risotto

This gluten-free Chicken and Mushroom Brown Rice Risotto is a comforting and nutritious twist on a classic favorite. Unlike traditional risotto that relies on arborio rice, this version uses wholesome brown rice for added fibre and flavour, making it a delicious and satisfying meal. It’s easy to prepare, allowing you to precook the rice and whip up this risotto in just 10 minutes.

I first made this many years ago. A restaurateur friend of mine teased me about messing with a ‘classic.’ Once he tasted it he was grateful I dared to mess!

Health benefits

This chicken risotto is packed with nutritious ingredients like chicken, mushrooms, chicken broth and fresh vegetables, providing a great source of protein and vitamins. The use of brown rice adds more fibre, promoting digestive health, while the addition of fresh herbs and greens boosts its nutrient profile.

Ingredients

You’ll need dried porcini mushrooms, butter, garlic, a large onion, celery sticks, boneless chicken thighs, assorted mushrooms, fresh thyme, zucchini, dry white wine, leftover cooked brown rice, chicken stock or bone broth, grated parmesan cheese, and baby spinach, topped off with flat-leaf parsley for garnish.

How to make this Chicken and Mushroom Brown Rice Risotto

To create this risotto, start by soaking the porcini mushrooms in boiling water. Sauté the garlic, onion, and celery in butter, then add diced chicken until it turns opaque. Incorporate chopped porcini and assorted mushrooms, zucchini, and thyme, and cook until soft. Next, add the pre-cooked brown rice, a splash of white wine, reserved porcini liquid, and chicken stock, simmering until the stock is absorbed. Stir in spinach and cheese until melted and wilted, season with sea salt and black pepper then serve topped with fresh parsley.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Pair this hearty risotto with a crisp salad for a complete meal. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for later enjoyment. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to restore creaminess.

Vary this brown rice risotto to suit your needs

For a dairy-free version, substitute the butter with ghee or olive oil and replace cheese with cashew cream and nutritional yeast. To make it vegetarian, increase the mushroom content and add walnuts, swapping chicken broth for vegetable stock. Vegan options can also be achieved with the same substitutions, and for those with onion or garlic sensitivities, fennel or chili powder can be excellent alternatives.

Print Recipe

4.75 from 8 votes

Chicken and Mushroom Brown Rice Risotto

A delicious, nutty Chicken and Mushroom Brown Rice risotto that's easier to make than traditional risotto and more nutritious. 

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 10 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 clove/s garlic -diced
• 1 onion/s (large) diced
• 2 stick/s celery -finely diced
• 500 g boneless and skinless chicken thighs -diced
• 200 g mushrooms -sliced (an assortment is nice, Swiss brown, shiitake, oyster)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 zucchini/s -julienned or ribboned
• 60 ml white wine (¼ cup)
• 2 cup/s leftover cooked brown rice (1 cup or 185 g when uncooked)
• 250 ml chicken broth or stock (1 cup)
• 100 g parmesan cheese -grated (1 cup)
• 30 g baby spinach (optional)
• ½ bunch/s flat leaf parsley -chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste

Serve

• Salad (to serve)

Instructions

• Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and just cover with a little boiling water. Set aside.
• In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter over a low heat. Add the garlic, onion and celery and cook with the lid on for a few minutes just to sweat and soften (not too brown).
• Add the chicken and continue to cook for a few more minutes until the chicken just starts to turn opaque.
• Remove the porcini mushrooms from the water, reserving the soaking water.
• Chop the porcini mushrooms then add to the pan with the rest of the mushrooms, zucchini, and thyme leaves and cook for a few minutes until the mushroom starts to soften.
• Add the rice and a splash of white wine, the reserved porcini liquid, followed by the stock and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often until the stock is almost all absorbed.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach and cheese. Once the spinach has wilted and the cheese melted through the dish, top with parsley and serve immediately.

Thermomix method

• If cooking the brown rice in the Thermomix, add enough water to cover the blades. Place the rice in the basket and cook 20 minutes (if un-soaked) or 18 minutes if soaked, Varoma temp, speed 4.
• Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and just cover with a little boiling water. Set aside.
• In a dry thermomix bowl, grate the parmesan, 10 seconds, speed 7-8. Set aside. 
• Now chop the garlic, 3 seconds, speed 7. Add the onion and celery and chop 10 seconds, speed 4. 
• At this point I personally transfer it to the stove top as the volume of chicken and mushrooms makes it very hard to cook evenly in the the thermomix. Also it's not like a regular risotto that requires lots of stirring. Once the chicken and mushrooms are cooked, it is only 5 minutes away from serving. 

Make-ahead

• Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.

Store

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

Dairy-free

Replace the butter with ghee or macadamia or olive oil and the cheese with cashew nut cream (savoury version) and nutritional yeast.

Vegetarian

Replace the chicken with an extra cup of mushrooms and a handful or two of walnuts. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable stock.

Vegan

Use dairy-free and vegetarian options.

Onion-free

Replace the onion with a small bulb of finely diced fennel. 

Garlic-free

Replace the garlic with a pinch of chilli powder.

 

I prefer this brown rice version more than regular risotto - do you agree?  Post your thoughts in the comments below.