Asparagus and Chicken Risotto is a deliciously creamy dish. The lemon gives it a lovely fresh flavour that contrasts well with the strong flavour of the asparagus. It's also a perfect recipe for using up leftover chicken, or you can cook the chicken from scratch. Either way, you'll have a great tasty dinner ready on the table in 30 minutes. Don't worry if you don't have enough chicken, the recipe will still work fine and you can add more vegetables. See the suggestions below.
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Risotto is such a versatile dish and very easy to do. Forget the endless stirring, you can still get a nice creamy texture with just a small amount of stirring. Risotto is one of my go-to recipes as I usually have something in the cupboard or freezer that I can turn into a risotto. A prawn and pea risotto is perfect as it uses freezer ingredients or a Creamy Tomato Risotto for a simple no no-fuss vegetarian option.
If you have some chicken leftover from a roast, then this asparagus and chicken risotto is perfect. Another option is my Chicken and Chorizo Risotto. They are both really handy and will still work well, even with a small amount of chicken.
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Ingredients
This asparagus and chicken risotto uses simple ingredients.
- Chicken - use raw chicken or you can use leftover cooked chicken from a roast.
- Arborio Rice - is the most popular short-grain risotto rice and it's sometimes simply called Risotto Rice. Another variety is Carnaroli. It has a plumper larger grain and produces a nice creamy texture. You need to use risotto rice to get that nice creamy texture. Basmati or long-grain rice won't give the same results.
- Asparagus - look for stalks that are plump and firm and the flowery heads should be tightly closed. You can buy different varieties and they may be purple, green or white.
- White wine - adds flavour and acidity which helps balance out the creaminess. Use a basic dry white wine. I buy small bottles that I use for cooking. If you'd rather not use wine, you can leave it out.
- Chicken Stock - use regular chicken stock or a low sodium version if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese - this helps enhance the flavour and that lovely creamy texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
Asparagus Season
Asparagus season is a special event. I know people who have it marked up on their calendars. Although it can be bought year-round, nothing beats the flavour of locally grown asparagus. In the UK, the season is short lasting roughly just 6 weeks from late April until mid-June. In the US, it runs from late February until June, depending on the State. Wherever you are in the world, when asparagus comes into season, I highly recommend you try it as locally grown offers the best flavour.
How to Prepare Asparagus
Asparagus has a flowered top and thick stem and you can eat both parts. As you get nearer to the bottom of the stem, you might find it gets a bit tough or 'woody'. To find out where the tougher woody bit of the stem starts, take your asparagus and gently bend the stem. It will naturally break near the bottom and the tougher woody part will snap off.
Asparagus doesn't need much cooking, just blanch it in boiling water for 3 minutes. In this recipe, I blanch it in the stock before adding it to the risotto so that way we don't lose any of the asparagus flavour. Once cooked, dice the stems and leave the heads.
Instructions
Asparagus and Chicken risotto is simple to make. Don't wash the arborio rice before using it as you will wash away the starch that is needed to give it that lovely creamy texture.
Heat the butter or oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and raw chicken and fry gently for 5 minutes until the chicken is white on the outside. Keep stirring. (Add any cooked chicken at stage 4 with the stock).
In a separate pan, bring the stock to a simmer and blanch the asparagus stems for about 3 minutes, then remove to a plate. This way, some of the asparagus flavour goes into the stock which just adds to the flavour of the risotto.
Add the rice to the onions and chicken and coat in the butter/oil. Pour in the vermouth or white wine and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Almost all the alcohol will evaporate off at this point. I find this adds to the flavour of a risotto, but you can skip the alcohol if you wish.
Add any cooked chicken with a little of the stock to the rice and keep stirring until it is all absorbed. Continue to add the stock a little at a time, stirring until it is all absorbed before adding more. The rice should then be soft but still slightly crunchy in the middle and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you want it.
Chop the asparagus stalks into small discs but keep the tips whole.
Take the risotto off the heat. Stir in the asparagus stalks, lemon juice, and most of the zest and parmesan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the risotto with a lid and leave to rest for 1 minute. Serve with the asparagus tips over the top.
Hint: Risotto rice is cooked when it still has a little bite to it, or 'al dente' as the Italians say. Don't overcook your risotto rice or it will be soggy.
Serving Suggestion
Serve it with the asparagus tops laid over the top and sprinkle with the remaining zest and parmesan cheese. You don't need to serve any extra sides, but you could serve with a green salad or fresh crusty bread to if you like.
