One Pot Chicken with Creamy Shiitake Risotto

One pot chicken and creamy shiitake risotto - featured image.

5 from 1 vote

One Pot Chicken with Creamy Shiitake Risotto

This One Pot Chicken with Creamy Shiitake Risotto features rich and earthy mushroom risotto, crispy seared chicken, and is jam-packed with flavor. This dish is ready in under an hour and only leaves you with one pot to clean!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Optional Overnight Dry Brine8

Total Time9

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 1127kcal

Author: Spencer Klickman

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

3 lbs. Bone-in Chicken Quarters About 3 quarters, separated, or 6 Bone-in Chicken Thighs
2 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 tablespoon Bacon Fat or Neutral Oil Plus more as needed

Shitake Risotto

5 oz Shiitake Mushrooms Stems removed and sliced into ¼-inch-thick slices (About 2 cups)
1 Shallot Finely minced
4 - 5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme Tied together into a bundle with kitchen twine
⅛ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon Paprika
1 pinch Cayenne
½ cup Dry White Wine Pino Grigio or Chardonnay
2 cups Arborio Rice
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
¾ cup Parmesan Grated
Juice and Zest from 1 Lemon About 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Optional Dry Brine Instructions

Optional, but recommended dry brine: The day before cooking, add the salt underneath the chicken skin as evenly as possible. Place the chicken on a wire rack-lined baking sheet uncovered in the refrigerator and rest overnight.
If not using the dry brine, add the salt under the chicken skin as evenly as possible and allow to rest while the pan is heating (steps below).

Chicken

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat a Dutch oven or a braiser over medium-high heat until hot. Add butter and bacon fat (or other neutral oil; I prefer bacon fat as it adds a bit of smokey/savory depth to the dish), then add the chicken pieces. Sear for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping occasionally to develop some color until golden-brown. The chicken will not be cooked all the way through at this point, which is ok. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserving the drippings that collect as it rests.

Creamy Shiitake Risotto

Add more butter, oil, or bacon fat to the braiser (if needed), and add the sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sear for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced shallots and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until translucent.
Add the bundle of fresh thyme, paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any stuck-on bits from the pan, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Add the arborio rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan by scraping any fond off the bottom of the pan. Add the heavy cream and slowly stir in the parmesan cheese. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then return the chicken pieces to the pan.
Cover the pan with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes covered. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the risotto is completely cooked (but not mushy) and the chicken reaches at least 165°F internal on an instant read thermometer. Remove the thyme bundle and discard.
Top the whole dish with the lemon juice and lemon zest, and taste for additional salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Notes

Storing and Reheating

Storing

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Transfer to the freezer for any longer.

Reheating

There are a few options when it comes to reheating leftovers: reheat everything all together low and slow, or separating the chicken from the risotto and heating the parts independently.

If you're not in a rush, you can heat everything all together by using gentle heat (medium to medium-low on the stovetop, or 325 to 350°F in the oven/toaster oven) for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add a splash of chicken stock, more cream, or a touch of milk to refresh the risotto.

I prefer separating the chicken from the risotto as it allows things to heat up a bit quicker. Heat the risotto on the stovetop over medium-high heat with a bit of heavy cream and/or chicken stock to refresh it until warm. While that's heating, use an oven/toaster oven set to 400°F and heat the chicken pieces for about 5 to 7 minutes until warm.

Nutrition