This chicken and pumpkin risotto combines roasted pumpkin purée, tender pumpkin cubes, and cooked chicken in one creamy rice dish.
I use pumpkin in two forms for this risotto. Half is puréed and stirred into the rice to make it creamy, while the remaining half is cut into cubes so that you still get pieces of roasted pumpkin in every serving.
The recipe is especially practical when I have leftover roast chicken and cooked pumpkin. With both ready, the risotto takes about 30 minutes. If you start with raw pumpkin, allow another 40-50 minutes to roast it first.
You can also make the Pumpkin Risotto without chicken or try my Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Risotto. Leftover turkey works just as well as chicken, making this a useful recipe after Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Featured reader comment from Andrea: "Delicious. I cubed the pumpkin before putting it in the oven."
Ingredients: 11 + salt & pepper | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Servings: 5 | Difficulty: Easy
Chicken and pumpkin risotto at a glance
Roast enough pumpkin to obtain 1 lb/450 g of cooked flesh. Purée half and cut the rest into cubes. Cook the risotto rice gradually with hot stock for 15-20 minutes, then stir in the pumpkin purée, chicken, butter, Parmesan, and seasonings. Fold in the pumpkin cubes and dill at the end.
If you already have cooked pumpkin and leftover chicken, skip the roasting stage and begin with the risotto.
Recipe ingredients
Pumpkin: Use a flavorful cooking pumpkin or winter squash, such as Hokkaido or red Kuri squash, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash. You will need 1 lb/450 g of roasted pumpkin flesh for the risotto.
- I often roast a whole pumpkin and use the remaining flesh for Roasted Pumpkin Seed Salad, Vegan Roasted Pumpkin Soup, or Pumpkin Frittata.
- Hokkaido pumpkin does not need peeling; remove the skin from butternut squash or other thick-skinned varieties.
Cooked chicken: I usually make this risotto with leftover chicken breast, but cooked thighs or rotisserie chicken are also suitable. Leftover turkey works as well.
Risotto rice: Use Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano. Arborio is the easiest type to find, so it is the one I use most often.
Stock: Chicken stock adds the most flavor, but vegetable stock also works. Keep it hot in a separate saucepan while cooking the rice.
White wine: Use a dry white wine. If you prefer to cook without wine, replace it with the same amount of additional stock.
Parmesan: Grate it from a wedge shortly before using it. Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and has more volume than pre-grated cheese.
Dill: I use fresh or frozen chopped dill. It works particularly well with the pumpkin and chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Two ways to prepare the pumpkin
Starting with raw pumpkin: Roast the pumpkin for 40-50 minutes, then measure the amount required for the risotto. This is the complete method described below.
Using cooked pumpkin: You can use pumpkin that you roasted in advance. Measure 1 lb/450 g, purée half, and cut the other half into cubes. The risotto will then take approximately 30 minutes from start to finish.
How to make pumpkin and chicken risotto?
Roast pumpkin:
- Step #1: Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Place the halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet and roast them at 400°F/200°C for 40-50 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Step #2: Let the pumpkin cool until you can handle it. Remove the peel unless you are using Hokkaido pumpkin. Measure 1 lb/450 g of roasted flesh. Purée half and cut the other half into bite-sized cubes. Set both aside.
Cook risotto:
- Step #3: Pour the stock into a small saucepan and keep it hot over very low heat while you cook the risotto. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, Dutch oven, or saucepan. Cook the finely chopped onion until translucent.
- Step #4: Add the unwashed risotto rice and stir for about two minutes until the grains are coated with oil. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away.
- Step #5: Add the hot stock gradually, about ½-1 cup at a time. Stir regularly and wait until most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding more.
- Step #6: Continue for 15-20 minutes. The rice should be tender and creamy but should still retain a little bite.
- Step #7: Stir in the pumpkin purée, cooked chicken, butter, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
- Step #8: Fold in the pumpkin cubes and dill carefully so that the cubes retain their shape. Let the risotto stand for about five minutes before serving.
