Easy & Healthy Risotto Recipe!

I get asked all the time for a healthy risotto recipe that is approved for 21 Day Fix! We also have calculations for this Weight Watchers mushroom risotto recipe.

A healthy mushroom risotto doesn’t have to feel like diet food. This recipe is creamy, delicious, and indulgent. It’s the perfect 21 Day Fix side dish to add to your meal plan. 

Can I use other vegetables in this risotto? I don’t like mushrooms! 

The great thing about this healthy risotto is that it’s super adaptable. You can swap out the mushrooms for asparagus (also tasty) or just about any other veggie you have on hand. When the end of the week rolls around sometimes I’m just looking to use whatever is in the fridge. This recipe is great for that! 

Is this a true risotto? 

This recipe is not made with traditional risotto rice. We use a different kind of rice in this recipe to make it a healthier option. It couldn’t be low in points as well as approved for the 21 Day Fix with different kinds of rice. 

I feel like the flavors and consistency are really good and it’s an awesome choice for healthy risotto. If you are a risotto connoisseur you might not like this version. To each their own. I just wanted to clarify why we use the brown rice to make this particular risotto! 

How much does this recipe make? 

This particular risotto recipe makes quite a lot. It’s going to make about 12 servings of 3/4 Cup. It’s excellent for meal prep! In my experience it reheats nicely and can be used for lunches and dinners throughout the week. Just pair it up with your favorite protein and you’ll be all set! 

How to make a healthy risotto in the Instant Pot: 

1. Heat the olive oil while the Instant Pot is on sauté mode. Add shallots, asparagus, and mushrooms. Sauté 2-3 minutes, cook stirring frequently until shallots are translucent.

2. Remove vegetables from the Instant Pot, add the frozen chicken thighs and sear the outside of the meat.

3. Add short grain brown rice, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Lock the lid into place and turn venting valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.

4. Remove the chicken thighs to shred. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add chicken, vegetables, and parmesan cheese.

5. Mix until cheese is melted and risotto thickens, between 2-5 minutes.

6. Top with fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!

What kind of consistency does this risotto have? 

This is a great creamy side dish. It’s a creamy risotto that is packed with flavor. I think chicken thighs lend themselves so nicely to this recipe and really help boost the flavors without taking away from the creamy consistency. 

Can I reheat this recipe? 

Absolutely! You can reheat this recipe with no problems. I think it tastes great after a day in the fridge while everything really soaks up the flavors! I will say it’s not a great recipe to try and freeze and use at a later time. Rice dishes tend to get kind of mushy when you freeze them and thaw them out again. 

How do I count this on 21 Day Fix or Ultimate Portion Fix? 

The container counts for this healthy risotto per serving are as follows: 

• 1/2 Red
• 1/6 Green
• 1/2 Yellow
• 1/12 Blue (negligible) 

Can I enjoy this delicious side dish on Weight Watchers? 

The beauty of Weight Watcher and especially the Weight Watchers Freestyle program is that you can have just about anything as long as you track it! Here’s the Freestyle Smart Points breakdown for this recipe: 

• 5 Freestyle Smart Points per 3/4 Cup Serving

Try making this for your next gathering or dinner party. It’s an excellent recipe to share and your guests won’t believe that it’s a healthy risotto! 

Is there an easy way to reduce the Smart Points in this WW risotto? 

Absolutely. If you want to make this risotto even more Weight Watchers friendly you can substitute the thighs for boneless skinless chicken breast. That will reduce the points to 3.5 per serving. 

If you also sub out the rice for long grain brown rice you can get this recipe down to as low as 2 Freestyle Smart Points per serving! 

What can I pair this delicious risotto with? 

If you’re looking for a delicious 21 Day Fix Instant Pot recipe to pair this side with, check out my Cilantro Lime Drumsticks! They’re so delicious and also low in points so you can have a great meal without splurging on containers, points, calories, etc. 

Do you have any other delicious rice side dishes I can try? 

I sure do. Here are some of my favorites, including some healthy riced cauliflower options! 

• The Best Cauliflower Fried Rice | Instant Pot | Slow Cooker | Stovetop
• Healthy Rice Pudding Recipe with Brown Rice
• Crockpot Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Weight Watchers Breakfast Fried Rice
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Chicken and Cauliflower
• Crack Chicken And Rice Casserole

Printable Healthy Mushroom Risotto Recipe: 

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4.86 from 7 votes

A Quick & Easy Healthy Risotto Recipe

I get asked all the time for a healthy risotto recipe that is approved for 21 Day Fix! We also have calculations for this Weight Watchers mushroom risotto recipe. A healthy mushroom risotto doesn't have to feel like diet food. This recipe is creamy, delicious, and indulgent. It's the perfect 21 Day Fix side dish to add to your meal plan. 

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Mushroom Risotto

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Becca Ludlum

Ingredients

• 5 cups chicken stock low sodium
• 1 shallot diced
• 1 lb chicken thighs frozen
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
• 1 1/2 cup brown rice short grain
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lb mushrooms I used a gourmet blend, but baby bella works well
• 1 cup asparagus spears

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil while the Instant Pot is on sauté mode. Add shallots, asparagus, and mushrooms. Sauté 2-3 minutes or until shallots are translucent.
• Remove vegetables from the Instant Pot, add the frozen chicken thighs and sear the outside of the meat.
• Add short grain brown rice, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Lock the lid into place and turn venting valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.
• Remove the chicken thighs to shred. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add chicken, vegetables, and parmesan cheese.
• Mix until cheese is melted and risotto thickens, between 2-5 minutes.
• Top with fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix Container Counts: Makes 12 3/4C servings. Each serving = 1/2R, 1/6G, 1/2Y, and a negligible amount of blue (1/12 of a container). 

Weight Watchers Freestyle Points: As the recipe states with chicken thighs, this recipe is 5 Weight Watchers freestyle points per 3/4C serving. 

Using boneless skinless chicken breast instead of the thighs makes this recipe 3.5 points per serving. Using boneless skinless chicken and long grain brown rice, this recipe is 2 points per serving! 

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2.6% | Vitamin C: 2.2% | Calcium: 4.2% | Iron: 7.6%

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