Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto

The ultimate marriage of elegance and comfort, this Chicken and Spinach Risotto is so delicious I'm pretty sure my husband would propose all over again if we weren't married! It's the perfect prep-ahead, let-the-oven-do-the-work meal for entertaining!

I've been making this Chicken and Spinach Risotto, on and off, for the past few months, tweaking it here and there and I think it's just right now. When Scott announced last night that he'd be happy eating it for dinner, "five days a week", I knew it was perfect!

I found the original recipe on the New York Times Cooking website. They call it Spinach Risotto With Taleggio. The recipe had tons of wonderful reviews and the gorgeous green color had me smitten before I even tried it.

When I read the recipe, I loved that it called for 8 cups of fresh spinach! However, all the stelps seemed a little fussy and labor intensive. In addition to more work than I had time for, I also wondered if it really needed 6 tablespoons of butter. I decided to try to see if I could simplify the recipe and cut back a bit on the fat and calories, without compromising the flavor and quality.

Simplify

I switched up the spinach preparation which involved lining a colander with a dish towel, pouring boiling water over it and then squeezing out the excess moisture. Instead, I wilted the spinach in the microwave which took 2 minutes and just one dirty bowl.

Prep ahead

The other major change I made was to cook the risotto in the oven instead of the classic method that the recipe calls for which involves 15-20 minutes of stirring and minding the pot as it cooks on the stovetop. With the oven technique, the recipe can be prepped in advance then just popped in the oven to finish cooking shortly before dinner time. I love that!

Marry Me?

No, I'm not proposing to you, just explaining why I decided to name my version "Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto". I got the idea when Scott said that this dish was "so delicious, I would eat it 5 times a week!". That was the same thing he said a few years ago about our "Marry Me Chicken".

It's not very often that he is so totally smitten with a recipe that he would eat it on repeat, all week long. I love this risotto too - and think that it's so delicious... it could garner a marriage proposal!

But there's another reason for the name. It's like a good marriage, an amalgamation of unique

That's a LOT of spinach!

Yes, this Chicken and Spinach Risotto calls for 10 ounces of fresh spinach. That's one of those super large cartons, yes, the whole thing! But that's another thing I love about this recipe. In addition to being super elegant and the ultimate comfort dinner, it also has lots of great nutrition. According to Medical News Today,  spinachis "low in calories and rich in iron, vitamin C and E, potassium, and magnesium. It also helps support immune function, aids the digestive system and helps to lower the risk of cancer".

How to serve this Chicken and Spinach Risotto

I love to serve this risotto with our Fresh Herb Caramelized Mushrooms, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a small wedge of lemon. A few fresh herbs are the crowning glory!

Are you ready for a proposal? Put together a batch of this Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto, invite a few friends and wait to see what happens! I'm not making any promises in that direction... but I do promise there'll be lots of oohs, aahs and smiles around the table! Wish I could be there with you!

Cafe Tips for making this Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto

• You'll need arborio rice for this recipe. Arborio is the classic rice used for risotto. It's larger in size than jasmine, basmati or long-grain rice. Arborio is also short-grain, high-starch rice that releases lots of starch as it cooks, creating that classic creamy risotto texture. You can find arborio rice at most larger grocery stores in the same section as other rice. Whole Foods carries their 365 brand that's reasonably priced.
• This recipe also calls for dry white wine. I like to use a Sauvignon Blanc but a Pino Grigio, Albariño or Chardonnay will also work.
• It's important to understand what the consistency of risotto should be. It should not be clumpy or thick but rather more liquidy and pourable than solid. I think Serious Eats describes it perfectly:

What is perfect risotto? First off, it should be saucy in texture. A perfect plate of risotto should flow like lava if you tilt the plate.

