Yes, you really can make slow cooker risotto, and no, you don't have to stand at the stove stirring for 40 minutes. This chicken and mushroom version is creamy, cheesy and loaded with bacon, and the slow cooker does the hard work for you. If you're a risotto fan, my Chicken & Chorizo Baked Risotto and Bacon & Roast Pumpkin Risotto are family favourites too.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Risotto
🕒 Ready In: 2 hours 30 minutes (10 minutes prep)
👪 Serves: 6
🍽 Calories: approx. 597 per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: arborio rice, chicken thigh, mushrooms, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, parmesan
📖 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free (check your stock), easily made vegetarian
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Creamy, cheesy and no stirring. A quick brown on the stove, then the slow cooker takes over.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
I tried this last night, and it was a big hit for the family. I highly recommend this.
- Aimee
Traditional risotto means standing at the stove, ladling in stock and stirring forever. Not exactly weeknight friendly when you've got kids' sport, homework and a baby on your hip. That's why I love this hands-off version.
Brown the chicken, bacon, mushrooms and onion first (this is where all the flavour comes from), then tip in the arborio rice and stock and let the slow cooker take it from there. Just before serving, stir through fresh spinach, butter and parmesan for that creamy, restaurant-style finish.
Want a quicker risotto? My Chicken Pumpkin Risotto is on the table in 45 minutes, and my Bacon, Pea & Pesto Risotto is another easy one. And if you can't get enough chicken and mushroom, try my Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup too.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- No stirring: let the slow cooker do the hard work!
- Family-friendly comfort food: chicken, mushrooms and parmesan are always crowd-pleasers.
- Mostly hands-off: a quick brown on the stove, then it's set and forget.
- Easy to change up: make it vegetarian, dairy-free, or bulk it up with extra veggies.
- Great for leftovers: it reheats beautifully for school or work lunches.
Jump to:
Risotto Ingredients
Most of these are pantry staples. You'll find all the quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but a few ingredients are worth a quick note:
- Arborio rice: a short-grain rice that releases starch as it cooks, which is what makes risotto creamy. Don't swap it for long-grain rice, and don't rinse it, as you'll wash that starch away.
- Chicken thigh fillets: they stay juicy in the slow cooker. Chicken breast works too, just cut it into bite-sized pieces the same way.
- Mushrooms: button, cup or Swiss brown all work. Slice them and cook them until all the liquid has gone and they're golden.
- Chicken stock: use low-salt stock so you can control the seasoning, because the bacon and parmesan are already salty.
- Butter: you'll see it twice in the recipe card. The 20 g goes in the pan at the start, and the 30 g gets stirred through at the end. You don't need to split it.
- Parmesan: freshly grated melts the smoothest. Pre-grated works, but you won't get quite the same flavour.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: they add richness and a touch of sweetness. Semi-dried work too.
Variations
- Vegetarian Risotto: skip the chicken and bacon, use vegetable stock, and add extra mushrooms or roasted pumpkin.
- Gluten-Free Risotto: this recipe is naturally gluten-free, just double-check your stock brand.
- Dairy-Free Risotto: use olive oil instead of butter and swap the parmesan for nutritional yeast.
- Protein Swaps: try cooked prawns, shredded rotisserie chicken or diced ham stirred through at the end.
- Veggie Boost: stir through peas or corn at the end for extra veg.
Need To Substitute An Ingredient?
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How To Make Slow Cooker Risotto
Making risotto in the slow cooker is unbelievably easy. Here's how:
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- Step 1: Sauté the base. Heat the olive oil and the 20 g of butter in a frying pan (or the pot of your searing slow cooker) over high heat. Cook the mushrooms and onion until golden and all the liquid has evaporated. Slow cookers don't let moisture escape, so getting rid of it now keeps your risotto from going soupy.
- Step 2: Brown the meat. Add the chicken and bacon and brown all over. Keep cooking until no liquid is left in the pan. Stir in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Transfer and add the rice. Pop everything into the slow cooker (if you used a searing slow cooker, just place the pot into the base). Stir through the arborio rice and chicken stock. No need to rinse the rice.
- Step 4: Cook low and slow. Pop the lid on and cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring once or twice if you're home. The rice should be al dente (tender with a little bite). If it still looks like the rice isn't absorbing the stock, hang in there. Some slow cookers take longer, so keep cooking until the rice is done.
- Step 5: Finish and serve. Stir through the spinach, parmesan and the 30 g of butter. Give it a really good stir, as that's what makes it thick and creamy. Season to taste and serve with parsley.
Top Tip
Always wait to season until the end. Bacon and parmesan add saltiness, so taste before adding extra salt.
Recipe Tips
- Check early: all slow cookers vary, so start checking at the 1 hour mark. Most are done in about 2 hours, but some take longer (one reader's took 3.5 hours on LOW).
- Keep the lid on: and give it a stir once or twice if you're home.
- Don't skip browning: sautéing the chicken, bacon and mushrooms first adds loads of flavour.
- Looks watery? If the rice is cooked, give it a really good stir. It thickens up as you mix.
- Keep it creamy: if the risotto looks dry, stir in a splash of hot water or extra stock before serving.
- Texture tweak: for a looser risotto, add an extra ¼ cup of stock at the end.
