well with foil, and bake until absorbed and tender (about 25-30 min).
- Finish: Stir in extra butter, parmesan, pesto and baby spinach.
- Serve: Season to taste, then top with extra cheese and fresh parsley (optional).
Recipe Tips
- Use arborio rice: This short-grain rice retains a slight bite when cooked, giving the risotto a creamy yet hearty texture-never gluggy. Regular rice is not suitable for risotto.
- Don't rinse the rice: The natural starch is what gives risotto its signature creaminess.
- Choose good chorizo: A quality, smoky chorizo creates the flavour base of the whole dish.
- Grate fresh parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan melts better and adds far more flavour than pre-grated.
- Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of stock.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge, then thoroughly reheat.
Chicken Chorizo Risotto FAQs
Thighs stay juicier, but chicken breast works fine if you prefer leaner meat.
Simply heat leftover risotto in a pan with a few tablespoons of liquid - either water or more stock - per cup of risotto. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often, until piping hot.
This recipe yields either 4 large serves or 6 smaller serves.
You can easily scale this recipe up by increasing the ingredients and cooking time too - the rice makes it a wonderfully budget-friendly meal that's perfect for feeding extra mouths or saving leftovers.
Yes! If you want a traditional risotto, gradually add stock on the stovetop and stir often.
A simple green salad or steamed greens match well with this rich risotto!
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Chicken is a staple in our house - it's versatile, reasonably priced, and always a winner at dinnertime. Here are a few more comforting chicken dinner recipes to add to your meal plan:
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Chicken Chorizo Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 chorizo sausage sliced
- 400 g chicken thigh fillets diced into 2cm pieces
- 40 g butter
- 1 brown onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 360 g arborio rice
- 1 litre chicken stock liquid
- 40 g butter
- 120 g parmesan cheese grated
- 120 g baby spinach leaves
- 190 g sun-dried tomato pesto see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan forced).
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over a high heat. Cook the sliced chorizo on either side until golden (approximately 2-3 minutes). Set aside in a large 8 cup capacity baking dish (leave the excess oil in the frying pan).
- Cook the chicken pieces over high heat until browned and cooked through. Set aside in the same baking dish as the chorizo.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter and melt. Saute the onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until softened.
- Add the arborio rice and stir for 30 seconds to coat the rice well. Add the chicken stock liquid and stir.Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat.
- Transfer the risotto to the baking dish with the chorizo and chicken. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is 'al dente' (approximately 26 minutes).
- When the risotto is cooked, stir through the baby spinach leaves, butter, grated parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto.
- Season to taste. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Arborio rice: The traditional rice to use in risotto as even when cooked it keeps a little bite in the centre (called al dente), so the risotto feels hearty and satisfying rather than soft or gluggy.
- Don't rinse the rice: The natural starch stays on and gives that creamy texture.
- Quality chorizo counts: Good sausage = good flavour foundation.
- Grate fresh parmesan: Parmesan provides so much flavour to your risotto, it's worth the extra effort!!
- Leftovers: Store in airtight container in fridge up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of stock.
- Freezing: Freeze up to 1 month - defrost in the fridge before reheating thoroughly.
Mel D says
Can this be made in thermomix?
Lucy says
At this stage I only have conventional instructions for this one! Sorry!