This simple Instant Pot chicken risotto is delicious and nutritious – packed with vegetables, pumpkin, leek and zucchini. A classic winter warmer made in no time in your Instant Pot.
How to Cook Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto in an Instant Pot
I love pumpkin, and I love chicken risotto, and I really love my Instant Pot! So I was really excited to develop this recipe that combines all three together!
A wonderful winter warmer, this chicken risotto cooked in an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker) is a family favorite at my place. I love it because it is so easy to cook, and we all love it because it is so delicious!
I have used pumpkin as the main vegetable, but also leek and zucchini, as I think the flavors work together really well. …and also they are what I happened to have in the refrigerator when I started working on the recipe.
You could try adding other vegetables, perhaps adding chopped baby spinach instead of the zucchini, or swap leeks out for onions. The great thing about this recipe is that it is really flexible. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Risotto
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 10 oz chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- 7 oz pumpkin chunks (peeled, buy precut if you can)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek
- 1 zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp oregano fresh or dried
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp butter
To serve
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- Finely slice 1 leek. Crush or chop 2 garlic cloves.
- Cut pumpkin into chunks and grate the zucchini.
- Cut 10 oz chicken thighs into 1in. chunks.
Prepare the risotto
- Set instant Pot to ‘Sauté’. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
- When it is hot, add the chicken and 1 teaspoon of paprika, and cook until starting to brown (approx. 3 minutes).
- Add the pumpkin and cook until starting to soften (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add the leek, garlic and oregano and cook until softened and fragrant (approx 3 minutes).
- Add 1 cup of arborio rice, and stir to coat with the liquid in the pan.
- Add 2 cups of water, and crumble in 2 chicken stock cubes. Stir to release all the cooking residues from the pot, then allow it to come to the boil.
Pressure cook the risotto
- When the risotto has come to the boil, press 'Cancel' to end the Sauté program.
- Close and lock the Instant Pot lid. Ensure that the steam release handle valve is set to ‘Sealing’.
- Press the ‘Pressure cook’ button, and set it to pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- When the time is up, use the quick release option to open the Instant Pot (press ‘Cancel’ then carefully turn the steam release handle to the ‘Venting’ position). When the float valve has dropped, open the Instant Pot.
Serve
- Stir through 1 tablespoon of butter and the grated zucchini, then serve topped with the Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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