- Kid-friendly option: reduce the parmesan and bacon for younger kids, and stir in extra veggies like peas or corn.
- What to serve: it's a meal on its own, but a simple salad or garlic bread goes nicely alongside.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
- Fridge: pop leftovers into an airtight container and get them in the fridge within an hour of cooking. They'll keep for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: let the risotto cool completely in the fridge first. Then portion it into airtight containers (without the spinach and parmesan) and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: thaw frozen risotto in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of stock or water until steaming hot, then stir through fresh spinach and parmesan.
Slow Cooker Risotto FAQs
Yes! Brown the chicken, bacon, mushrooms and onion first, then add the arborio rice and stock to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 2 hours. There's no standing over the stove stirring, and it still turns out creamy once you stir through the spinach, butter and parmesan.
Yes, keep the lid on while it cooks. Give it a stir once or twice if you're home, but you don't have to.
I haven't tested this recipe on HIGH, so I always cook it on LOW. If your rice isn't cooked after 2 hours, give it more time rather than turning up the heat.
Don't panic. It can look like the rice isn't absorbing the stock for most of the cook, then it comes together at the end. Slow cookers vary, and one reader's took 3.5 hours on LOW. Keep cooking until the rice is al dente, then give it a really good stir and it will thicken. Don't add extra rice or turn up the heat.
It's normal for risotto to thicken as it sits. Stir in extra hot water or stock before serving or reheating.
Yes. Cut it into bite-sized pieces and brown it the same way. Thigh stays a little juicier, but breast works well.
Be a little careful. Risotto can cook quite differently in a slow cooker when you increase the quantity. I'd still cook on LOW and allow extra time, stir a couple of times if you can, start checking from around the 2.5 hour mark and add a splash of extra stock if needed.
Yes. Let it cool completely in the fridge, then freeze portions without the spinach and parmesan for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat with a splash of stock until steaming hot, then stir through fresh spinach and parmesan.
Arborio is the rice I've tested, and it's what makes the risotto creamy. Carnaroli is a close swap. Long-grain rice and brown rice won't go creamy, and the cooking time here is for arborio, so I don't recommend them.
Absolutely! Skip the chicken and bacon, use vegetable stock, and load up on mushrooms or pumpkin.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you're like me and LOVE your slow cooker, check out these deliciously comforting and warming recipes:
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Slow Cooker Risotto - Chicken and Mushroom
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 20 g (2 tbs) butter
- 400 g mushrooms sliced
- 1 brown onion medium, finely chopped
- 350 g chicken thigh fillets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 75 g bacon chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced (or 2 teaspoon minced garlic)
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- 750 g (3 cups) chicken liquid stock
- 50 g baby spinach
For serving
- 50 g grated parmesan cheese
- 30 g butter
- freshly chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the olive oil and butter into the pot of a searing slow cooker and place over high heat on the stove-top. If you don't have a searing slow cooker, use a frying pan for this step instead.
- Add the mushrooms and onion and saute until the mushrooms are golden and all of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.
- Add the chopped chicken and bacon and brown all over. Continue cooking until all of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Place the searing slow cooker pot into the base of the slow cooker (or if using a frying pan, carefully pour the frying pan ingredients into the slow cooker).
- Stir through the arborio rice and the liquid chicken stock.
- Cook on LOW for 2 hours or until the rice is al dente. Keep the lid on. Most slow cookers take about 2 hours, some take longer, so keep cooking until al dente.
- Stir through the baby spinach, grated parmesan cheese and butter.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Always wait to season until the end-bacon and parmesan add saltiness, so taste before adding extra salt.
- Check early - all slow cookers vary; start checking at the 1-hour mark.
- Keep it creamy - if the risotto looks dry, stir in a splash of hot water or extra stock before serving.
- Don't skip browning - sautéing the chicken, bacon and mushrooms first adds loads of flavour.
- Make ahead - cook and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add a splash of stock when reheating.
- Freezing: Cool completely in the fridge before freezing.
- Doubling the recipe: Cook on LOW and allow extra time, and start checking for doneness from about 2.5 hours.
- Rice looks wet: If the rice is cooked but looks wet, give it a good stir. It will thicken.
- Freezer-friendly - portion risotto into airtight containers (without spinach and parmesan), freeze for up to 2 months, then reheat and stir in fresh spinach and cheese.
- Texture tweak - for a looser risotto, add an extra ¼ cup of stock at the end.
- Kid-friendly option - reduce parmesan and bacon for younger kids, and stir in extra veggies like peas or corn.
- Serving suggestion - pair with a simple salad or garlic bread for a complete meal.
Bree says
Should it be left in the slow cook longer if it’s watery after the 2 hours?
Lucy says
Hi Bree, if the rice is cooked, then give it a good stir and it will thicken.
Heidi says
Hi, can this be frozen once prepared?
Lucy says
Absolutely! Allow it to cool completely in the fridge before freezing.
Elisa says
Could I replace chicken thigh with breast?
Lucy says
Absolutely!
aimee says
I tried this last night, and it was a big hit for the family. I highly recommend this.
Lucy says
I'm so happy to hear that!
Sue says
can this be adapted to Thermomix TM6?
Lucy says
I haven't made this in the TM6 yet but I'm sure you could!