Chicken and Leek Risotto is a comforting one-pot meal with plenty of protein that comes together in about 30 minutes and is gluten-free!
It tastes divine with a creamy texture from Arborio rice, which releases starch while absorbing flavorful stock. You don’t need to add a drop of cream.
You may have heard it demands constant stirring, so forget about it for a weeknight dinner! Ahem! This is not true! Frequent (not continual) stirring for 15 to 20 minutes is enough.

So, you can whip up this luxurious entree on a Wednesday (or a Tuesday or Thursday)!
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Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Boneless, skinless chicken meat
- Leeks
- Arborio rice
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Salt and pepper
- White wine
- Chicken stock
- Parmesan cheese
🐔 Chicken: Use raw boneless, skinless, breast or thigh meat, or cooked meat from a rotisserie chicken or store-bought package.
🧅 Leeks: Milder and sweeter than onions, leeks have a less assertive flavor. However, you can substitute shallots, green onions, or even regular onions if necessary.
Leeks need careful washing since they often hold dirt and sand between their layers.
🍚 Arborio rice: This medium-grain rice (affiliate link, left) is traditionally used for risotto. Carnaroli (affiliate link) is another medium-grain rice that is a fine substitute. You will not get the desired creaminess from basmati or jasmine rice.
🧄 Garlic: Please remove any green sprouts as their bitter taste may negatively affect the final dish. You can substitute a teaspoon of granules for fresh.
🌿 Thyme: You can swap a Tablespoon of fresh leaves for the teaspoon of dried in the recipe.
White wine: Instead of wine, you can use water with a Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or simply more chicken stock. No need to buy a bottle if you don’t have any in the house.
Chicken stock: The recipe was tested with low-sodium stock. Feel free to substitute vegetable stock although chicken stock has a richer flavor. If salt is a concern, use unsalted stock or plain water.
Parmesan: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese supplies the most flavor, but any type of Parmesan cheese will be delicious! The cheese melts into the recipe if it is grated rather than shredded.
👩🏽🍳How to make it
Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.
1️⃣Heat the olive oil and saute the chicken cubes, browning lightly and seasoning with salt.
When the chicken is barely cooked through, transfer the pieces to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Skip this step if you have some already prepared, cooked boneless chicken perhaps from a rotisserie bird or store-bought package.
2️⃣Cook the sliced leeks in the olive oil (and chicken juices) over medium heat until they soften and begin to lose color.
3️⃣ Add the rice and mix well into the leeks, cooking briefly.
4️⃣ Sprinkle the garlic over the leeks and rice and stir for about 30 seconds until the aroma is released.
5️⃣ Stir in the thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, and heat for a few seconds until the thyme is fragrant.
6️⃣ Pour the white wine over the mixture and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. While you are doing this, heat the broth in the microwave.
Alternatively, swap in broth, a tablespoon of vinegar diluted in ¼ cup of water, or use water for the wine.
7️⃣ After the wine is cooked off, pour about a cup of broth into the rice mixture and bring it to a boil.
Lower the heat to a simmer and stir frequently. As the rice absorbs the broth, stir frequently, but not constantly.
8️⃣ Whenever the rice starts to dry out and stick to the pan, add about a half cup of a ladleful of broth. Continue adding broth as necessary until the rice is tender with a firm center.
Avoid adding so much broth that the rice turns soft and mushy and resembles congee!
9️⃣ Once the rice is soft and creamy, return the chicken to the pan, or add your prepared, chopped chicken.
🔟 Stir grated Parmesan cheese into the risotto after adding chicken.
Now is the time to add some spinach, kale, or other green leafy vegetable to the mixture for a nutrient boost!
Or perhaps, you'd prefer baby green peas? (A green vegetable also enhances the appearance and taste.)
Serve immediately. Passing more Parmesan on the side.
Cooking tips and storage
Risotto is not truly a make-ahead dish. It tastes (and looks) best the day it is made. You can refrigerate leftovers for a couple of days, but keep in mind that the rice becomes softer every time it is reheated although it will still have delicious flavor.
Prep the ingredients
You can prep almost all the ingredients in advance. Even if you only slice and wash the leeks ahead, this will save you time! I like to use a (affiliate link) spider to scoop the cleaned leeks out of the water.
🥄Stirring?
The stirring of risotto is the stuff of legends. You do not have to stir constantly. It will be creamy and luscious with frequent stirring. You will have time to make a salad and warm some bread in the oven as you keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Extra yummy chicken
Chicken breast tastes fairly ho-hum unless seasoned at a minimum with salt while cooking. It's more delicious when treated to a dry rub or marinade before browning.
I often flavor the raw chicken cubes 2 to 6 hours before cooking with:
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
Of course, you can choose leftover chicken bits or already prepared, cooked chicken for the risotto.
Additions and variations
🍄Mushrooms are very complementary to the leeks, thyme, and chicken. Wash, slice, and dry before using. Add them at the same time as the leeks.
🍅Sun-dried tomatoes add such amazing, rich flavor!
🌿Greens: Baby spinach or arugula are easy add-ins. Chard, and kale, especially the curly kind with tough center stems removed, also taste delicious and add a motherlode of nutrients.
🫑Tender veggies: Peppers, celery, and carrots can be sauteed along with the leeks, while green peas can be added at the end of cooking.
Risotto is a very adaptable dish that will accept nearly any addition or inspiration!
How is this dish healthy?
