This lemon butter chicken risotto in a Dutch oven is a yummy dinner for the entire family. It is creamy, delicious, comforting, and easy to prepare.
My eating habits evolve around eating all food groups in moderation but focusing more on veggies and grains. Protein from meat sources is still on my plate, but I eat leaner meats. And chicken fits this model perfectly.
In my post, How to Start Eating Clean for Beginners, you can read more about the clean eating model. And, for this Lemon Butter Chicken Risotto in Dutch Oven, I found that chicken thighs go better than chicken breasts.
If you have leftover grilled chicken in your fridge, here's another great risotto recipe you can try out! It's a delicious way to use up leftovers and create a satisfying meal.
The Role of Rice as a Staple Food in Global Cuisines
Rice is a staple grain found in many cuisines around the world. I remember talking to my friend from India while we were both graduate students. We enjoyed sharing stories about our cultures and customs. I was surprised to learn that in his part of India, people eat rice with every meal, even for breakfast! In Serbia, we also eat rice, but it's typically featured in our meals once or twice a week.
I found that about half of the world gets about 50% of its nutrients from rice. Just think of countries such as China, Japan, and India. And when you think of all these nations, it is scarce to see they are overweight, even though they eat so much of it. So, there must be some benefits to eating rice.
I also found a fascinating article about rice in Japan that explains why it's such a central part of their diet. It highlights that cooked rice plays a key role in enhancing and balancing the flavors of the main dishes. Additionally, rice helps you feel fuller for longer, making it a nutritious choice in meals. If you're interested, you can read more about it here.
Health Benefits of Rice
Rice is rich in carbohydrates; in just 0.5 cups of rice, there is about 9% of the daily recommended value. It is also rich in protein, and the main difference between white rice and brown rice is that latter is rich in vitamins and minerals.
This is due to the white rice being processed and stripped of the vitamins and minerals commonly present in the bran and germ. This is analogous to the difference between white flour and whole wheat flour I described in my Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip recipe.
Picking the Right Rice for Risotto
With so many different types of rice available, it's crucial to choose the right one for your dish to ensure all the flavors shine through.
For risotto, the best choice is short-grain rice, which has a higher starch content compared to long-grain varieties. This starch is essential during cooking because it gets released as you stir, creating the creamy, sticky texture that makes risotto so delightful.
If you're looking for more information on rice types and their uses, you can find helpful insights here.
Ingredients You'll Need
This tasty and easy lemon chicken risotto can be made in under an hour, which is usually my goal when cooking. I've tried many recipes that claim to be 30-minute meals, but they always take longer. Maybe I'm just a bit slow in the kitchen!
I won't sugarcoat it: you'll need some time to marinate and cook the chicken before adding it to the Dutch oven with the rice. However, how you prepare the chicken is crucial for the great taste of this lemon butter chicken risotto. So, let's get started! Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into small cubes
- 1 ½ cup rice. I used Paella rice here as the round grain goes perfectly in risottos. If you use brown rice, you must adjust the cooking time as it cooks for longer.
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ cup white wine (optional)
How to Prepare Lemon Butter Chicken Risotto
- Marinating the Meat: Mix ¼ cup olive oil with the juice of ½ freshly squeezed lemon to create a marinade. Add one minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon each of oregano, ground paprika, and thyme, plus salt and pepper to taste. Coat the chicken with the marinade and let it sit in a glass container with a lid for at least 30 minutes (longer is better).
- Cooking the Chicken: For best flavor, cook the marinated chicken on a cast-iron grill, or use a regular pan. Save the leftover marinade for later. Once the chicken is browned, transfer it to a plate while preparing the other ingredients.
- Preparing the Vegetables: In the meantime, chop the onion and celery. Heat butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven, then sauté the chopped onion for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cooking the Rice: Rinse the rice and add it to the Dutch oven, stirring for 1-2 minutes. In the glass container with the reserved marinade, mix 2 ½ cups of water and ½ cup white wine (or just use 3 cups of water if skipping the wine). Pour this mixture over the rice and veggies, add the cooked chicken, and cover the pot.
- Simmer: Let the risotto cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure the rice absorbs the liquid but doesn't dry out.
- Baking the Risotto: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Transfer the lemon butter chicken risotto to a baking dish, and top with lemon slices. Bake for about 10 minutes, then serve warm.
Quick Tip!
If the risotto starts to look dry, add a little water, and keep stirring until it's just right. This technique is essential for achieving that perfect consistency!
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Lemon Butter Chicken Risotto in a Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 1 ½ cup rice round grain
- ½ onion medium, chopped
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon paprika ground
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ lemon freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup olive oil + extra 2 tbsp
- 3 tbs butter
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ cup white wine optional
Instructions
- Mix ¼ cup olive oil with the juice of ½ freshly squeezed lemon to create a marinade. Add one minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon each of oregano, ground paprika, and thyme, plus salt and pepper to taste. Coat the chicken with the marinade and let it sit in a glass container with a lid for at least 30 minutes (longer is better).
- For best flavor, cook the marinated chicken on a cast-iron grill, or use a regular pan. Save the leftover marinade for later. Once the chicken is browned, transfer it to a plate while preparing the other ingredients.
- In the meantime, chop the onion and celery. Heat butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven, then sauté the chopped onion for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Rinse the rice and add it to the Dutch oven, stirring for 1-2 minutes. In the glass container with the reserved marinade, mix 2 ½ cups of water and ½ cup white wine (or just use 3 cups of water if skipping the wine). Pour this mixture over the rice and veggies, add the cooked chicken, and cover the pot.
- Let the risotto cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure the rice absorbs the liquid but doesn't dry out.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Transfer the lemon butter chicken risotto to a baking dish, and top with lemon slices. Bake for about 10 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
- These is the nutrition facts for 1 serving of this recipe. Total servings for this recipe: 4 people.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will depend on your specific ingredients.
- If the risotto starts to look dry, add a little water, and keep stirring until it's just right.
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