This Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto is the most delicious healthy dinner! It's warm, cozy and full of great flavor. Make this restaurant-worthy dish in just a few simple steps with all of the best fall ingredients.
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Why You'll Love This Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
- So warm and comforting! This delicious chicken and pumpkin risotto is classic comfort food. It's warm, creamy, and perfect for when you want something hearty and flavorful.
- An elegant dish in a few simple steps! This recipe is definitely restaurant-worthy without being overcomplicated. Follow the simple steps, plus tips and tricks for the best results! For even more risotto help, follow the tips in this smoked salmon risotto, as well.
- Healthy dinner option! Made with simple ingredients, this risotto is a healthier option than others. The pumpkin adds flavor, nutrients, and bright color.
- Welcomes fall flavors! All of the best fall flavors, like pumpkin, sage, and nutmeg, combine to make this chicken and pumpkin risotto a great fall hit! Full of warmth and comfort, it's like an autumn hug in a bowl.
Ingredients
A few notes about the ingredients:
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: The chicken broth gives the rice added flavor. You can use low sodium vegetable broth if you prefer. Water also works in a pinch but will not provide as much flavor as the broths.
- Pumpkin Puree: Using canned pumpkin puree makes this recipe a lot easier. Instead of roasting and processing a fresh pumpkin, the canned puree integrates even better into the broth in a fraction of the time.
- Bone-In Chicken Breasts: Bone-in chicken breasts are great for roasting because they provide more flavor and juiciness than boneless breasts. However, if you prefer, you can use chicken thighs or boneless breasts instead and adjust the cook time.
- Fresh Sage: Using fresh sage gives the risotto a lovely fresh, fall flavor. Sage and pumpkin pair really well together and make this extra delicious.
- Arborio Rice: Arborio rice is the traditional rice for risotto. Its extra starch content helps make it perfectly creamy without any added cream.
- Dry White Wine: The wine adds rich flavor. The acidity balances the richness of the risotto. I recommend using a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
- Nutmeg: A small amount of ground nutmeg provides wonderful fall warmth. You can hardly taste it but the combination with the pumpkin provides a comforting nutty flavor, like in this pumpkin, carrot, and sweet potato soup.
⭐️ See recipe card below for descriptions and quantities of each ingredient. Then, watch this brief tutorial on Instagram!
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: Whisk together broth and pumpkin in a stockpot. Set over medium-low heat. Keep broth warm while making the risotto.
- Step 3: Place chicken breasts on the lined baking sheet. Pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the chicken and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Step 4: Roast chicken, uncovered, in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Step 5: Heat a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the onions. Cook onions for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened, stirring intermittently.
- Step 6: Stir in garlic and sage and cook another 30 seconds.
- Step 7: Add arborio rice. Stir to coat it in the butter and onions. Pour in wine and cook until it’s fully absorbed by the rice.
- Step 8: Working with one ladle of warm broth at a time, add a full ladle of broth to the rice and stir it into the rice until it is fully absorbed. Slowly continue this process until the rice is cooked through and you’ve used all of the broth. This could take about 20 minutes before all of the broth is absorbed.
- Step 9: Turn off the heat. Stir in parmesan cheese, ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Step 10: When chicken is done cooking, let cool slightly, then remove small pieces from the bones with a fork and knife. Discard the bones, but reserve the skin for garnish. Stir chicken into the risotto.
- Step 11: For serving, garnish risotto with pepitas, sliced pieces of crispy chicken skin, and parmesan cheese.
⭐️ Tip: Make sure the broth mixture is warm during this process! Warm broth takes less time to heat up in the risotto pan. It also extracts more starch from the rice, helping it cook properly and become perfectly creamy.
Substitutions and Alterations
- Chicken Broth - Vegetable broth works great as well. I recommend using low sodium broths so you can adjust the salt to your own taste.
- Bone-In Chicken Breasts - Chicken thighs or boneless breasts can work too. You may need to adjust the cook time, depending on their size.
- Dry White Wine - White wine is recommended. However, in a pinch you can use apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, vermouth, or lemon juice.
How to Store Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
To store: Store chicken and pumpkin risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. However, the risotto's texture is always best when eaten right after cooking.
To freeze: Freezing is not recommended.
To reheat: Add risotto to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second to 1 minute intervals until warmed through.
Top tip!
Patience is key when making risotto! You want to make sure the rice fully absorbs the broth before adding the next ladle-full. Work slowly, over medium-low heat, mixing the broth into the rice between each addition.
Then, once the broth is absorbed, add another ladle more until you've used up all broth in the pot. This process could take about 20 or so minutes.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few helpful tips to making excellent risotto:
1. Use arborio rice! Other types of rice won't result in that perfect creamy texture.
2. Keep the broth warm. Cold broth takes too long to heat up in the pan and won't extract the starches from the rice properly.
3. Work low and slow! Keep the broth over low heat so it doesn't evaporate too quickly. Cook the risotto over medium-low heat so the broth has time to absorb into the rice, while also bringing out the rich, creamy starches.
4. Make sure to stir the rice until the broth is fully absorbed while adding just 1 ladle-full at a time. This helps slow down the cooking process and prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Arborio rice is the perfect ingredient to make risotto extra creamy. Its high starch content, along with the slow cooking process, creates a smooth creamy consistency without any added cream or milk.
Related Recipes
Looking for more fall-inspired recipes? Try these:
Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Leave a comment with a rating at the bottom of this page!
Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts (about 1.75 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (about ½ an onion)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 garlic cloves)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pepitas, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together broth and pumpkin in a stockpot. Set over medium-low heat. Keep broth warm while making the risotto.
- Place chicken breasts on the lined baking sheet. Pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the chicken and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Roast chicken, uncovered, in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Heat a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the onions. Cook onions for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened, stirring intermittently.
- Stir in garlic and sage and cook another 30 seconds.
- Add arborio rice. Stir to coat it in the butter and onions. Pour in wine and cook until it’s fully absorbed by the rice.
- Working with one ladle of warm broth at a time, add a full ladle of broth to the rice and stir it into the rice until it is fully absorbed. Slowly continue this process until the rice is cooked through and you’ve used all of the broth. This could take about 20 minutes before all of the broth is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in parmesan cheese, ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- When chicken is done cooking, let cool slightly, then remove small pieces from the bones with a fork and knife. Discard the bones, but reserve the skin for garnish. Stir chicken into the risotto.
- For serving, garnish risotto with pepitas, sliced pieces of crispy chicken skin, and parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Make sure the broth mixture is warm during this process! Warm broth helps extract the starches in the rice as you add it to the pot.
- Patience is key when making risotto! You want to make sure the rice fully absorbs the broth before adding the next ladle-full. Work slowly, over medium-low heat, mixing the broth into the rice between each addition. Then, once the broth is absorbed, add another ladle more until you've used up all broth in the pot. This process could take about 20 or so minutes.
Nutrition
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