Chicken and chorizo risotto with peas and Manchego cheese, a meaty rice fest with Italian and Spanish influences that is comfort food heaven.
Cooking in around 60 minutes, including preparation, this recipe is a fantastic mid-week, hearty one-pot dinner.
A Spanish-Influenced Italian Risotto
I adore the flavour combination of chicken and chorizo; they work incredibly well together.
They have featured before in a diverse range of dishes, from a chicken leg and chorizo traybake to a wonderful chicken and chorizo pasta bake recipe.
You can now add a fantastic chicken and chorizo risotto to that list. Yes, I am fusing Italian cooking methods with the flavours of Spain, and it works wonderfully.
The Spanish influences do not stop with chorizo either.
Rather than using white wine to get the dish going, dry sherry adds acidity and balance to the other rich flavours.
The cheese element also gets a Spanish vibe with the addition of Manchego cheese. The butty almost sweet flavour is spectacular in this recipe!
Like all of my risotto recipes, this dish is cooked in the traditional method, with lots of stirring. It may take time standing at the cooker, but it is very easy and ensures a perfect risotto every time!
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of chorizo should I use?
So long as you are using a cured Spanish chorizo (curado), you are good to go. I usually use Chorizo de Leon, mainly because it is my favourite!
Can I use a spicy chorizo?
Yes, spicy chorizo works perfectly well in this recipe.
What type of risotto rice should I use?
All of my risotto recipes are tested with Arborio rice because it is the most commonly available.
This recipe is equally good, if not better, made with carnaroli rice, rice that has a higher starch content. This leads to an even creamier mouthfeel.
Do I have to use sherry?
No, you could move to white wine or even vermouth in this recipe, although the shift will change the flavour a little.
Can I omit the alcohol altogether?
Yes, but you will need to add a little acidity to balance the flavours a little bit. A squeeze of lemon juice or even a splash of sherry vinegar would work very well.
Can I make this in advance?
Risotto is at its best when served fresh, and as a result, I would not cool it and reheat it.
But if you wanted to get ahead, you could cook the rice until it is slightly underdone. Then cool and refrigerate, then complete the final 5-10 minutes of cooking when you are ready.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken and chorizo risotto is meant to be a one-pot complete dinner, and it is generous enough to be just that.
That does not mean that the addition of a little something else hurts.
Yes, it is protein and carb-heavy, but for me, a nice bit of bread works a treat with this recipe.
Something like a ciabatta bread is perfect for mopping up the paprika-rich oils from the bottom of the bowl.
But a nice garlic bread goes down a treat too, whether it is out of the chiller cabinet or homemade!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan or skillet.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Grater
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Ladle.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
Chicken and Chorizo Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Small Chicken Thighs Boneless and skinless (250g Total)
- 100 g Chorizo Sausage 3½oz
- 1 Small Onion 75g
- 125 g Risotto Rice ⅔ Cup
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 75 ml Dry Sherry ⅓ Cup
- 650 ml Chicken Stock 2¾ Cups
- 75 g Frozen Peas ½-⅔ Cup
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 25 g Butter 2 Tbsp
- 75 g Manchego Cheese ¾ Cup
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thigh meat into a 1cm (just under ½") dice.
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 5mm (just under ¼") dice.
- Heat the stock in a 15cm or 6" saucepan, it does not need to boil, just keep it hot whilst you add it to the risotto.
- Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan or skillet over a medium high heat and when it is hot add the oil. Toss the chicken and chorizo sausage into the frying pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, keep an eye on the oil leeching from the chorizo, it is important that this doesn't burn. If it starts to darken too much, reduce the heat a little.
- Once the chicken and chorizo has had it's cooking time, sprinkle over the smoked paprika, stir to coat.
- Remove the meat from the pan, leaving as much of the oil as possible in the pan, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the butter and when it has melted, the diced onion to the pan and cook it for 3-4 minutes, or until it has softened, and begun to become opaque.
- Add the risotto rice and stir constantly until it becomes opaque at the edges, this should take 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the sherry and stir until it has almost all disappeared and you are left with a starchy residue in the base of the pan.
- Add a ladle of the hot stock and stir again until almost all of the stock has been absorbed and you have a similar white starchy residue in the base of the pan. Repeat until the rice is almost cooked. As you get further through the cooking process you can stir less frequently.
- Whilst the rice is cooking shred defrost the peas by running them under cold water, grate half of the Manchego cheese and crumble the other half.
- Keep testing the rice, and once it has a little bit left and is almost cooked, return the chicken and chorizo to the pan and complete the cooking of the rice.
- Once the rice is just cooked, stir through the grated mnachego cheese and the peas, add a lid to the pan and cover with a lid, remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Finally serve sprinkled with the crumbled Manchego cheese and lots of fresh parsley.
