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Baked Chicken & Pesto Risotto

Baked Chicken & Pesto Risotto

with Roasted Pumpkin & Pine Nuts
4.5(662)
Julian Pauncz
Julian PaunczUpdated on April 01, 2026
Get up to $230 off
Calories
3860 kcal
Protein
44.9g protein
Preparation Time
50 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Allergens:
  • Pine Nut
  • Milk
  • Tree Nuts
  • Wheat
  • Gluten
  • Soy
  • May contain traces of allergens
  • Milk
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame
  • Almond
  • Brazil nut
  • Traces of Cashew
  • Macadamia
  • Pecan
  • Pistachio
  • Walnut
  • Hazelnut
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat.
/ Serving 4 people

1 unit

brown onion

4 clove

garlic

1 unit

zucchini

1 packet

chicken thigh

2 packet

arborio rice

(May be present: Wheat, Gluten, Soy.)

2 cube

chicken stock

1 unit

butternut pumpkin

1 packet

pine nuts

(Contains: Pine Nut; May be present: Milk, Peanuts, Sesame, Soy, Almond, Brazil nut, Cashew, Macadamia, Pecan, Pistachio, Walnut, Hazelnut.)

1 unit

lemon

1 bag

baby spinach leaves

3 packet

grated Parmesan cheese

(Contains: Milk;)

1 tub

traditional pesto

(Contains: Milk, Tree Nuts;)

Not included in your delivery

olive oil

4 cup

water

½ tsp

salt

40 g

butter

(Contains: Milk;)

per serving
Calories3860 kcal
Fat36.8 g
of which saturates14.6 g
Carbohydrate94.3 g
of which sugars11.5 g
Protein44.9 g
Sodium748 mg
The average adult daily energy intake is 8700 kJ
Baking Dish
Baking Paper
Baking Tray
Large Non-Stick Pan

Cooking Steps

Prep
1

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Finely chop the brown onion. Finely chop the garlic (or use a garlic press). Grate the zucchini. Cut the chicken thigh into 2cm chunks.

Start
2

In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and onion and cook until just browned, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the water, salt, arborio rice, grated zucchini and crumbled chicken stock cubes. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

Bake
3

Transfer the risotto to a large baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is ‘al dente’, 24-28 minutes. TIP: 'Al dente' means the rice is cooked through but still has a bit of firmness in the middle.

Roast pumpkin
4

While the risotto is baking, peel and chop the butternut pumpkin into 2cm chunks. Place the pumpkin on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then roast until tender, 20-25 minutes. While the pumpkin is roasting, wipe out the frying pan and return to a medium-high heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, tossing, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cut the lemon into wedges.

Stir
5

Remove the risotto from the oven and stir through the baby spinach leaves, butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Gently stir in the roasted pumpkin and traditional pesto. TIP: Use less pesto for the kids if you like. Add a splash of water if the risotto looks dry. Season to taste with pepper.

Serve
6

Divide the chicken and pesto risotto between bowls. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and serve with the lemon wedges.

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