This is the best chicken and leek risotto recipe. This risotto is rich and creamy, and is made with butter, leeks, chicken, spices and green peas to give it even more flavour and colour. You will love how easy this is to make. It's the ultimate healthy comfort food!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe is so good:
- This healthy chicken risotto is so rich and creamy.
- It's easy to make and makes great leftovers so it's perfect for meal prep.
- The combination of butter, chicken broth and spices gives this dish the perfect flavour.
- With the addition of green peas this dish could be served as a complete meal, or as a side dish, whichever you prefer.
- This dish is healthy, naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free too.
- It's made in one pot so the clean up is so easy!
- It freezes really well.
- It's so versatile! Feel free to add other ingredients such as mushrooms or cooked bacon to make it your own.
If you love risotto recipes you will also love healthy pumpkin risotto!
Key ingredients and substitutions:
You should be able to find all of these simple ingredients at your local grocery store. For the exact measurements see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Arborio rice - this is the best rice to make risotto with. It absorbs liquid really well to ensure that your risotto turns out so creamy and rich. Instead of Arborio rice you could use Carnaroli rice, Vialone rice, Nano rice, or Baldo rice.
- Chicken stock - this gives this risotto such a rich flavour. You could swap this for vegetable stock or beef stock too.
- Leeks - a great alternative to onions, leeks give this dish a distinct flavour.
- Frozen peas - to add a little colour and ensure that everyone gets at least one serving of vegetables! Peas help make this healthy risotto taste even better.
- Chicken - to add protein and make this risotto recipe a complete meal. I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Butter - butter helps to make risotto nice and creamy. If you are dairy free you can use coconut oil or a vegan butter instead.
- Fresh garlic - fresh garlic cloves help kick up the flavour in this recipe even more! If you don't tolerate fresh garlic you could swap this for a bit of garlic infused olive oil instead.
- Herbs and seasonings - dried sage, thyme, sea salt, and ground black pepper combine perfectly to give this risotto the most amazing flavour.
How to make (step-by-step):
Step one:
First, place a large pot or stockpot on the stove on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped chicken pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning every couple minutes to cook all sides of the chicken evenly.
Step two:
Next, add the chopped leeks and minced garlic to the pot and cook for a couple more minutes, until the leeks are tender.
Step three:
Now add the arborio rice, stock, and spices to the pot and stir everything well to combine. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 20-22 minutes with the lid on, stirring every few minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step four:
Lastly, stir in the frozen peas, and then turn off the heat and put the lid back on the pot. Let the rice sit for a few minutes to allow the peas to warm up and the rice to become even more soft and tender. Then serve and enjoy!
Top Tips:
- Not all types of rice work for risotto - besides Arborio you could use Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano, or Baldo rice. Just note that I have not tested this recipe with any other type of rice so you may need to adjust the cooking time if you try a different one.
- For best results be sure to leave the lid on for a few minutes after you add the frozen peas to help the peas warm up, and the rice to become even more soft and tender.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- To make this recipe dairy free: simply swap the butter for coconut oil.
- To make it vegan/vegetarian: Use coconut oil instead of butter, vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and tofu instead of chicken (note that I have not tested the cooking time for tofu so you may have to modify it).
- Instead of chicken stock or broth, feel free to use either vegetable stock/ broth or bone broth
- If you are serving a crowd feel free to double or triple the recipe.
- Feel free to add other ingredients such as bacon, bell peppers, or mushrooms to make this risotto even more delicious.
How to store:
Store any leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This risotto also freezes really well in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions:
That really depends on what you add to your risotto or what you cook it in. This particular risotto recipe is filled with healthy ingredients like chicken, chicken stock and green peas, making it a healthy and complete meal.
The most common type of rice used is Arborio but you can also use other short grain rices including Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano, and Baldo. Short-grain rice has a high starch content and tends to absorb less liquid, resulting in a thicker, more creamy risotto.
If you have any leftover risotto, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Other recipes you will love:
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Recipe
Chicken and Leek Risotto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter (use coconut oil for dairy free)
- 2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups chopped leeks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Place a large pot on the stove on medium heat and add the butter. Once melted add the chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning every couple minutes to cook all sides of the chicken evenly.
- Add the chopped leeks and minced garlic and cook for a couple more minutes, until the leeks are tender.
- Add the arborio rice, stock and spices and stir well to combine. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 20-22 minutes with the lid on, stirring every few minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the frozen peas, turn off the heat and put the lid back on the pot. Let the rice sit for a few minutes to allow the peas to warm.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- To make this recipe dairy free, use coconut oil instead of butter.
- Feel free to use vegetable stock/ broth or bone broth instead of chicken stock/ broth.
- Store this dish in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Jane
Hi can you use 1/2 butter 1/2 coconut oil ?
Erin Carter
I haven't personally tried that so I can't guarantee any results but I would think it would work. If you do try it please let me know how it turns out.
Sabrina Miller
Hi! Can this be frozen?
Erin Carter
Oh to be honest I haven't tried. I imagine it would freeze ok but the next time I make it I will test it out!