Creamy Chicken Risotto Slow Cooker Recipe For Babies
Table of Contents
Rice Cooker v Slow Cooker
Rice cookers and slow cookers each offer benefits that cater to different kitchen needs. A rice cooker is great at delivering perfectly cooked rice with minimal effort, often featuring settings for various types of grains, ensuring consistent results without constant monitoring.
A slow cooker allows for the development of deep flavours over time, making it ideal for stews, soups, and casseroles. It can have low temperatures, enabling ingredients to cook beautifully while freeing the cook to focus on other tasks.
Ultimately, choosing between a rice cooker and a slow cooker depends on your cooking style and the types of meals you prefer for family meals.
Arborio Rice Substitute For Risotto
A great substitute for Arborio rice in risotto is pudding rice, which, when cooked slowly, achieves the perfect consistency for baby-led weaning (BLW). Pudding rice absorbs flavour beautifully and creates a creamy texture similar to that of traditional risotto.
Its ability to soften with gradual cooking ensures it's suitable for little ones, making it a versatile option for families looking to adapt classic recipes.
The Best Rice For Risotto
The best rice for risotto is Arborio rice, known for its high starch content which gives risotto its characteristic creamy texture. Arborio grains are short and plump, allowing them to absorb liquid effectively while releasing starch as they cook.
This process creates a rich and velvety consistency that is essential for a well-made risotto. Alternatives such as Carnaroli and Vialone Nano can also be used, with Carnaroli often considered the king of risotto rice due to its ability to retain a firm bite, even after prolonged cooking.
Each variety has its own unique properties, but Arborio remains the most commonly used and widely available choice for achieving the perfect risotto.
Ingredient information
Rice - I have used a pudding rice for this crockpot risotto as I feel the texture when cooked is perfect for baby led weaning recipes. You could use sushi rice, you could use regular rice such as long grain rice but the texture may be a little different. Rice pudding is another great recipe for baby and toddler especially if they are trying rice for the first time.
Stock cube - I have used a zero salt chicken stock cube, which are great for adding flavours to stews and risottos without the added salt content. Perfect for baby recipes. You could use fresh chicken broth/liquid chicken stocktoo if you prefer, or a low salt stock cube.
Carrot - I have added a carrot for added flavour and of course an extra veggie to the risotto.
Onion - I have added a red onion for this crock pot risotto but you can use a white onion or 2 banana shallots, it is up to you.
Garlic - I have used fresh garlic but you could use 2 teaspoons of garlic granules or garlic powder.
Thyme - I have used fresh thyme but you can use 3 teaspoons of dried thyme instead.
Sage - If you had fresh sage you could add in a few chopped leaves.
Chicken - I have used mini chicken fillets, but you could use chicken breasts. If you use chicken breasts you may need to shred the chicken using 2 forks before serving to your baby.
Cream - I have used double cream, but you could use single cream or an extra thick double cream.
Cheese - I have used cheddar cheese, the recipe would work really nicely with parmesan cheese but it is not recommended to serve parmesan until your baby is 12 months old in this quantity.
Black pepper - I have used a little black pepper for seasoning. White pepper would be delicious too as an alternative.
Serving suggestion
The slow cooker risotto would be great served with simple crudites such as cucumber, red or yellow pepper and cooked carrot batons.
You could also serve with veggies such as broccoli florets, baby spinach, roasted red peppers, roasted carrots or simple garden peas.
Other recipes you may like: Chicken curry, Beef stew or Sweet potato curry.
Storage instructions
The chicken risotto slow cooker recipe can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Or you can store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Its best to label the freezer bag and airtight container with the item and the date.
To defrost the chicken risotto recipe, thaw in the fridge overnight, once fully defrosted, you can reheat the chicken risotto.
To reheat the chicken risotto, preheat your oven to 180C/350F and reheat for up to 20-25 minutes. You can also re heat on the hob on a medium heat until piping hot.
Once thawed and reheated you will not be able to refreeze and store again.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Slow cooker liners - Food safe liners, disposable and BPA free - these are a great idea for lining the slow cooker pot.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Recipe | Creamy Chicken Risotto Slow Cooker Recipe For Babies
Creamy Chicken Risotto Slow Cooker Recipe For Babies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pop all the ingredients into the slow cooker, apart from the double cream and the cheddar cheese. I use a slow cooker liner but this is optional. It does save on the mess though.
- Pour in 1250ml of hot water and stir all the ingredients together.
- Pop the lid onto the slow cooker and set the cooking time to 2 hours on high or 3 hours on low.
- If you can check half way through to make sure the liquid has not all absorbed.
- Once the time is up stir in the rest of the ingredients, the double cream and the cheddar cheese.
- You can break up the chicken pieces if you wish but they should be very tender to eat.
- Leave to cool before serving to your baby. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.
Notes
I have used pudding rice for this creamy risotto as it is the perfect consistency for baby led weaning when slow cooked. You can of course use risotto rice if you preferred a slightly harder texture.
You could leave out the chicken and switch for butternut squash or sweet potatoes and switch the chicken stock cube for a zero salt vegetable stock cube and change the double cream and cheese for a plant based alternative to make the recipe vegan friendly.
A great recipe and most importantly an easy recipe for the whole family.
©The Petit Spoon
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