- This particular version of risotto is made with chicken rather than bacon or other cured meats, so you get plenty of high-quality, low-fat protein and iron from many sources.
- Chicken and Leek Risotto is low in fat.
- It contains olive oil, high in healthy, monounsaturated fats, rather than butter, which has more saturated fat. The luxurious, creamy mouthfeel comes from the starch that oozes away from the grains of rice during cooking.
- Half-and-half or cream is not necessary for the texture or the flavor.
- Leeks are full of allium nutrition. Onions, garlic, chives, shallots, and leeks may lower risk of cancers of the digestive tract and prostate.
Nutrition Speak: A good nutrient source offers 10% to 19% of the Daily Value. An excellent source provides 20% or more.
- Vitamin E: The dish has a nice amount but is not quite a “good source”
- Vitamin K: This nutrient is important for clotting and for strengthening bones. The risotto is an excellent source with more than 50% of RDA for women. Add dark leafy greens to the risotto for even more!
- Vitamin B6: It supports a healthy nervous system and assists energy production. A serving of this recipe is a good source with 15% of RDA.
- Other excellent nutrition: Folate has benefits for heart and reproductive health. Carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk of head, neck, and prostate cancers and benefit eye health.
FAQs
It needs a heavy bottom. I prefer a high-sided (affiliate link) 3-qt saute pan because it cooks the dish slightly faster. A deep (affiliate link) 3-qt pot also works well.
It's 4 cups of stock to 1 cup of rice. However, that is a guideline. I never need more than 3 ½ cups. Once you have used up 3 cups, start checking your rice for firmness.
While the exterior should be soft and creamy, the interior should remain firm (or you'll end up with a pudding).
I do love this (affiliate link) 4-cup Pyrex liquid measure! It's perfect when you need to microwave an ingredient.
Yes. The risotto cooks much faster if you add warm stock. To keep it warm while cooking, pop it in the microwave as often as needed so it doesn't cool completely.
Yes. Regular onions are okay. Just use half the amount since leeks have a milder taste. Ditto for shallots. You could also swap in a fennel bulb for another flavor dimension!
As a rice dish, it should be gluten-free, but check the labels of all your ingredients, especially the rice, to ensure that is true. Sometimes, grains are cross-contaminated with wheat during storage.
💧It's easy to make risotto creamy again by adding a splash of liquid, such as water or broth.
Absolutely not! You want the rice to retain as much starch as possible to create that signature creamy texture as it absorbs liquid. Rinsing the rice might wash off some of that lovely goodness that makes it so delicious.
⏲️Of course, this also saves you time, which gives me a reason other than the amazing taste and texture to love risotto!
Other rice dishes you might like…
If you are gluten-free, try my Jambalaya with Andouille Chicken Sausage. It’s a delicious one-pot meal and perfect for Fat Tuesday!
You’ll love the curry-inspired flavor of my Turmeric Rice Pilaf. Stir in a protein like chunks of cooked salmon, shrimp, or black beans to make it a main dish and serve with salad.
Bell pepper shells filled with a mix of taco-spiced rice and beans are yummy for dinner or as part of a game-day spread. Eat them out of hand, just like tacos! (Warning: They’re deliciously messy.)
Chicken and Leek Risotto
Equipment
- Chopping and cutting boards
- Large chef's knife
- Spider strainer optional
- 3-quart pan high-sided saute, or saucepan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cups and spoon for measuring dry ingredients
- Cups for measuring liquid ingredients
- Large liquid measuring cup, 2- or 4-cup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 pound chicken breast, boneless skinless, cubed. Thighs are fine, too.
- 3 leeks, cut in half lengthwise, sliced, and cleaned, about 5 to 6 cups
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or use 1 Tablespoon fresh
- ¼ teaspoon salt, Kosher
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, fine
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake, milder Aleppo or regular crushed red pepper flake
- 1 cup arborio rice, or carnaroli
- ¼ cup white wine, or chicken broth
- 4 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth, low-sodium
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups kale or spinach, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds before starting, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water.
- Heat the olive oil in a high-sided saute pan or deep saucepan. Add the chicken breast and cook through on medium-high heat. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep them warm.
- Cook the sliced leeks on medium heat until softened and translucent. Stir the rice into the leeks and cook briefly.
- Sprinkle the garlic on top and stir until it is fragrant, no more than a minute. Add the remaining spices and stir to warm and bloom. The thyme should smell wonderful.
- Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up brown bits on the bottom and cooking off the alcohol.While deglazing, heat the broth in the microwave.
- Pour in about a cup of the broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. Turn the heat down to just above a simmer and continue to stir every few seconds. When the rice absorbs most of the broth and starts to look dry, add another half cup so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.If necessary, heat the broth again in the microwave. Continue to stir frequently.Repeat the process until the rice becomes creamy and soft with an al dente (slightly firm) center. This should take no more than 20 minutes.
- When the rice is done, return the cooked chicken and any juices to the pan and stir the grated Parmesan and kale or spinach (if using) into the mixture. Serve immediately with a simple green vegetable or salad. Pass extra Parmesan on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Copyright © 2025 Jani H. Leuschel
Jani H. Leuschel
I'm so glad you added some healthy greens and that you found the recipe easy and enjoyable! 🙂
Ruth Hall
I used spinach and added a little more than the recipe called for—didn’t use the red pepper flakes as I’m not a fan—t was SO good and simple!
Ruth Hall
This is delicious—smooth and tasty! I’ll make it again😊