If you’re looking for an easy, flavourful dinner that delivers the creamy comfort of risotto without constant stirring, this Oven Baked Chicken and Chorizo Risotto is ideal.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Oven Baked Risotto
🕒 Ready In: 35 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 647 per serving
🥣 Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, chorizo, arborio rice, chicken stock, onion, garlic, Parmesan.
📖 Dietary Info: Good source of protein.
👌 Difficulty: Easy
Summarise & Save This Content
Baked in a single lidded casserole, this dish combines tender chicken, smoky chorizo and creamy arborio rice with garlic, onion and Parmesan for an easy one-pot meal. Baking the risotto gives you that satisfying, velvety texture with minimal hands-on time—no standing and stirring required.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or a family supper. It’s hearty, cheesy and simple to adapt with extra vegetables or different cheeses depending on what you have on hand.
✔️ Why try it?
- On the table in about 35 minutes—great for weeknight dinners.
- Tender chicken and smoky chorizo paired with creamy, cheesy risotto rice for rich, savoury flavour.
- Baked in the oven with a lid, so no continuous stirring is needed.
- Family-friendly: comforting and cheesy, popular with both kids and adults.
🥘 Ingredients
Full ingredient quantities and metric/US measurements are in the recipe card below.
Olive oil – 1 tablespoon.
Garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped.
Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped.
Dried thyme – 1 teaspoon (or substitute rosemary).
Chicken breasts – 2, cut into bite-size pieces.
Chorizo sausage – 100 g, sliced into 1 cm rounds.
Frozen petit pois – 150 g (or frozen peas).
Arborio rice – 250 g for a creamy texture.
White wine – 100 ml (optional) to add depth.
Chicken stock – 600 ml made from a cube or stock pot.
Parmesan – 75 g, finely grated to stir through at the end.
Salt and black pepper – to taste.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
If you have allergies or preferences, swap ingredients to suit your diet—see Variations below for ideas.
📖 Variations
- Swap chorizo for smoked streaky bacon, pancetta, or smoked sausage.
- Add vegetables like peppers, mushrooms, courgette, or spinach for extra nutrition.
- Try different cheeses: cheddar, Gruyère, or blue cheese instead of Parmesan.
- Add a kick with chilli flakes or smoked paprika.
- Use fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or sage instead of dried.
- Make it alcohol-free by replacing wine with extra chicken stock or a splash of lemon juice.
- Use leftover roast chicken to speed things up—stir in near the end with the peas.
- Finish with a spoonful of crème fraîche or mascarpone for extra creaminess.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and a printable format is below.
One: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4). Heat the oil in a large lidded ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the chicken, chorizo and thyme and cook until the chicken turns opaque.
Two: Stir in the arborio rice so each grain is coated, then pour in the white wine if using. Allow it to simmer until reduced by about half.
Three: Pour in the chicken stock, bring to the boil, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway if you like.
Four: Stir in the peas for the final 5 minutes. If the risotto looks dry, add a splash of freshly boiled water from the kettle. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the grated Parmesan before serving.
Top Tips
- Use a large lidded oven-proof casserole so the risotto cooks evenly and can bubble without spilling.
- Watch the liquid: if the rice absorbs the stock before it’s tender, add a little boiling water to keep it creamy.
- Leftover roast chicken can be stirred in with the peas to save time and prevent drying out.
- Add cheese off the heat: stirring Parmesan in after cooking gives a smoother, creamier finish.
- Taste and season at the end: stock and chorizo vary in saltiness, so adjust salt and pepper before serving.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the chicken and chorizo baked risotto with garlic bread, a crisp green salad and plenty of grated Parmesan.
Storage
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat: Add a splash of chicken stock or water when reheating to loosen the risotto and restore creaminess.
Freeze: Not recommended—freezing can change the rice texture. Best enjoyed fresh.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes. Chicken thighs add extra juiciness and flavour and work well in this oven-baked risotto.
You can, but you may lose some creaminess and should adjust cooking time because arborio is a short-grain, high-starch rice ideal for risotto.
Oven-baked risotto is best cooked covered so it retains moisture and cooks evenly.
You can prepare it ahead and reheat, but note the texture may change slightly; add liquid when reheating to restore creaminess.
Yes—replace the white wine with extra chicken stock for an alcohol-free version that remains flavorful.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Risotto too dry | Gradually stir in hot stock or boiling water until creamy. |
| Rice still firm | Use arborio rice and cook a little longer, adding extra liquid if needed. |
| Risotto too soupy | Cook a few minutes longer uncovered to allow excess liquid to evaporate. |
😋 Related recipes
More family-friendly chicken dinners to try:
Easy Chicken Goulash-
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
-
Easy Chicken Pasanda
-
BBQ Chicken Pasta
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Recipe
Oven Baked Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Measuring jug
- Shallow lidded casserole (oven-safe)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp thyme, dried or fresh
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 100 g chorizo, cut into 1 cm slices
- 250 g arborio rice
- 100 ml white wine (optional)
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 150 g petit pois (frozen)
- 75 g Parmesan, grated
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4).
- Heat the olive oil in a lidded casserole and fry the garlic and onion for a few minutes until softened. Add the chicken, chorizo and thyme and cook until the chicken changes colour.
- Stir in the arborio rice, add the white wine and let it reduce by half.
- Pour in the chicken stock, stir, bring to the boil, then cover and bake for 20–25 minutes.
- Stir in the peas and, if needed, a little boiling water to loosen the risotto. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, stir in the grated Parmesan, season to taste and serve.
Notes
- Use a large oven-safe dish with a lid so the risotto cooks evenly and has space to bubble without spilling.
- If the rice absorbs the liquid before it’s tender, add a little boiling water to keep it creamy.
- Leftover roast chicken can be used—stir it in with the peas near the end of cooking.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end, as stock and chorizo can vary in saltiness.
Nutrition: Nutritional figures are approximate and can vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Carbohydrates: 65 g |
Protein: 45 g |
Fat: 19 g |
Saturated Fat: 7 g