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Chicken and Spinach Risotto in the Instant Pot

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Creamy delicious risotto with chicken and spinach stirred right in sounds complicated, but it’s super simple with the help of an Instant Pot. This easy one pot meal is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

close bowl of risotto with small bits of spinach and chunks of chicken in front of Instant Pot.

Instant Pot chicken and spinach risotto is a all in one meal that the whole family will love. It doesn’t take much effort, but still tastes amazing.

Risotto is the perfect comfort food. Usually the rich flavor and creamy texture require spending some time slowly adding liquid and doing lots of stirring.

This recipe gives you all the goodness with a fraction of the work. Using a pressure cooker makes it easy and you can’t tell you used a shortcut when you sit down to dinner.

Making Risotto in the Instant Pot

There is just something about a good risotto. It looks so simple but tastes fabulous.

If you have ever made it, you know it is a labor of love. It is not particularly complicated to make, but it does take time and attention.

Of course it is instantly worth it when you take the first bite. The mouthfeel is spectacular and the creamy goodness pulls you in.

browned chicken and toasted arborio rice in instant pot ready to make risotto.

This recipe keeps all of the good parts and takes away the babysitting of the pot. It’s a whole meal in one and once the prep is done you can set the timer and walk away.

It is not quite dump and go, but the little bit of time that goes into sweating the onions, browning the chicken and toasting the rice is well worth it. The whole process is done in just a few minutes and you are paid back handsomely with the final texture and flavor.

After that is done, just deglaze the pan and add the liquid.  Set your instant pot and let the magic happen.

instant pot of freshly made risotto with shredded spinach, cheese and pats of butter on top ready to be stirred in.

Just like with a pot of classic risotto, a bit of Parmesan cheese and a pat of fresh butter are added at the very end. That helps enhance the flavor and creamy finish.

Then all you have to do is serve it up. Be prepared to sit back and collect the compliments.

What the Guys Thought

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what Little Dude would think about it. He’s good about eating quite a few vegetables but spinach isn’t on that list.

spoonful of steaming hot spinach chicken risotto being lifted out of the pot

He asked what the green stuff was and I answered honestly. Though I did add that you can’t really taste it.

He proceeded to gobble it up and ask for more. Now that’s a win!

My husband loves this one too. It quickly became a regular on our weeknight dinner menu rotation.

Tips and Tricks

Arborio rice is the best rice to use for this dosh, it gives that perfect texture. If you don’t have any, opt for another short grain rice if possible.

I have not tried it with a long grain rice personally. However I imagine it would still taste good, it will just lack some of that creamy finish.

fork going in for first bite of creamy chicken and spinach risotto.

Try using other vegetables besides spinach. The easiest way to be sure they aren’t over or under cooked would be to cook them separately and stir them in at the end.

Adding a splash of dry white wine adds such depth of flavor to risotto, but it’s not necessary. Just replace the wine with additional chicken stock and proceed, it will still be great!

bowl of creamy spinach and chicken risotto topped with shredded Parmesan cheese on top in front of instant pot.

Additional Recipes You May Enjoy

Mushroom risotto was the first risotto I made at home. It is savory, delicious and one of our favorites.

Butternut squash risotto is another fabulous option. It is a perfect way to turn those winter squash into something spectacular!

Creamy Tuscan chicken pasta is another great Instant Pot meal. It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

For a fun twist, try making farro instead. Farro with sausage and kale is an all in one meal that is easily made with the help of an instant pot.

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

close bowl of risotto with small bits of spinach and chunks of chicken in front of Instant Pot.

Chicken and Spinach Risotto in the Instant Pot

Carlee
Creamy delicious risotto with chicken and spinach stirred right in sounds complicated, but it's super simple with the help of an Instant Pot. This easy one pot meal is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
4.87 from 45 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinners
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 331 kcal

Ingredients
 

For Chicken Risotto

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion
  • pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 pound arborio rice
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup white wine or additional broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For Finishing

  • 10 ounces chopped spinach thawed and drained
  • cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons butter

Instructions
 

  • Finely dice onion.
    1 medium onion
  • Turn Instant Pot on sauté. Place 2 Tablespoons of butter in the pot and melt. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent. 
    2 Tablespoons butter
  • Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, about ½-inch cubes. Add to pot along with rice.  Cook until the chicken is lightly browned and rice is toasty. This should take about 5 minutes.
    1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound arborio rice
  • Use the wine, or a cup of broth, to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Then add the salt, thyme, paprika, pepper and garlic. Turn off the Instant Pot.
    1 cup white wine, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pour in the remaining broth.  Then place the cover on top, closing the vent. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 7 minutes. Then manually release the remaining pressure. 
    5 cups chicken broth
  • Stir in spinach, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy!
    10 ounces chopped spinach, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 Tablespoons butter

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 31gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1052mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
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Recipe Rating




kriss

Saturday 14th of October 2023

Beautiful dish. My daughters and doggie and me loved it! I needed more broth than the recipe called for yet I knew that going in. I like it on the wetter side.

Carlee

Sunday 15th of October 2023

I am glad it was a hit!

Steve

Monday 15th of August 2022

I made this with long grain white rice since that's what I have. And, I even forgot to toast the rice with the chicken, ugh! But it still came out good, same amount of liquids. I will definitely make it again and if I remember to toss in the rice earlier it'll probably be even better!

Carlee

Monday 15th of August 2022

I am glad it worked!

B. O’Neill

Tuesday 21st of June 2022

I made this tonight and it was delicious. I left all measurements the same except I halved the Arborio and the liquids. It was an absolute hit.

Carlee

Tuesday 21st of June 2022

I am so glad you liked it!

Theresa Boza

Friday 20th of May 2022

can you make this in a crock pot or any other options? I don't have a Instant pot.

Carlee

Friday 20th of May 2022

You could make it on the stovetop more like a traditional risotto. I am sure you could do it in the crockpot as well, but I haven't tried it to give you a cook time. I would guess about 2-4 hours on low.

Cindy Brooks

Sunday 2nd of January 2022

This sounds delicious! Could you tell me what the serving size in the Nutritional Information is? Thanks!