Risotto in an Instant Pot? Risotto that you don't have to stand over the stove and babysit and constantly stir? YES! I'm here to bring this to you today. When I found a recipe online for Instant Pot Chicken Risotto, I knew I had to try it! And it was tasty. But I felt it needed some tweaks to get to the creaminess level I wanted. I think I've finally perfected it.
This risotto is cheesy, creamy, and filling. The texture is fantastic. And the seasoning is on point. I still can't believe you can make this in the Instant Pot. But the Instant Pot is some kind of magic. SO magic that my daughter will eat this risotto. And she's pretty picky. If you've randomly wound up on this post, but you're a vegetarian, try this Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto that I love!
Have you used an Instant Pot before? I got mine over Black Friday last year. It DOES take a bit of figuring out on your first time using it. Like... why isn't the countdown starting after you put on the lid? What does the burn warning mean? Are you doing things correctly?
Here's a few Instant Pot tips:
- What is the burn warning on an Instant Pot? This happens usually when you either don't have enough liquid in the pot, or you have something stuck to the bottom. That's why it's so important to deglaze and scrape up any bits before putting on the lid for the pressure cooking part.
- Why isn't the countdown starting after I put on the lid? Is it working correctly? This was my big question the first time I used it. Basically, the Instant Pot has to build up all that pressure, and THEN it starts cooking and counting down. It can take 10 minutes to build up pressure before it starts cooking. So work that into your time needed for the dish to be ready.
But once you figure out the Instant Pot, it's glorious. And then you can make delicious, easy dinners like this Instant Pot Chicken Risotto.
Ingredients for making the Instant Pot Chicken Risotto:
- Chicken breast, cut into cubes
- Arborio rice
- Onion
- Garlic
- White wine
- Chicken stock or broth
- Olive oil
- Herbs de provence
- Oregano
- Parmesan cheese
- Butter
- Fresh parsley
What is arborio rice? Where do you find it in the store?
Arborio rice is basically what you typically hear is used for risotto. It's starchy, which helps with the creaminess of risotto. You do not wash it before using it! You can find it in the rice section of your store. I've never had any problem finding it at my local grocery store. If you can't find it, you can always buy it from an online retailer!
Can I use different spices?
Absolutely! I love oregano and herbs de provence in this risotto. But you may prefer thyme or an Italian seasoning blend. Use what you have and flavors you love. That's the wonderful things about recipes. You can customize to what you like!
Instant Pot Chicken Risotto recipe adapted from Happy Foods Tube. Looking for more of our Instant Pot recipes? View all our Instant Pot recipes here.
Instant Pot Chicken Risotto
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts cut into cubes
- 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried herbs de provence
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the chicken, herbs de provence, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir. Brown the chicken, stirring frequently. Once done, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent. Add the minced garlic, then stir and saute for an additional minute.
- Add the white wine and deglaze, scraping any bits stuck to the bottom. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken back to the Instant Pot, and add the rice and chicken stock. Stir to combine.
- Cover the Instant Pot and lock in the lid. Turn the vent to SEALING. Press the MANUAL button and adjust the time to 3 minutes.
- Let Instant Pot come to pressure, then it will count down from 3 minutes. Once the Instant Pot counts down to 0 and is done cooking, wait 7 minutes. Then QUICK RELEASE the steam.
- Remove the lid. Risotto may look liquidy, but just stir to combine. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan cheese. Add more seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- What is the burn warning on an Instant Pot? This happens usually when you either don't have enough liquid in the pot, or you have something stuck to the bottom. That's why it's so important to deglaze and scrape up any bits before putting on the lid for the pressure cooking part.
- Why isn't the countdown starting after I put on the lid? This was my big question the first time I used it. Basically, the Instant Pot has to build up all that pressure, and THEN it starts cooking and counting down. It can take 10-15 minutes to build up pressure before it starts cooking. So work that into your time needed for the dish to be ready.
- If you aren't using freshly grated Parmesan cheese and are using the grated kind that comes in a tub, use 1/2 a cup instead of 3/4 a cup.
- 4 and a half cups can be a weird measurement for chicken broth, as there is usually 4 cups in a carton. If you don't feel like opening a fresh carton, you can use 4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 a cup water. I've done that!
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