This oven baked chicken and mushroom risotto is an easy and comforting dinner. Made with simple ingredients and no constant stirring required, this risotto recipe bakes in the oven for a mostly hands-off meal that still delivers a rich, creamy flavour. Plus this recipe is also dairy free and gluten free!
While the majority of recipes on this site come from somewhere in my brain, this recipe is one of my Husbands specialities. It’s a recipe that he goes through phases of making and it’s always a huge hit as risotto is just one of those deliciously cosy comfort foods.
I do also love it when I get to step back from the kitchen and just enjoy a glass of wine while dinner is prepared.
This variation of a traditional risotto is perfect for a Sunday night at home, or a dinner party where you want to have done most of the prep before the guests have arrived as you can just stick it in the oven and leave it to cook – that’s right, no standing over the stove stirring!
Once you have made this oven baked chicken and mushroom risotto you’ll want to keep it on regular rotation as it really is a simple and delicious way to make it.
For more risotto recipe variations, make sure to try my pressure cooker mushroom risotto or this easy pea and bacon risotto which is made more with the traditional method.
Key Ingredients
This oven baked risotto uses simple ingredients that come together to create a super flavourful and comforting dinner.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken thighs – Chicken thighs work best in this risotto as they are less prone to drying out and remain tender and juicy through the cooking process.
- Dairy free butter – adds extra richness and flavour when cooking the mushrooms but you can omit and just use a little extra oil.
- Mushrooms – you can use any mushrooms you like but I tend to stick with white button mushrooms as they are always easy to find. You can also buy them pre-sliced if you prefer to cut down on some of the prep.
- Shallots – I love using shallots in this risotto as they have a mild, sweet flavour compared to regular onions however you can definitely just use a large brown onion finely diced instead.
- Garlic – helping add to the flavour of the risotto.
- Arborio rice – this short-grain Italian rice is the essential ingredient for making risotto as you wont get the same creamy result with regular rice.
- Chicken stock – use any good quality chicken stock you like as this will give the rice lots of flavour. I generally prefer to use a salt reduced stock so I can adjust the saltiness of the dish to my tastes.
- White wine – you want to use a dry white wine for flavour in this risotto. If you don’t have any or would prefer to cook without wine, then simply add additional chicken stock instead.
Equipment and Tools
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Cast Iron French Pan – there are so many different brands (and colours!) of these types of pots but investing in one is a great option as these can be used on the stove an in the oven.
Step-By-Step Instructions
There is a bit of prep work with this risotto but by the time you are sitting down to enjoy a bowl you will realise that it was totally worth it. The first step is really to prep everything so you can move quickly through the cooking steps.
Peel and chop the shallots and garlic, slice the mushroom, and cut the chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces.
Now it’s time to start cooking. I love to use my cast iron casserole pan as it has a lid and can be easily transferred from the stove to the oven. If you don’t have a pan with a lid, you can also just cover the top with aluminium foil and it works perfectly fine.
Place the pan on the stove and heat the oil and add the chicken. Once the chicken is sealed and brown, remove it from the pan and set aside. It does not need to be cooked all the way through, just browned, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Next add in the dairy free butter and the sliced mushrooms. Cook them until they have reduced by about half and are brown. Remove from the pan and again set them aside.
Finally, add more oil to the pan and sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and fragrant. Once they are cooked down, add in the rice and mix through for a couple of minutes until it is shiny. During this step you can start to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and start to mix it through with the rice.
Next up, add in the white wine and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add back in the chicken and mushrooms, giving it a good mix to make sure that the chicken has been submerged in the liquid. Cover the pan with a lid and carefully place in the oven to finish cooking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Finish off the risotto with a decent squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper to taste, and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! While personally in our house it’s a non-negotiable due to the delicious flavour that it adds to this dish if you’d prefer to leave it out or need an alcohol free option, simply just replace it with extra chicken stock and some extra lemon juice for that acidity.
I highly recommend using a large cast iron pan with a lid that can move from your stove top to the oven. Cast iron is perfect as the heavy bottom ensures the risotto cooks evenly and the heat is distributed so that the rice cooks evenly.
No, it doesn’t. While it certainly is delicious served up straight away, it also reheats wonderfully making this one of my favourite things to make for meal prep. I like to enjoy it once as a cosy dinner and then the rest for lunches throughout the week.
You can also keep freshly baked risotto warm covered in the oven while turned off for up to an hour before serving.
Yes! Let cool and place into containers and freeze for up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge or heat straight from frozen. When reheating rice and chicken, make sure that it is steaming and never heat up and then cool down again – only reheat the one time.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, however I recommend checking the labels on your chicken stock and white wine, as some brands may use gluten-containing additives or processing methods.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes:
Chicken Satay Noodles
Honey Soy Chicken
Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Lemon and Garlic Chicken Tray Bake
Oven Baked Chicken and Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil divided
- 500 grams chicken thighs roughly chopped into 5 cm pieces
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 300 grams mushrooms sliced
- 4-8 shallots peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges to serve
- Fresh parsley to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Place a large oven-safe cast iron pan on the stove over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the chicken and brown in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Once browned (but not cooked through), remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add the dairy free butter and mushrooms to the pan. Cook until the mushrooms are browned and have reduced in size by about half. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the chopped shallots and garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking. As the shallots soften and begin to brown, use the spoon to break them apart.
- Add the arborio rice and stir for 1–2 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted and glossy.
- Pour in the chicken stock and white wine, stir to combine, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Stir well, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.
- Cover the pan with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is soft and tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published on March 16, 2020 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful content. The recipe remains the same!
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