Tips
Keep the stock hot: Cold stock lowers the temperature of the rice every time you add it and interrupts the cooking process.
Do not wash the risotto rice: The starch on the grains helps give the finished dish its creamy consistency.
Stir regularly: Stirring risotto continuously for the entire cooking time is not my thing. I have tried it and never noticed enough difference to justify the effort. Stay nearby and stir often, particularly along the bottom of the pan, but you do not need to stir without stopping.
Add the cubes last: Stir in the pumpkin purée first. Fold in the cubes at the end so they do not break apart completely.
Store and reheat
Chicken and pumpkin risotto tastes best immediately after cooking.
Refrigerate: Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Reheat the risotto gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of stock or water and stir several times while reheating because the rice thickens considerably in the refrigerator.
I do not recommend freezing risotto. The rice becomes much softer after thawing and reheating.
How to serve?
This is a substantial main course and does not require much on the side. I usually serve it with a leafy salad and Yogurt Dressing or a simple vinaigrette.
It also goes well with Steamed Swiss Chard, Buttered Peas, Roasted Carrots, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Leeks.
Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
Equipment
- Large pan or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 small cooking pumpkin enough to yield 1 lb/450 g roasted flesh, Note 1
- ¾ lb cooked chicken breasts or thighs, Notes 2,3
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 ¾ cups risotto rice such as Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone nano
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup Parmesan freshly grated, Note 4
- a few gratings of nutmeg
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dill fresh or frozen, chopped
Instructions
Pumpkin:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roast the pumpkin: Halve the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Place the halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until fork-tender. Let the pumpkin cool until you can handle it.1 small cooking pumpkin
- Prepare the pumpkin: Remove the peel unless you are using Hokkaido pumpkin. Measure 1 lb/450 g of roasted flesh. Purée half and cut the remaining half into bite-sized cubes. Set both aside.
Risotto:
- Heat the stock: Pour the chicken stock into a small saucepan and keep it hot over very low heat while cooking the risotto.5 cups chicken stock
- Sauté the onion: Heat the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven. Cook the finely chopped onion until translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 small onion
- Add the rice: Stir in the unwashed risotto rice and cook for about two minutes until the grains are coated with oil. Add the white wine and let it bubble away.1 ¾ cups risotto rice + ½ cup white wine
- Cook the risotto: Add the hot stock gradually, about ½-1 cup at a time, stirring regularly. Wait until most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding more. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender but still retains a little bite.5 cups chicken stock
- Finish the risotto: Stir in the pumpkin purée, cooked chicken, butter, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Fold in the pumpkin cubes and dill carefully.pumpkin puree + ¾ lb cooked chicken breasts + 2 tablespoons butter + 1 cup Parmesan + a few gratings of nutmeg + fine sea salt and ground black pepper + pumpkin cubes + 2 tablespoons dill
- Rest: Let the risotto stand for about five minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pumpkin: Use Hokkaido or red Kuri squash, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash. You need 1 lb/450 g of roasted pumpkin flesh. Roast enough pumpkin to obtain this amount; in my case, it was about half a pumpkin. Hokkaido does not need peeling, but remove the peel from other varieties.
- Cooked chicken breast or thighs (shredded or chopped). Rotisserie chicken is also great. Or substitute with turkey.
- Cook fresh chicken: Cut ¾ lb (350 g) chicken breast into cubes or strips. Toss them with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan, cook the risotto, and add the cooked chicken at the end.
- Parmesan: One lightly packed cup of freshly grated Parmesan weighs approximately 2 oz/60 g. If using pre-grated Parmesan, use only ½-¾ cup because it has less volume than freshly grated cheese.
Andrea says
Delicious ❤️ I cubed the pumpkin before putting in oven😍
Adina says
It sounds gread, Andrea. I am happy you liked it.