Creamy Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Risotto
with Scallions & Crispy Fried Onions
- Milk
- Wheat
The rich, cozy flavors of broccoli cheddar soup come together with short-grain arborio rice for this hearty weeknight risotto. White cheddar cheese melts into the creamy rice along with tender roasted broccoli. Even more cheddar is sprinkled over the top, and a sprinkle each of scallion greens and crispy fried onions add color and crunch.
Ingredients
1 unit
Broccoli
2 unit
Scallions
¾ cup
Arborio Rice
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains: Milk)
½ ounce
Vidalia Onion Paste
½ cup
White Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
½ cup
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
10 ounce
Chicken Cutlets
1 unit
Crispy Fried Onions
(Contains: Wheat)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
3 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium pot (large pot for 4 servings), bring 5 cups water (8 cups for 4) to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Wash and dry produce. • Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. • Toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.
Pat chicken* or salmon* dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken or salmon (skin sides down); cook chicken until cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side, or cook salmon until skin is crisp, 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest. Wipe out pan.
• While broccoli roasts, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add rice and stir until evenly coated, 15-20 seconds. • Carefully add 1 cup simmering water to pan with rice mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly absorbed. Repeat with remaining water—adding 1⁄2 cup at a time and stirring until liquid has absorbed—until rice is al dente and mixture is creamy, 25-30 minutes. TIP: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need a little more or a little less water. • Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in cream sauce base, Vidalia onion paste, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2-4 minutes more.
Use pan used for chicken or salmon here.
• Once risotto is done, remove from heat; stir in broccoli, white cheddar, and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted and combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: Risotto should be a little loose and saucy right before serving; it will thicken as it cools. If too thick, stir in water 1 TBSP at a time.
• Divide risotto between bowls; top with yellow cheddar, crispy fried onions, and scallion greens. Serve.
Slice chicken crosswise. (Skip slicing salmon.) Serve chicken or salmon atop risotto.
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the rich, cheesy taste; some found it bland and suggested using broth instead of water for more depth 🍲.
- Ease of prep: While delicious, several noted it's time-consuming and needs constant attention, especially for first-time risotto makers.
- Suggestions: Consider adding chicken, bacon, or hot sauce for extra flavor. Some recommend using chicken broth instead of water.
- Portions: Very filling and hearty; some found it stretched to multiple meals easily.
- Texture: A few felt it was too thick or heavy; serve immediately before it thickens further.
Reviews from our home cooks
This is delicious and amazing and I would have eaten an entire pot-full if I could. That being said, the calorie count is high and risotto needs to be babysat.
This is a new favorite. I added the chicken sausage and it was so good. I ordered the three portions and it isn't really clear what how much or little of things I am supposed to add. Like water (not just this recipe). There were also not clear instructions of when to add the chicken sausage. I wasn't sure if I should cook it first or if it was ok to use it in the pan while the risotto cooked. The QR code on the front told me how to cook it but I would have liked better details.
One of my new favorites! I would suggest adding the directions for adding meat, though. We opted for chicken sausage, but the instructions didn't include it.
I never tried risotto until we started doing HelloFresh. I am so glad that we picked this meal. Perfect portions and absolutely delicious. It's a mush have again.
Wonderful. You might add the amount of water that should be simmering, you should. I knew 5 cups of water should be available because I cook risotto regularly.
First time making risotto and it went surprisingly well! Next time I'll know to not let it get so thick before serving, but the flavor was great.
I did add some precooked chicken and did not use the broccoli (as I cannot stand it). Loved the cheeses and crispy onions. I did also add some parsley and garlic too.
This was really delicious. Even my kids loved it! Very heavy and filling but a very tasty, decadent meal
Needed seconds! So good! My oven was too hot to do the broccoli this way. Fortunately i had some extra
Using broth to make the risotto would result in a much better flavor. I wanted to give it a try but This was just meh.
