Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto
Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto is an easy, quick meal packed with tons of flavor. Made with fresh lemon, basil and grilled chicken, Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto is the perfect hearty 30 minute meal and all you need is ONE pan.
When the weather turns warm, the last thing you want to do is stand in front of a hot stove and take hours to cook dinner for your family. You want something easy, you want something quick, you want something delicious! This recipe for Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto delivers all of that .. and more!
There is nothing worse than flavorless chicken. For as much chicken as we all eat in our quest to look better and feel better, no one has time for boring yard bird. This Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto recipe is a quick pull together, just 30 minutes and you have a chicken risotto that is exploding with fresh, springtime flavor.
WHICH RICE IS BEST FOR RISOTTO?
I use only Italian short-grain Aroborio rice. Arborio has a high starch content and tends to absorb less liquid, resulting in a stickier, more compact risotto. It is commonly found in the pasta / rice aisles in most grocery stores.
HOW DO YOU ZEST A LEMON FOR LEMON BASIL CHICKEN RISOTTO?
When a recipe calls for zest, it means finely minced or grated lemon peel. The lemon peel is the yellow ‘skin’ on a lemon and it sits on top of the white pith layer. You can zest a lemon with a knife, a microplane or even the small openings on a standard standing cheese grater. To zest with the microplane (shown below), just rub the lemon in one direction against the little blades. Turn the lemon as you go so you remove only the yellow part. The white layer is bitter so stroke only 2 or 3 times in one spot of the yellow before rotating the lemon to a new unzested spot.
HOW DO YOU MAKE LEMON BASIL CHICKEN RISOTTO?
Easy! To make Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto, start by cutting your chicken into bite sized pieces and then sprinkling them with salt, pepper and onion powder. Add vegetable oil to a large skillet and cook chicken until browned over medium high heat, usually about 5-7 minutes.
When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set aside. Using the same skillet, add butter and once melted, add diced onions. Stir and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes then add garlic and cook for another minute. Add in arborio rice and stir to mix, coating the rice in the butter and onions.
Add in wine and using a whisk or spatula, scrape up the bits of spice and chicken left on the bottom of the pan. Add a ladle of stock and stir. Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladle of stock and combine.
Repeat this back and forth until all of your stock has been used. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes. Once the risotto is soft and creamy, add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, basil, remaining butter and cooked chicken pieces. Stir to combine and serve Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto immediately. Garnish with more fresh basil.
This Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto is the perfect comfort meal to serve up in a flash! In just 30 minutes you have an amazing flavorful meal that is easy to make and perfect for those nights you don’t want to spend forever making dinner.
Looking for more easy 30 minute meals? Be sure to check out my One Pot Lasagna Skillet, my 30 Minute Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups and my Ground Beef Stroganoff.
ENJOY!!
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest … and yup, even Instagram to never miss a new recipe!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 chicken breast bite sized pieces
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 sweet onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 lemons juiced and zested
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Start by cutting your chicken into bite sized pieces and then sprinkling them with salt, pepper and onion powder. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet and cook chicken until browned over medium high heat, usually about 5-7 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, add 4 tablespoons butter and once melted, add diced onions. Stir and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes then add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add in arborio rice and stir to mix, coating the rice in the butter and onions. Add in wine and using a whisk or spatula, scrape up the bits of spice and chicken left on the bottom of the pan. Add a ladle of stock and stir. Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladle of stock and combine. Repeat this back and forth until all of your stock has been used. This should take about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Once the risotto is soft and cream, add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, basil, remaining butter and cooked chicken pieces. Stir to combine and serve Lemon Basil Chicken Risotto immediately. Garnish with more basil
This is truly a gorgeous dish! LOVE risotto and I don’t think to make it enough. Cannot wait to try this. It looks like heaven on a plate. 😀
All the ingredients in this dish look amazing! I love risotto and this dish looks perfect in my books! I love the step-by-step instructions! Makes my life so much easier when I go to make this dish!!
Risotto always sounds so elegant and complicated – and it’s really so straightforward! I love the lemon in this – I’ll have to try that!
This sounds like the perfect comfort food! Lemon and basil are two of the best flavors. Throw in some chicken, and it makes a risotto side dish a full meal!
Such a lovely meal! Perfect use for my basil plant that is just bursting. Will be making this soon.
I haven’t made risotto in the longest time, but it’s one of my favorites. This looks so good, especially with the addition of lemon. I also like that you added chicken, for a perfect complete meal
This sounds so flavorful and delish,I have to keep this on my list!
Love the combination for lemon and basil with the chicken and that risotto look scrumptious. So perfect. I don’t do risotto as much anymore.. Must make some soon. Saving this for later.
OOooh, now this looks like an awesome weeknight meal! I am totally putting this on my meal plan soon!
I love finding new recipes to use fresh lemons for! This sounds so wonderful, light while comfort food all at the same time!
This sounds wonderful. I have plenty of basil in my garden right now and I love adding lemon to dishes.
Super easy and looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this one!