Jamie Oliver Mushroom And Chicken Risotto

There’s something about risotto that feels like a commitment. A gentle, constant kind of commitment. You stir. You wait. You stir again. And somewhere between the sips of wine and that sweet steam rising from the pot, something quietly glorious happens. This one—Jamie Oliver’s mushroom and chicken risotto—caught me on a rainy evening with too much celery and not enough inspiration. And wow. It turned out like a hug with a crusty edge. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

• Two chicken breasts, no skin, no bones. Diced up nice.
• A generous heap of wild mushrooms. Shiitake, girolle, chestnut… whatever looks good. Clean them. Slice them.
• One small onion. Chopped fine. No shortcuts.
• Two sticks of celery. Trimmed, then chopped just as fine.
• About 400g risotto rice. The starchy kind. Arborio if you’ve got it.
• A splash of vermouth or white wine. 75ml. More if you’re drinking.
• Sea salt. Black pepper. Freshly cracked. Always.
• A small pile of fresh herbs—parsley, maybe tarragon, chervil if you’re fancy. Chop ’em.
• Juice of a lemon. Not too much.
• A knob of butter. Real butter.
• A handful of Parmesan, grated. Plus extra. Trust me.
• Glug of extra virgin olive oil. Not the cheap kind.
• 1.5 liters of stock, chicken or veg. Needs to be hot. Always hot.
• One handful of dried porcini mushrooms.
• Olive oil for the pan.

How To Make Jamie Oliver Mushroom And Chicken Risotto

1. Start by warming up your stock. Keep it on the stove, low heat. Just bubbling gently. Toss the porcini in a bowl, pour in enough hot stock to cover, and let them soften while you get your other stuff together. A couple minutes is enough. Chop ’em when they’re squishy. Keep the soaking liquid. Gold.
2. Chicken goes in first. Pan hot. Oil in. Get some colour on the pieces, that golden, crispy edge. Then out it comes. Let it rest.
3. Same pan. Don’t clean it. All those chicken bits? That’s flavour. Maybe another drizzle of oil. Onion and celery go in. Low heat. No rush. Stir. Let them melt down, sweet and soft. That smell? That’s dinner coming alive.
4. Turn up the heat. Throw in the rice. Let it toast, but don’t walk away. You want it a little translucent. Then the vermouth. Or wine. It hisses. Stir it till it disappears.
5. Strain in that porcini liquid—watch for grit. Then the chopped mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and your first ladle of stock. Stir. Let it almost disappear before the next one. Keep going. Stir. Taste. Ladle. It’s almost meditative, if you let it be.
6. Now while the rice is slowly surrendering, heat up a dry griddle pan. Toss in the wild mushrooms. Let them char a little. Smoky edges. They shrink and soften. Maybe do this in rounds. Then a bowl. Herbs. Salt. Squeeze of lemon. Toss it all. That smell? Yeah.
7. Back to the pot. The rice should be soft now. But not mush. Still a tiny bite. Stir in the chicken. Butter. Parmesan. Maybe another splash of stock. Should be creamy. Not gluey. Lid on. Just a few minutes.
8. Serve it warm. Bowl it up. Top with the herby mushrooms, more Parmesan, olive oil drizzle. Then shut up and eat.

Why I Love This Recipe

Made this when I didn’t know what I wanted. Just knew I needed to cook. The kind of tired that only fades when you’re leaning over a hot stove, smelling something real. And when we ate it? Total silence. Except for forks scraping bowls. That’s how you know.

Recipe Tips

• Stir. A lot. It’s not optional.
• If you don’t have wine, add more stock. Maybe a hit of lemon too.
• Rest it. Just for a minute. It changes the whole vibe.
• Mushrooms: mix ’em up. Don’t be shy.
• Throw in peas at the end if you want something green.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver Mushroom And Chicken Risotto

• Room Temp: Eat it when it’s ready. Letting it sit around isn’t the move.
• Fridge: Cool it down. Lid on. Eat within three days.
• Freezer: Freeze it if you must. It’s better fresh. But you do you. Defrost in the fridge.
• Reheat: On the stove with a splash of stock. Or in the microwave. Slowly.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions

Can I use different mushrooms?
Obviously. Use what you’ve got. Mix them up.

What if I don’t have wine?
Skip it. Use more stock. Squeeze in some lemon. Done.

How do I know it’s ready?
Taste it. The rice should be soft but not dead.

Can I make it ahead?
Sure. But it’s best hot off the stove.

What herbs?
Use what smells good to you. I like parsley. Sometimes tarragon.

Nutrition (for those who care)

• Calories: 658
• Carbs: 59.7g
• Protein: 41.9g
• Fat: 24.8g
• Sugar: 3.9g
• Fibre: 3.4g
• Sodium: 1274mg

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Turkey Risotto
• Jamie Oliver Beetroot Risotto
• Jamie Oliver Pea And Mint Risotto