Creamy Mediterranean Chicken Risotto Recipe (with Parmesan)

Creamy Mediterranean-style risotto with garlicky marinated chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and jammy cherry tomatoes, finished with a cool, tangy tzatziki!

It’s rich, bright, and feels like a Mediterranean dish straight off a TV show, but totally doable at home. The hot risotto + cold tzatziki combo is what makes this such a great meal.

If you love recipes that require minimal effort, you are also going to love my Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta Recipe, Creamy Pesto Pasta & my Creamy Sausage Pasta!! These are dishes the entire family are sure to enjoy!

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs
• Garlic
• Greek yogurt
• Lemon
• Cherry tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Shallots
• Arborio (risotto rice)
• Dry white wine
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Fresh spinach
• Parmesan cheese & Feta cheese

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Marinate the chicken overnight!

Make the tzatziki!

Start making the risotto with the chicken!

Serve it altogether & enjoy!

1. Marinate chicken with olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, oregano, yogurt, and lemon. Chill.
2. Mix grated, drained cucumber with olive oil, garlic, lemon, yogurt, and dill for tzatziki. Refrigerate.
3. Roast cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt until blistered.
4. In a large pan over medium heat, sear chicken in olive oil and butter. Remove.
5. In the same pan, melt butter and cook shallots + garlic. Stir in risotto rice and toast.
6. Add white wine, reduce, then slowly add stock, stirring as it absorbs (this creates those creamy little bits).
7. Add chicken and sun-dried tomatoes with the final stock addition. Cook until creamy.
8. Turn off heat, fold in spinach to gently wilt.
9. Finish with butter, parmesan cheese, and feta cheese. Add a squeeze of lemon.
10. Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes, a lemon wedge, and tzatziki.

Substitutions

• Chicken thighs → chicken breast
• Greek yogurt → sour cream
• Feta cheese → goat cheese
• Parmesan cheese → pecorino
• White wine → extra stock
• Sun-dried tomatoes → roasted red peppers
• Spinach → arugula

Equipment

• Large pan
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowls

Storage

• Fridge → up to 3 days
• Reheat → add splash of stock or water
• Tzatziki → store separately

FAQ

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite desserts to serve with [this recipe]:

Creamy Mediterranean Chicken Risotto Recipe (with Parmesan)

Creamy Mediterranean-style risotto loaded with olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and tender marinated chicken thighs. Finished with jammy roasted cherry tomatoes and served with a cool, garlicky tzatziki for that perfect bright, fresh contrast. This one feels a little fancy but is actually so doable—OG comfort food with a Mediterranean twist!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

Chicken Marinade

• 4 chicken thighs cubed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cloves garlic grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes Sungold preferred
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoon olive oil

Tzatziki

• ½ cup cucumber grated and well drained
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic grated
• 1 cup thick whole Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped (optional)

Risotto

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter

Marinated chicken

• 2 tablespoon butter for sautéing aromatics
• 2 shallots finely diced
• 10 cloves garlic minced
• 1½ cups arborio rice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes very finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta

Equipment

• Large Braiser for cooking
• Medium Bowl for marinating
• Measuring Cups

Method

 

1. Marinate the Chicken (Night Before): In a bowl, mix olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Add the chicken and toss until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours).
2. Make the Tzatziki: Grate the cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as possible (don’t skip this).
3. Mix with olive oil, salt, lemon juice, garlic, Greek yogurt, and dill if using. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Roast the Cherry Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 410°F (210°C).
5. Toss tomatoes with olive oil and salt, then roast for 20 minutes until blistered and jammy. Finish with a pinch of salt right out of the oven.
6. Make the Risotto: Start over medium-high heat.
7. Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan. Add the marinated chicken and sear for 6–8 minutes until golden. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked through. Remove and set aside. Reduce to medium heat.
8. Add the remaining butter, then sauté shallots and garlic for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
9. Add arborio rice and salt. Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until slightly translucent.
10. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for about 4 minutes until reduced.
11. Add chicken stock one cup at a time, stirring and letting it absorb before adding more. This is where the creaminess builds—don’t rush it.
12. With the final addition of stock, stir in the seared chicken and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until the risotto is creamy and the rice is just al dente.
13. Turn off the heat, then fold in the spinach so it gently wilts from the residual heat (keeps it bright and not overcooked).
14. Finish with butter, Parmesan, and feta, stirring until glossy and creamy.
15. To Serve: Spoon into bowls, top with roasted cherry tomatoes, and add a generous scoop of cold tzatziki on the side.

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Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.