Thermomix Chicken Risotto

Published: Jul 29, 2021 · Modified: Sep 11, 2024 by Marianne Rogerson · This post may contain affiliate links.

This Thermomix Chicken Risotto recipe is quick to make and gives you a rich creamy risotto with minimal effort.

Thermomix Chicken Risotto in bowls on table

Risotto is one of the most popular dishes to make in the Thermomix due to the fact it makes a typically laborious dish super easy.

Traditionally making risotto requires constant stirring and keeping a close eye on the saucepan. But with the Thermomix you can just leave it to do its thing and go away and put your feet up!

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Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients for this chicken risotto:

Parmesan Cheese - this is traditionally added at the end of cooking risotto to add to the creaminess of the dish and add flavour and seasoning (it is quite a salty cheese). If you don't have parmesan you could substitute with pecorino romano or maybe even a sharp cheddar. Or experiment with your favourite cheese!
Onion & Garlic
Butter & Olive Oil
Arborio Rice - also known as risotto rice, Arborio rice is a short grain, round rice that absorbs lots of moisture while it cooks, but remains al dente when cooked properly. Its high starch content is what helps give risotto is characteristic creaminess.
Chicken Breast - this recipe uses chicken breast but you could also use chicken thigh fillets if you prefer.
White Wine - there's always a bottle of wine open in my house so I just grab whatever is in the fridge. I love the flavour it gives to this risotto. However, if you don't want to use wine you could just increase the stock by the same amount.
Chicken stock - you want to make sure you use the best quality chicken stock you can. I like to use my homemade chicken bone broth as it tastes amazing and is full of goodness. You could also use stock made from Thermomix Chicken Stock Paste or a high quality store-bought stock.

How to make Thermomix Risotto

To make risotto in the Thermomix, you first need to grate your Parmesan and set it aside for later.

Next chop and saute the onion and garlic, then saute the chicken breast.

For the chicken, I suggest chopping it into approximately 2cm cubes. This allows there to still be small pieces of chicken in the risotto once it has been stirred by the Thermomix. If you prefer larger pieces that is fine too.

REMEMBER to put the stir on REVERSE or you will end up with shredded chicken. Also note that the Measuring Cup (MC) needs to be off most of the time to allow plenty of steam to escape.

Next you add the Butterfly to the bowl before adding the rice. You will need to move the chicken out of the way using a spatula to fit it in.

Thermomix TM6 with simmering basket on top

Next you add the white wine, followed by the stock and then leave it to stir and do its thing.

Make sure that you place the simmering basket on top of the lid in place of the measuring cup. This allows the steam to escape but will prevent the liquid splashing out.

Once the risotto has finished cooking it will still have a lot of excess liquid (see picture above). Don't worry - this is normal. You haven't finished the process yet.

To enable it to thicken and finish absorbing all the liquid, you need to transfer it to a thermoserver or other heat proof bowl with a lid (I often use a cast iron dutch oven), stir in the parmesan and then leave it for 5-10 minutes to continue thickening.

Now serve it in bowls with extra shavings of parmesan and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.

Other things to add to Risotto

Risotto is a very versatile dish. Here are some ideas of other things to add to this recipe:

Mushrooms - mushrooms are great in this dish. Chop them up and add to the bowl at the same time as the stock.
Spinach - spinach also works well. Throw in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach at the same time as the stock.
Cheese - you can experiment with different cheeses. Blue cheese, marscapone, cheddar, mozzarella, taleggio are all possibilities.
Herbs - again you can experiment with different herb flavours. Thyme always works well with chicken or try oregano, parsley, tarragon, mint, chives...
Bacon - because we all know bacon makes everything taste better 🙂 Add chopped bacon to the bowl to saute with the garlic and onion. Or grill until crispy and use it to sprinkle on top.

FAQs and Top Tips

How do you reheat risotto?

Risotto is definitely best eaten fresh. However, if you have leftovers you can keep in the fridge and reheat it later. Add a little extra liquid (a couple of tablespoons of water or stock) and reheat in the microwave for a minute at a time, stirring each time, until piping hot.

Can I use long grain rice in risotto?

Arborio rice is a short grain, round rice that absorbs lots of moisture while it cooks. Its high starch content is what helps give risotto is characteristic creaminess. Long grain rice will not give you the same results.

What can I use instead of Arborio rice in risotto?

There are a couple of other Italian rice varieties you can use in risotto - Carnaroli rice and Vialone Nano. You could also try using Farro (a wholegrain wheat) or Pearl Barley. Or try experimenting with sushi rice or brown rice.

Do I have to use wine in risotto?

Most risotto recipes include wine but it is absolutely fine to skip it if you want to. Just substitute it with extra stock of the same volume.