• Don't be afraid to add additional broth as you finish this recipe to achieve that "saucy" consistency. Arborio rice varies in how much liquid it absorbs so don't be concerned if you need more than the recipe calls for.
• Six stalks of celery may sound like a lot but don't skip it. If you're not that fond of celery, no worries! You won't taste it but it gives each bite a wonderful little crunch. And celery is a low-calorie, super nutritious veggie!
• Go for the best Parmesan you can afford. I really like Parmesan Reggiano but there are great domestic Parmesans also.

Thought for the day:

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Worthy is the Lamb

If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.

Scroll Down for the Recipe - or Save It to Your Inbox

We’ll email you the recipe so it’s easy to save, print, or share.

SUBMIT

Marry Me Spinach and Chicken Risotto

Chris Scheuer

The ultimate marriage of elegance and comfort, this Chicken and Spinach Risotto is so delicious I'm pretty sure my husband would propose all over again if we weren't married! It's the perfect prep-ahead, let-the-oven-do-the-work meal for entertaining!

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 380

PRINT PIN COMMENTS

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

.5x1x2x

For the risotto

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium celery stalks, finely diced (about 2 cups)
• 6 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, more to finish
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more, as needed

For the spinach puree:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, (you'll need the zest of a lemon later so zest it before you squeeze the juice.)
• 1 teaspoon water
• 10 ounces fresh spinach

To finish:

• 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth, more, as needed
• spinach puree, see instructions below
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
• 2 ½-3 cups rotisserie chicken cut into bite size pieces, I use the breast but feel free to also use the dark meat
• grated or shredded Parmesan for serving

Instructions

 

For the prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. (If preparing the entire recipe right away. If prepping ahead, wait to preheat the oven until just before finishing up the risotto.)
2. Place spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook for 1 minute on high power.
3. Transfer the wilted spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon of butter until smooth. Set aside.

For the risotto:

1. Combine the butter and olive oil in a large, oven-proof Dutch oven or braiser pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, then swirl the pan a bit and heat until the butter is hot and bubbly.
2. Add the onion and diced celery Stir well to combine, then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are nice and soft.
3. Continuing over medium heat, add the garlic and the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. The rice may begin to take on just a bit of color, but don’t worry if it doesn’t.
4. Add the wine, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes. If it’s taking longer, turn up the heat a bit.
5. If prepping ahead, stop here. The mixture can sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until ready to finish then preheat the oven to 350˚F.
6. Add the 3½ cups of chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring the rice mixture to a boil. Cover tightly and place in the preheated oven.
7. Check the rice at 16 minutes. There should only be a little broth left that hasn’t been absorbed. You may need an extra few minutes in the oven if there’s still a good bit of broth that’s not been absorbed. If so, return the pan to the oven for another 2-3 minutes.

For the spinach puree:

1. Place spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook for 2 minutes on high power.
2. Remove from the microwave, remove the plastic wrap and set aside to cool for a few minutes
3. Combine half (approximately) of the wilted spinach with 1 tablespoon butter and one tablespoon fresh lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. (I use my mini food processor but a regular-size processor will also work.)
4. Puree the mixture for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the other half of the spinach and puree again until smooth. Set aside. Refrigerate if finishing the risotto later.

To finish:

1. Remove the pan from the oven and return to the stovetop over medium heat.
2. Add 1½ cups of chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, adding more broth as needed until rice is tender but still has some bite and the sauce is creamy. This will take 2-3 minutes. Don’t hesitate to add more broth if the mixture seems dry.
3. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach puree, Parmesan, rosemary and lemon zest. Stir until the puree is evenly well incorporated.
5. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add a little more chicken broth, if needed. The risotto should be thick but pourable.
6. Add the chicken and stir again. Rewarm a bit on low heat, if needed.
7. Transfer risotto to a platter or to individual bowls. Serve with additional parmesan cheese and Fresh Herb Caramelized Mushrooms (optional).

Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 25gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 659mgPotassium: 632mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3699IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 225mgIron: 4mg

We love seeing what you made!Tag @thecafesucrefarine on Instagram for a chance to be featured.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired