- Egg free
- Nut free
- Seafood free
- Sesame free
- Shellfish free
- Soy free
- Peanut free
- Lactose free
- High in dietary fibre
- High in protein
- No added sugar
- 2 serves veg or fruit
Cooking for a crowd? Whip up this chicken risoni recipe for a tasty and fuss-free pasta bake that will be a hit with everyone.
- Serves6
- Cook time1 hour 5 minutes
- Prep time15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 8 Coles RSPCA Approved Australian Chicken Drumsticks
- 2 brown onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
- 425g tub Coles Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups (305g) risoni pasta
- 250g Coles vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups (240g) frozen peas
- 120g pkt Coles Australian Baby Spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1/2 cup (40g) grated parmesan
- Finely grated parmesan and basil leaves, extra, to serve
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a 6L (36-cup) roasting pan in the oven for 5 mins or until hot.
Step 2
Remove pan from the oven. Drizzle 3 tsp of the oil over the base of the pan. Add the chicken and onion and season. Drizzle with 3 tsp of the remaining oil. Bake for 20 mins or until chicken is golden.
Step 3
Reduce oven to 200°C. Combine stock and pasta sauce in a large jug.
Step 4
Remove the chicken from oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the risoni and pasta sauce mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pan and top with tomatoes. Bake for a further 45 mins or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
Step 5
Transfer the drumsticks and tomatoes to a plate. Add the peas, spinach and basil to the risoni mixture and stir to combine. Season. Set aside for 5 mins or until peas are thoroughly heated through.
Step 6
Return the chicken and tomatoes to the pan. Sprinkle with parmesan and basil.
Recipe tip
We used a 40cm x 22cm x 12cm, 6L (36-cup) capacity roasting pan.
Use salt-reduced stock if preferred.
Clever storage: Transfer any baked risoni leftovers into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Chicken risoni bake recipe
So, what is risoni exactly? Sometimes called orzo, it’s a type of pasta that resembles rice (‘risi’ means rice in Italian). It’s a common addition to soups because of its scoopability, but is also great in salads, stews and pasta bakes, like in this recipe. This oven baked chicken risoni is what you need if you’re craving something comforting and nourishing. With each forkful, you get tender, succulent chicken and a beautiful umami flavour borne out of a combination of chicken stock, parmesan and tomatoes. Make this one pan chicken risoni today and experience its magic for yourself.
How to cook chicken risoni
Before you get started, follow our tips for cooking risoni and this risoni bake recipe:
Make sure you choose a deep roasting pan when making this recipe, to avoid any liquid overflowing. A 6L (36-cup) pan will be ideal.
Risoni will absorb all the flavour of the liquid you cook it in, so choose flavourful liquids like stock instead of just plain water.
While our recipe uses a variety of vegetables, you can use virtually any veggie you enjoy or that you have to hand. This is what makes this recipe so great for using up anything you have in your fridge.
In step 2, you’re going to bake the chicken and onion first with some oil. The aim of this is to brown the chicken, so keep an eye on it to ensure you don’t overcook it.
How long to cook risoni? The beauty of cooking risoni and other smaller sized pastas is that the cooking time is shortened. Risoni doesn’t need to be pre-cooked like other pasta bakes. Simply add it to your baking tray once the chicken has been browned, and place it back in the oven to cook.
How to serve chicken risoni
With this chicken and risoni bake, you’ve got protein, veggies and carbs in a one-pot meal. There’s no need to prepare extra sides, so this is the recipe to choose when you’re after something easy to cook that will satisfy everyone. If someone is feeling under the weather, why not make a batch for them, as a nice alternative to chicken noodle soup for their recovery. If you’re only cooking for yourself or two people, you’ll have plenty leftover to pack as a work lunch that will be the envy of your coworkers.
Love this recipe?
If you’re keen to get adventurous with more risoni recipes after trying our chicken with risoni dish, check out our Greek-style meatball and risoni tray bake, risoni salad with asparagus and fetta-stuffed olives and Curtis Stone’s pasta soup with beans and greens.
