Orzo (also known as risoni) is super versatile and this Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chorizo Orzo / Risoni Pasta recipe is so easy that you will want to cook it over and over again with your favourite ingredients.
What is Orzo / Risoni Pasta?
Orzo, also called Risoni, is a tiny pasta shaped like rice.
It's extremely versatile and perfect for one-pot pressure cooked dishes like this Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chorizo Orzo / Risoni Pasta recipe.
In the UK, Orzo / Risoni is available from most supermarkets. I tend to buy it either at Waitrose or Tesco.
The lovely rice shape of Orzo / Risoni lends itself well to soupy dishes.
In fact, orzo is a bit like the rice of pasta. And so it's perfect for risotto-like dishes.
And you already know that pressure cooked risotto is really good, right?
My Prawn Risotto or Trout Risotto are perfect examples.
As are my Gammon Rice and my Seafood Rice recipes.
Orzo is just as versatile as rice for any ingredients that need using up.
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Ingredients
- orzo pasta (also called risoni)
- chicken thigh fillet
- chorizo
- vegetable stock paste
See recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
It's as easy as:
- Sauté
- Pressure cook
- Serve
Full details are in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
You can substitute any of the ingredients other than the orzo.
Think of using up whatever you have lying around.
- Seafood - instead of the chicken and chorizo you can use mixed seafood or prawns (handy from frozen)
- Vegetarian - any vegetables or just add the spinach at the end
- Leftovers - this recipe is a fabulous way of using leftovers, including roast dinner and Christmas leftovers, chop it all up while the orzo pressure cooks with the water and the vegetable stock paste and stir it in at the end to heat through
Variations
- Skip Sauté: don't have time to sauté? Add all the ingredients to the inner pot and pressure cook.
- Spicy: freshly chopped red chilli or chilli flakes would give this dish a nice spicy kick
How to double / halve this recipe
I wouldn't recommend halving this recipe, you will regret it once you run out as it's very moreish. That said, if you want to, just halve all the ingredients and use the same timings.
Same when doubling, double all the ingredients and use the same timings.
You can also triple it and so on, just make sure you don't go above the half way line when doing so (that includes all ingredients including liquid) as the pasta will need extra room to expand.
Equipment
I use an electric pressure cooker but this recipe will also work in a stove-top pressure cooker.
At the moment my two favourite brands of electric pressure cooker are the Ninja Foodi and the Instant Pot.
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Storage
This Chicken and Chorizo Orzo Pasta keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.
I wouldn't recommend freezing it, it's so easy and quick to pressure cook anyway. Just make sure you always have orzo and vegetable stock paste at home.
Top tip
Make sure you do follow the pressure cooking instructions and do a short pressure cook time followed by a longer natural pressure release before doing a quick pressure release.
This is because orzo tends to splatter when quick releasing.
So it's important to let it rest before venting the steam.
📖 Recipe
Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chorizo Orzo / Risoni Pasta
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 140 g (a ¾ cup) Instant Pot cup orzo if using cups, this is the same as the little cup some Instant Pots come with
- 360 ml water (2 x ¾ cups) water cold
- 1 chicken thigh fillet boneless chicken thigh, cut into small bite sized pieces
- ½ chorizo sausage (the type that is sausage-shaped rather than pre-sliced) probably about 30 g, sliced
- ¼ onion sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves chopped
- 50-100 g passata perfect for using up any left over Passata or chopped tomatoes you may have!
- 1 heaped teaspoon vegetable stock paste
- 2 big handfuls fresh spinach
To serve
- Cheese grated, as much as you want, I tend to use mature cheddar
Instructions
- Sauté the chorizo then stir in the diced chicken and stir to coat in the chorizo juices. Stir in the onion and garlic, leave for a little bit if you have time so that it can all sauté. Stir in the liquid, the vegetable stock paste and the orzo.
- Lock the lid in and make sure the vent is Sealed. Pressure cook for 1 minute.
- At the end of pressure cooking time, do nothing for 5 minutes then do a quick pressure release. Once the steam has been released and the float valve has popped back down, open the lid.
- If the orzo pasta is not quite cooked to your taste yet, leave it to rest while you get yourself a pretty bowl, a lovely drink, set the mood with candles, your favourite magazine, your favourite book or just stare at space. Don't forget you can add cooking time but you can't take away so it's better to undercook slightly than to overcook.
- Stir in the spinach and leave to wilt.
- Add lots of grated cheese (I used mature cheddar).
Notes
Nutrition
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Food safety
A few tips from me:
- Always wash your hands straight after touching raw meat
- Same with your knives, boards and utensils, use separate ones for raw meat and wash them well before using for anything else
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods, always cool down quickly and chill or freeze as soon as you can
- Always chill left over rice as soon as you can and always within half an hour.
See more guidelines at food.gov.uk.
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