Substitutions and Variations
- Lemon Juice - I've used fresh lemon juice in this recipe but if you don't have fresh lemons to hand, you can use bottled lemon juice instead.
- Vegetables - as well as asparagus, you can also add peas, leeks green beans, or tenderstem broccoli. Perfect if you are using leftover chicken and don't have enough.
- Parmesan Cheese - this has a strong flavour and helps with the creamy texture. You can also use Grano Padano which is slightly cheaper but still has that nice nutty flavour.
Equipment
A chicken and asparagus risotto needs the following equipment.
- 1 large pan with a lid or a stove top casserole dish.
- 1 smaller pan large enough to cook the asparagus.
- Grater for the parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
- Measuring jug for the stock.
Sustainability
Using asparagus in season from a local source is the most environmentally friendly as well as the best-tasting way, to enjoy asparagus. Lemons as well as olive oil, white wine, and black pepper can be bought as Fairtrade. This is also a great recipe for using up leftover chicken.
Storage
A risotto is always best eaten fresh, but you can store it in the fridge for 1 - 2 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. The rice will continue to absorb the liquid so when you come to reheat it, you will need to add some more stock to loosen it. I find the best way to do this is in a pan whilst stirring it. You won't get the same results as when it was freshly cooked, but it will still taste good and be perfectly safe to eat. Make sure the chicken is piping hot before serving.
Top tip
Remember to let your risotto rest for a few minutes before serving. Resting a risotto allows it to settle.
More Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes
Looking for other easy recipes to use up leftover chicken? Try these:
More Great Risotto Recipes
These are some of my most popular risotto recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Asparagus and Chicken Risotto with Lemon
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Ingredients
- 10 g butter or 10ml olive oil
- 1 onions peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 320 g chicken diced, breast or thighs
- 1000 ml chicken stock
- 300 g asparagus woody ends removed
- 350 g arborio rice
- 150 ml vermouth or white wine fairtrade wine is available
- 1 lemons fairtrade, juice and zest of
- 25 g Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash black pepper fairtrade, freshly ground
Instructions
- Heat the butter or oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and raw chicken and fry gently for 5 minutes until the chicken is white on the outside. Keep stirring. (Add any cooked chicken at stage 4 with the stock).10 g butter, 1 onions, 2 cloves garlic, 320 g chicken
- In a separate pan, bring the stock to a simmer and blanch the asparagus stems for about 3 minutes, then remove to a plate. This way, some of the asparagus flavour goes into the stock which just adds to the flavour of the risotto.1000 ml chicken stock, 300 g asparagus
- Add the rice to the onions and chicken and coat in the butter/oil. Pour in the vermouth or white wine and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Almost all the alcohol will evaporate off at this point. I find this adds to the flavour of a risotto, but you can skip the alcohol if you wish.350 g arborio rice, 150 ml vermouth or white wine
- Add any cooked chicken with a little of the stock to the rice and keep stirring until it is all absorbed. Continue to add the stock a little at a time, stirring until it is all absorbed before adding more. The rice should then be soft but still slightly crunchy in the middle and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you want it.
- Chop the asparagus stalks into small discs but keep the tips whole.
- Take the risotto off the heat. Stir in the asparagus stalks, lemon juice, and most of the zest and parmesan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the risotto with a lid and leave to rest for 1 minute. Serve with the asparagus tips over the top.1 lemons, 25 g Parmesan cheese, 1 dash salt, 1 dash black pepper
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - use raw chicken or you can use leftover cooked chicken from a roast.
- Arborio Rice - is the most popular short-grain risotto rice and it's sometimes simply called Risotto Rice. Another variety is Carnaroli. It has a plumper larger grain and produces a nice creamy texture. You need to use risotto rice to get that nice creamy texture. Basmati or long-grain rice won't give the same results.
- Asparagus - look for stalks that are plump and firm and the flowery heads should be tightly closed. You can buy different varieties and they may be purple, green or white.
- White wine - adds flavour and acidity which helps balance out the creaminess. Use a basic dry white wine. I buy small bottles that I use for cooking. If you'd rather not use wine, you can leave it out.
- Chicken Stock - use regular chicken stock or a low sodium version if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese - this helps enhance the flavour and that lovely creamy texture.
Storage
A risotto is always best eaten fresh, but you can store it in the fridge for 1 - 2 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. The problem comes when trying to reheat it. The rice will continue to absorb the liquid so when you come to reheat it, you will need to add some more stock to loosen it. I find the best way to do this is in a pan whilst stirring it. Make sure the chicken is piping hot.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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