I was flicking through my iphone photo library this morning, as you do, and I came across three photo’s of the oven-baked chicken risotto I made for mum’s birthday weekend recently… and now thinking back on it, this dish must have been the very last thing cooked in the old Belleau Kitchen, which is appropriate really given my love of chicken thighs and that this is probably my most popular, fail-safe, group-gathering, dinner-party dish…
it’s just so simple to do yet really packs it home on the intense chicken flavour front and with all that amazing risotto rice sucking up the chickeny juices, every fork-full is a silent tribute to how amazing it tastes… and whilst your guests compliment you on the golden roasted and succulent dish you can sit back and chuckle to yourself at how stupidly easy this was to make…!
Oven-Baked Chicken Risotto
the recipe below happily fed 7 greedy middle-class jews with one portion left-over for the next day…which, if you know 7 greedy middle-class jews, you’ll know is no mean feat… I used 2 oven-dishes and split the ingredients between the 2.
16 chicken portions – roughly 1 thigh and 2 drumsticks per person
2 large onions – roughly chopped
5 large carrots – roughly chopped
1 punnet of closed cup mushrooms (works out to roughly 3 per person) – roughly chopped
a large hand-ful of frozen peas
2 glasses of white wine or a splash of sherry
500g risotto rice – arborio rice is good
4 pints vegetable stock
– place the chopped veg into an oven roasting dish and lay the chicken pieces on top. Don’t over-crowd the pan, it’s better to use two dishes. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with mixed herbs of your choice and a generous glug or two of olive oil.
– roast in a hot oven (190C) for 40 minutes but turn the chicken halfway through at which point add the wine or a splash of sherry
– after 40 minutes check that the veg has started to roast and the chicken is browning, it may need another 5 to 10 minutes or so and should be full of lovely chickeny juice.
– add the rice, shimmying the chicken aside to make sure all the grains are coated in juice, then add enough of the stock to cover the rice but not all the chicken. You want to retain some stock for later.
– place the dish back into the oven and roast again for another 30 – 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is golden… keep your eye on it as you don’t want it to dry out, so keep it topped up during the last 15 minutes or so.
– take it out of the oven and throw in the frozen peas and give it a final stir before serving.
eat and of course, enjoy!
no stirring?? i don't think i could handle this…but…of course, as usual…looks amazing!! I would happily eat it…just lie to me and tell me you stirred laboriously!! 🙂
I think I would also struggle not to stir and meddle with it – but I will definitely give it a go! Anything for an easy life!!
ok, so meddle and stir a little but really only once or twice… as you top up the stock, every 10 to 15 minutes or so… I promise it works. x
I love chicken risotto!
This looks great 🙂
I love the idea of not having to stir it!!! Ease is the key these days for me! Can't wait to try this.
I wonder if 7 greedy middle class Jews eat more than 7 greedy middle class Greeks?
Now there's a question to ponder while I'm wrapping chips tonight…
Dom, you make me smile :-))
I've gotta say I won't approve it's a risotto per say (sorry Italian chef talking ;P), more of a paella I reckon. I love roast chicken drippings on rice tho, definitely how I'd make paella. Yum!
I can confirm how good this was & it doesn't matter what it's called!
Also the Golden Birthday cake both yummy.
LoL mummy x
I like the sound of a no stir risotto, as I usually end up getting plastered on the leftover wine while I'm standing by the stove stirring lol
Looks absolutely delicious Dom. Love risotto and love chicken thighs!!
Dom I love the fact you changed your header pic to reflect the work you are having done right now. But I really love the way you made the letter N look like it's just given up hope and it's making a break for another nice new kitchen..
Ha ha..:)
Thanks
Thanks for the lovely comments and for those who noticed the change of header… Can't wait for the new kitchen x
I had seen a recipe for oven baked risotto somewhere and never found it again.
This looks so perfect- I am definitely going to try it! It's great for when you're short on time and your hands need to be doing things other than stirring!
and good luck with the new kitchen- so exciting!
Looks delicious! Even though I'm not a fan of chicken thighs . . . but Susan @ “From Beyond My Kitchen Window” has convinced me to try the boneless ones . . . maybe this weekend!
xox!
Mary
Ah…the last dish of the old kitchen. Chicken thighs are the best part of the chicken; I am so glad you are a devotee. Thank you for your well wishes whilst I was recovering from my horrid surgery.
Looks so darn good!
Chicken, mushrooms, arborio and wine –
This will absolutely work!
Hope you'll get your kitchen back soon – it is so sad to look at your new header 🙂
U have added this to my list of dishes to make. Can't wait Dom.
Guests coming for dinner tomorrow, feeling kinda lazy. Am making your dish … will probably share it on a Your Recipe, My Kitchen blog share … salivating already. Will let you know how it turns out!
Love the new header :-}}
Your chicken dish looks delicious and sounds nice and easy … my type of cooking!!
nice dish and your new header made me smile, hope your dream kitchen comes together soon
Oh this sounds amazing! And looks utterly delicious – I will definitely be saving this for my next group gathering!
The one pot meal looks fabulous and healthy too with addition of veggies in them…
Delia converted me to the oven risotto, life's too short to stir a risotto or at least not that often. I can almost taste your lovely one-pot. Might nick it to feed my family when they visit in a few weeks, they are pretty greedy too!
Mmmm, so delicious looking. I love most chicken dishes but especially one that can be made, cooked and served out of the same dish.
mmmmm ok being an italian that adores proper risotto….I never tried this…but I have to say that in your photo it looks really delicious!!! So never said never…I have to try this!!!!! well done Dom, as usual you are great!!!!
G'day, Dom. In response to your query on my blog, my first choice as a sorghum substitute would be treacle. My second choice would be golden syrup. You could also try maple syrup, but you really would have a very different flavor in that case. Now, after all of those syrups, I am hungry for pancakes.
haha i don't believe that can be called risotto by proper italian standards but who cares, because that looks so delicious. rice cooked in roast chicken drippings? ahhhhhhh. oh and love your mummy's comment there. she's sweet (:
Slurp. We love a good risotto and this is just to die for! And oven baked, you say?
Risotto without the endless slaving at the stove? I'm there. Looks delish.
I'm have a giveaway this week—come by to enter!
Looks wonderful! I am a new follower.
Carol
I am your new follower; read about you from beyond my kitchen window. What a great blog you have here. This recipe speaks to my soul and i printed it out and will make this for sure; when I see the word Risotto, I go in a trance.
Rita
This looks superb but whats got me very goose bumply is the apple cake. After twenty years of making apple pie I now can make cake to fill the endless apple desire of a dessert loving mate?
julie
Call me stupid but i never thought you could do risotto in the oven, but having read the replies i may well give it a go!
Just made this. Oh, absolute heaven. It is taking all my strength not to eat like 3 more portions of this. Just a fabulous, almost foolproof recipe. The rice is truly the star of the dish – it is just so wonderfully tender, and I didn't even need to fuss with it.
I mixed in a little red pepper flakes at the start, and spread a little light layer of Cholula over the chicken before the last 15 minutes, to add in a little heat.
Thank you so much!
last day i cooked it following this instruction and it was just awesome.thanks a lot .. 🙂
I like this recipe . I think it will be better to use cookware set to make this type of chicken risotto . I also try to make it by using cookware set because it helps not to cling with utensils and gives a proper shape for decoration .proper decoration helps for eating .