Butternut Squash and Chicken Risotto recipe

There’s a certain magic that happens when the first real chill of autumn hits the air. It’s a signal to slow down, to pull out the cozy sweaters, and to crave food that warms you from the inside out. For me, that craving is almost always answered by risotto. I used to be deeply intimidated by it, picturing chefs in tall hats frantically stirring a pot for an hour straight. But then I discovered this recipe for Butternut Squash and Chicken Risotto, and it changed everything. The first time I made it, the entire house filled with the sweet, nutty aroma of roasting squash and the savory scent of garlic and thyme. The process of slowly stirring the creamy rice was surprisingly therapeutic, a welcome moment of calm in a busy week. When I finally served it, my family was silent for the first few minutes—a rare and treasured occurrence. The result was a dish so luxuriously creamy, so perfectly balanced with sweet squash, savory chicken, and salty Parmesan, that it felt like a hug in a bowl. It was restaurant-quality comfort food, made right in my own kitchen. Now, it’s our official “welcome to fall” meal, a recipe that’s not just about sustenance, but about creating a moment of pure, cozy indulgence.

Why This Risotto is the Ultimate Comfort Food Experience

Before we dive into the method, let’s appreciate what makes this specific risotto so special. It’s more than just rice and chicken; it’s a symphony of flavors and textures that represents the very best of autumn cooking.

• A Harmony of Flavors: The beauty of this dish lies in its perfect balance.
  • Sweet: The butternut squash, especially when roasted, caramelizes and develops a deep, honeyed sweetness.
  • Savory: The tender chicken, sautéed aromatics, and rich chicken broth provide a robust, savory backbone.
  • Salty: The freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds a sharp, nutty saltiness that cuts through the richness.
  • Acidic: A splash of dry white wine brightens all the other flavors, preventing the dish from feeling heavy.
• Luxurious, Creamy Texture: The magic of risotto comes from the slow, patient stirring of starchy Arborio rice. As you stir, the rice grains rub against each other, releasing their starches and creating a velvety, creamy sauce without a drop of heavy cream. This, combined with the soft, mashed roasted squash, creates a texture that is pure, unadulterated comfort.
• A Celebration of the Season: Butternut squash is the quintessential fall vegetable. This recipe embraces the harvest season, turning simple, wholesome ingredients into an elegant and deeply satisfying meal that feels both rustic and refined.

The Key Components of a Perfect Risotto

A truly great risotto is the sum of its parts. Using the right ingredients and understanding their roles is the first step toward achieving a flawless dish.

• The Rice: This is the heart of the dish. You cannot use standard long-grain white rice. You need a short-grain, high-starch Italian rice.
  • Arborio: This is the most common and widely available risotto rice. It has a high starch content and produces a very creamy, classic risotto.
  • Carnaroli: Often called the “king” of risotto rice, Carnaroli has an even higher starch content and a firmer grain. It’s more forgiving and makes a slightly looser, more luxurious risotto.
  • The Golden Rule: Never rinse your risotto rice! Rinsing washes away the precious surface starch that is essential for creating the creamy sauce.
• The Butternut Squash: For the best flavor, you must roast the squash. Boiling or steaming will make it watery and bland. Roasting concentrates its sugars and deepens its flavor, adding a nutty, caramelized dimension to the final dish.
• The Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are highly recommended over breasts. They have a richer flavor and more fat, which keeps them tender and juicy during cooking. Chicken breasts can easily become dry and stringy.
• The Liquid Gold (Broth): A high-quality chicken broth or stock is crucial for a flavorful risotto. The most important rule is that your broth must be kept at a gentle simmer in a separate pot throughout the entire cooking process. Adding cold broth to the hot pan will shock the rice, drastically slowing down the cooking and hindering the release of starch.
• The Aromatics and Finishers:
  • Shallots: While you can use a yellow onion, shallots offer a milder, sweeter, and more delicate flavor that is perfect for risotto.
  • Dry White Wine: Use a crisp, dry white wine like a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or an unoaked Chardonnay. Avoid sweet wines. The wine’s acidity cuts through the richness and adds a crucial layer of complexity.
  • Real Parmesan Cheese: Use a wedge of authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.

Complete Ingredients

• Butternut Squash: 1 small (about 2 lbs) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Chicken: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Arborio Rice: 1 1/2 cups
• Chicken Broth: 6 to 8 cups, low-sodium
• Dry White Wine: 1 cup (e.g., Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• Shallots: 2 large, finely chopped
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
• Parmesan Cheese: 1 cup, freshly grated, plus more for serving
• Unsalted Butter: 4 tablespoons, divided
• Olive Oil: 3 tablespoons, divided
• Fresh Sage or Thyme: 1 tablespoon, chopped (optional, for garnish)
• Salt: 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided, or to taste
• Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon, freshly cracked, or to taste
• Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon, freshly grated (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making risotto is a process, not a race. Put on some music, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy the therapeutic rhythm of stirring.

Step 1: Roast the Butternut Squash

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. On a large baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
3. Spread the squash in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until it is tender and lightly caramelized at the edges.
4. Once cooked, remove from the oven. Take about half of the roasted squash and mash it with a fork. Leave the other half in cubes. Set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken and Broth

1. While the squash is roasting, season the chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
3. Pour your chicken broth into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat. Keep it simmering throughout the entire risotto-making process.

Step 3: Begin the Risotto

1. In the same pot you used for the chicken, reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the chopped shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
4. Add the Arborio rice to the pot. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes to toast the grains. The grains should look slightly translucent around the edges with a white, opaque center. This step is crucial for flavor and texture.

