Slow-Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Farro Risotto

SAVE FOR LATER

Fall is arriving in Nashville! The mornings and evenings are becoming delightfully crisp and cool, which is getting me excited for hearty cold-weather food, like stews, soups, and risottos.

I recently came across this recipe for slow-cooker chicken and mushroom farro risotto and was intrigued. I love risotto and I really love slow-cooker meals, but I had never tried combining the two. The recipe was doubly intriguing, as it uses farro for the risotto, instead of the traditionally-used arborio rice.

For those of you unfamiliar with farro (like I was until recently), it’s a hearty, nutty, wonderfully-textured ancient grain.

So, this recipe got me to make risotto in the slow-cooker for the first time AND cook with farro for the first time. Gotta love trying new things in the kitchen!

Everything about this is SO delicious: the juicy, fall-apart tender chicken, the wonderfully flavorful mushrooms/onions/garlic, and the cooked-to-perfection farro, all in a truly divine, amazingly creamy parmesan sauce. I first made this on a night when my husband was not home for dinner, as he’s not a huge mushroom fan, so I didn’t think he’d dig it.

After I made it + raved about how much my baby and I loved it, he asked if I’d be willing to make it again for him to try, too.

I did a week later, and even though he admittedly didn’t devour every single mushroom, he said it was one of the best slow-cooker meals (and one of the best mushroom meals) he’s ever had.

If this can win over a mushroom-hater, it must be truly amazing, right?! You’ve gotta give it a try + report back!

SAVE FOR LATER

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Farro Risotto

A hearty and creamy risotto made with farro instead of arborio rice, cooked in a slow cooker with tender chicken and mushrooms. It's a delicious fall-inspired meal that even mushroom skeptics will love.

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Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms sliced
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole farro
• 1 3- inch piece Parmesan rind
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan plus more grated for serving
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch ground nutmeg
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds), (OR substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs if preferred)

Method

 

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow-cooker.
2. To the vegetables in the slow-cooker, add the broth, farro, Parmesan rind, bay leaf, nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring everything together. Top with the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
4. Discard the parmesan rind and bay leaf. Remove the chicken from the slow-cooker and, using two forks, shred into large pieces. Return to the slow-cooker.
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and grated parmesan to the slow cooker, and stir everything to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes more, until butter and parmesan are melted.
6. Serve the risotto hot with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Tip: Whenever you finish up a wedge of parmesan cheese, save the rind! They are great for flavoring soups, stews, and risottos. Simply pop them in a ziplock bag and keep them in the freezer until needed.