Cozy and comforting, this chicken and pumpkin risotto is perfect as a fall dinner for all the family! It's full of flavor, with juicy chicken thighs, seasonal pumpkin and fragrant herbs, and comes together in all easy recipe steps.
Have a peek at my Hokkaido pumpkin soup for similar fall flavors!
Risotto is always such a go-to for my family in the colder months, is it yours? Much like my chicken pesto risotto and chicken leek risotto, this pumpkin chicken risotto recipe is so warming, flavorful and perfect for a fall dinner!
We combine juicy chicken thighs, seasonal pumpkin, herbs and spices to make a comforting meal for all the family. The risotto really makes the most of fall flavors and is such a crowd-pleaser!
I've kept this risotto alcohol-free, so we don't use wine and swap for broth instead. This will make it more suitable as a low histamine recipe and for those who prefer a wine-free risotto.
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🍚 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Chicken - I suggest to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the risotto as they are juicy and flavorful, although chicken breast could also be used.
- Rice - we want to use arborio rice or carnaroli rice as it soaks up the liquid and becomes tender, giving us a creamy risotto. Regular white rice doesn't work well for risotto.
- Pumpkin - I use Hokkaido pumpkin (also known as red kuri or onion squash) as it gives a nice flavor. See below for more types to use!
- Sage - while you could use dried sage (reduce quantities to a third if so), I really suggest to use fresh sage leaves for their flavor.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap shallots for white onion. My low histamine readers may prefer to use white onion (scores 0 on SIGHI).
Add cheese. A sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese can be added, but is likely unsuitable for my low histamine readers.
🎃 Types of pumpkin
There are many pumpkins and squash that are edible, delicious and perfect for this fall risotto. I use Hokkaido pumpkin, but you can also use butternut squash, sugar pumpkin or carving pumpkin. You will need to peel the latter types of pumpkin and squash as the skins are tougher.
🔪 How to make chicken pumpkin risotto
Making this pumpkin chicken risotto is very simple, uses seasonal fall ingredients that are easy to find and doesn't require any fancy kitchen equipment.
All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Roast the pumpkin
Remove the seeds, then slice your pumpkin into rounds about half an inch thick. You want to use about a cup of pumpkin once diced. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over dried thyme and toss to coat (image 1). Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 25 minutes until fork tender. Once cool enough to handle, peel the pumpkin (optional with Hokkaido pumpkin) and dice into small pieces.
Step 2: Heat chicken broth
Pour chicken broth into a pot and bring to a light simmer. Reduce the heat, but keep the broth warm on the stovetop on a low heat while you are cooking (image 2).
I suggest to use 3 cups of broth, although you may not use all of it to make the risotto, depending upon the consistency you like.
Step 3: Cook the chicken thighs
Pat dry your chicken thighs with paper towel and dice into small pieces. Drizzle olive oil in your skillet or Dutch oven and sear and cook the chicken through until you have some browning and they reach an internal temperature of 165F using a meat thermometer (image 3). Set aside on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Step 4: Cook shallots and garlic
If your skillet seems dry, add a touch more oil (no need to clean it first, the chicken bits will add flavor!). Cook the diced shallot for a few minutes to soften, then add the minced garlic (image 3). Sprinkle in the nutmeg, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
Step 5: Add arborio rice
Tip in the arborio rice and stir in with the shallots and garlic. Toast for a minute or so (image 5).
Step 6: Add broth, chicken and pumpkin
Gradually ladle in the chicken broth, about ¼ cup at a time, adding more once it has been absorbed by the rice (image 6). Stir quite frequently so the rice releases starch and becomes creamy. Once the risotto is creamy, add back the chicken pieces, pumpkin and fresh sage leaves. Cook for a few minutes to warm through, adding more broth to get the consistency you like. Season with salt and black pepper and ladle into your bowls.
💭 Expert recipe tips and notes
- Cook the chicken through. Make sure your chicken pieces are white meat throughout when cooking them. We only add the chicken back to the skillet for a few minutes, so make sure it reaches 165F using a meat thermometer at the deepest point.
- Add the broth slowly. While some recipes pour in the stock all at once, the traditional way to make risotto is ladle by ladle.
- Keep stirring! One tried and tested method when I cook risotto is to stir quite frequently. This helps the rice absorb the broth, get creamy and plump up for a delicious comforting taste and texture.
- Serve quickly. Risotto can solidify quite quickly, so serving immediately keeps it creamy and gooey.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can easily use butternut squash. I suggest to peel it first, then roast in rounds or diced for 20-30 minutes until tender.
It's very simple to make a wine-free risotto. Simply swap the wine for all chicken broth or vegetable broth.
Yes, we use olive oil instead of butter and no gluten containing products (but check your chicken broth if you are using a store-bought product).
No, don't rinse your arborio rice! We need the starch to make the risotto creamy in taste and texture.
You can freeze risotto, but I find that it loses the nice loose texture when reheating it.
🥣 More chicken recipes
There are so many delicious chicken recipes to choose from here, including my popular air fryer stuffed chicken breast, paprika chicken and chicken ricotta pasta, as well as these recent recipes:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment papper
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- ½ small Hokkaido pumpkin approx 1 cup, peeled, diced or butternut squash
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs diced
- 1 medium shallot or ¼ white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- 6 sage leaves optional, to garnish*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the pumpkin into half. Remove the seeds and slice one half into rounds about half an inch thick. Place in a single layer on your baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle over the dried thyme. Bake the pumpkin for 25 minutes. Once it is cool enough to handle, remove the peel and dice into small pieces.**
- Pour the chicken broth into a pot and heat on the stovetop. Keep it warm during the cooking process on a low heat.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and dice into small pieces. Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and sear and cook the diced chicken thighs on a medium heat until you have some browning and they are cooked through to 165F using a meat thermometer. Set aside on a plate and cover to keep warm.
- If your skillet seems dry, add a touch more oil. Cook the diced shallot for a few minutes, then add in the garlic and nutmeg. Tip in the arborio rice and toast for a minute or so.
- Over medium heat, ladle the chicken broth into the skillet, stirring often and adding about ¼ cup each time the rice has absorbed the liquid. This should take about 20 minutes, and you may not need to use all the chicken broth.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces, diced pumpkin and tablespoon of fresh sage leaves. Stir well, add a little more broth if required to the consistency you like and season with salt and black pepper. Ladle into your serving bowls.
- If you like crispy sage leaves as a garnish, heat olive oil in a small skillet and fry sage leaves for about 45 seconds, until they are crispy.
Notes
- There are a few types of pumpkin that will work well for this risotto including Hokkaido (also known as red kuri and onion squash), butternut squash, carving pumpkin and sugar pumpkin.
- You may not need all the chicken broth if you like a thicker risotto.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- pumpkin scores 0, but particular pumpkins aren't noted.
- chicken broth will depend upon ingredients used and preparation method.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- shallot isn't rated. White onion can be used as a swap.
- nutmeg, which scores 1 with a note, 'small amounts are well tolerated'.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
Tess Smith says
I made this and subbed pumpkin with cubed butternut squash, and used cinnamon because I was out of nutmeg. SO GOOD!! Oh my gosh!! My husband took almost all our leftovers to work for lunch and we argued over who could have what was leftover for dinner because it was THAT GOOD!
Claire says
Oh, love this haha! So lovely to hear you both enjoyed it, and maybe make double portions next time 😉