Step 4: The Risotto Process (Ladle and Stir)

1. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir continuously, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. The wine will sizzle and steam. Continue stirring until the wine has been almost completely absorbed by the rice.
2. Add one ladleful (about 1 cup) of the simmering chicken broth to the rice. Stir until the liquid is almost fully absorbed. The rice should always be “soupy,” never dry.
3. Continue adding the broth one ladleful at a time, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir frequently—not manically, but a slow, steady stirring motion is perfect. This process will take about 20-25 minutes. You are looking for a texture that is creamy but still has a slight bite (al dente).

Step 5: Finish the Dish

1. After about 15 minutes of stirring, add the cooked chicken and the cubed (unmashed) butternut squash to the risotto. Continue the ladle-and-stir process.
2. Once the rice is cooked to al dente, turn off the heat. The risotto should still look a little loose and soupy, as it will continue to thicken as it sits. If you’ve run out of broth and it’s too thick, you can add a little hot water.
3. Vigorously stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the grated Parmesan cheese, the mashed butternut squash, and the optional nutmeg. This final, energetic stir is called the mantecatura and it’s what creates the final, beautiful creaminess.
4. Taste the risotto and season with the remaining salt and pepper as needed. Parmesan is salty, so always taste first.

Step 6: Serve Immediately

1. Ladle the hot risotto into warm bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and chopped fresh sage or thyme. Risotto is best served immediately.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings: 4-6
• Calories per serving: Approximately 650 kcal
  (Note: This is an estimate and can vary based on the exact ingredients used, portion size, and amount of broth absorbed.)

Preparation Time

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

How to Serve Your Butternut Squash and Chicken Risotto

While this risotto is a stunning one-pot meal, a few simple accompaniments can make it even more special.

• Garnishes are Key:
  • Crispy Sage: Fry a few whole sage leaves in a little butter until crispy. It adds an incredible aroma and a wonderful textural contrast.
  • Toasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds): A sprinkle of toasted pepitas adds a welcome crunch.
  • Balsamic Glaze: A very light drizzle of a thick, high-quality balsamic glaze can add a touch of sweet acidity.
  • A Final Grating of Parmesan: Always a welcome addition at the table.
• Simple Side Salads:
  • Arugula Salad: A simple salad of arugula tossed with a sharp lemon vinaigrette is the perfect peppery counterpoint to the creamy risotto.
  • Shaved Fennel Salad: Thinly sliced fennel with orange segments and a light olive oil dressing is a refreshing and bright companion.
• Wine Pairings:
  • White: An unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay is a classic pairing. Its creamy notes complement the risotto, while its acidity cuts the richness. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc also works well.
  • Red: If you prefer red, choose a light-bodied one with good acidity, like a Pinot Noir.
• Bread:
  • Serve with a side of warm, crusty bread for scooping up every last bit of creamy goodness from the bowl.

5 Essential Tips for Risotto Success

Avoid common pitfalls and ensure a perfect result every time with these five crucial tips.

1. Your Broth MUST Be Warm: This is the most important rule of risotto making. Keeping your broth at a simmer in a separate pot is non-negotiable. Adding cold broth will cool everything down, shock the rice, and ruin the starch-release process, resulting in a gummy, unevenly cooked texture.
2. Embrace the Stir: You don’t need to stir frantically for 30 minutes straight, but you do need to stir frequently. The agitation is what encourages the rice grains to release their starches, which is what creates the signature creamy sauce. Stir every 30-60 seconds, and you’ll be fine.
3. Roast, Don’t Boil, the Squash: Boiling or steaming butternut squash for risotto will infuse it with water, diluting its flavor and potentially making your final dish watery. Roasting concentrates its natural sugars and creates a much deeper, sweeter, and more complex flavor profile that is essential for this recipe.
4. Use High-Quality, Real Parmesan: Step away from the green shaker can. Pre-grated cheese contains cellulose and other anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. Buy a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself just before you use it. The flavor and texture are vastly superior and essential for a good mantecatura.
5. Season at the End: Chicken broth and Parmesan cheese are both salty. It’s very easy to over-salt your risotto if you season it too early. Wait until the very end, after you’ve stirred in the cheese, to taste your risotto. Then, and only then, should you add more salt as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I have to use wine? What can I substitute?
The wine adds a crucial layer of acidic brightness. If you prefer not to use it, you can substitute it with an equal amount of chicken broth mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to replicate the acidity.

2. Can I make this risotto vegetarian?
Absolutely! To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and use a high-quality vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. To add more substance, you could add some sautéed mushrooms or toasted walnuts at the end.

3. What’s the best way to store and reheat leftover risotto?
Risotto is notoriously best when eaten fresh, as the rice will continue to absorb liquid and can become thick and gummy upon refrigeration. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, place the risotto in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of warm broth or water and stir gently until it’s heated through and has regained some of its creamy consistency. Do not use a microwave.

4. Can I use a different type of winter squash?
Yes, you can. Honeynut squash, which is like a smaller, sweeter butternut, would be fantastic. Kabocha squash or even sweet potato would also work well, though they will slightly alter the final flavor profile.

5. I’m short on time. Can I use pre-cut butternut squash?
Yes, using pre-cut butternut squash from the grocery store is a great time-saver. Just make sure the pieces are roughly uniform in size (about 1/2 to 1-inch cubes) for even roasting. This is a perfect shortcut for a weeknight.

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