Baked Risotto with Chicken, Leeks, and Lemon

The leeks and lemon lighten this delicious dish and if you want to boost the vegetable content you add a cup or two of frozen peas to the rice before baking it.

Serves 4 to 6

Find this recipe and over 100 more incredible dishes in Jan Scott’s new cookbook: Oven to Table: More Than 100 One Pot and One Pan Meals for Your Skillet, Sheet Pan, Dutch Oven, and More

You’ll Need

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (excess skin and fat removed), at room temperature
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 mL) olive oil
2 leeks (about 1 inch/2 cm in diameter each), root ends and dark green tops removed, sliced in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise in ½-inch (1 cm) thick pieces (about 2 cups/ 500 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) arborio rice
¼ cup (60 mL) dry white wine
1 small lemon, scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 cups (500 mL) Whole Chicken Broth (page 48) or low-sodium store- bought chicken broth
For serving (optional) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese & Finely chopped fresh chives

Prep and Cook

1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch (30 cm) oven-safe cast iron, stainless steel, or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, cooking until the skin is golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. (Be patient here, as you won’t be able to flip the chicken without resistance until the skin is sufficiently browned.) Flip the chicken pieces and brown the second side, cooking for another 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3

Add the leeks and rice to the skillet, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir. Add the wine and stir again, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and cooking until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
4

Return the chicken, skin side up, and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Tuck the lemon slices around the chicken. Pour the broth over top. The rice should be covered and most of the chicken should be submerged, with the exception of the skin.
5

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the rice is tender and creamy and the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chives, if using, and serve directly from the skillet.
6

TIP: To clean the leeks, place the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and use your fingers to agitate the slices, releasing any dirt that’s clinging to them. using a slotted spoon or sieve, move the leeks to a colander to drain.