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overhead view of a silver plate with risotto on a black cloth with herbs beside it.
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5 from 1 vote

Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto

This creamy and flavorful chicken and pumpkin risotto is a light yet comforting fall or winter favorite meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Chicken Breast, Main Course, Pasta and Rice
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 678kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • Large pan or Dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pumpkin 450 g Note 1
  • ¾ lb cooked chicken 350 g/ 12 oz, Notes 2,3
  • 5 cups chicken stock 1.2 liter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 ¾ cup risotto 350 g, Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone nano
  • ½ cup white wine 125 ml
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup Parmesan freshly grated, 60 g/ 2 oz, 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 to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roast pumpkin: Halve the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin halves on the prepared tray (cut side down). Bake the for 40-50 minutes until fork tender. Remove and let stand until cool enough to handle.
  • Prepare pumpkin for risotto: Remove the peel. Weigh the amount you need 1 lb/450 g (use the leftovers for another recipe). Puree half of the required amount and cut the rest into cubes. Set aside.

Risotto:

  • Heat 5 cups/ 1.2 liters of chicken stock in a small pan and keep it on the stovetop on very low heat while you cook the risotto; it needs to be hot when you add it to the rice.
  • Sauté: Heat the oil and cook 1 small finely chopped onion until translucent. Add the unwashed rice, and stir well to coat it with the oil. Add ½ cup white wine (125 ml), stir, and let the wine bubble away.
  • Cook risotto: Start adding the chicken stock, about ½ to 1 cup at a time, stirring often. Only add the next cup of liquid when the previous one has been absorbed; it will take about 15-20, and the rice should be tender but not mushy. I stir often but not continuously.
  • Add chicken pieces, pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 cup/ 60 g freshly grated Parmesan. Stir well and adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fold in the dill and the chopped pumpkin, ensuring that the cubes don’t break too much when you stir them in.
  • Let stand for about 5 minutes and serve.

Notes

  1. Pumpkin: A flavorful sort like Hokkaido, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash.
    1 lb was ½ a pumpkin in my case. Bake a whole pumpkin and use the other half for another recipe.
  2. Cooked chicken breast or thighs (shredded or chopped). Rotisserie chicken is also great. Or substitute with turkey.
  3. Cook fresh chicken: Cut ¾ lb (350 g) chicken breast into cubes or stripes. 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. 
  4. Cheese: 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (lightly packed) weighs 60 g/ 2 oz. If using already grated Parmesan (which I don’t recommend), use only ½ to ¾ as it has less volume than freshly grated Parmesan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion from 5 | Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1236mg | Potassium: 845mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 8071IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 5mg