Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce
Ground Chicken Bolognese Sauce offers a unique twist to the classic beef version without compromising the rich and satisfying essence of the classic Bolognese sauce.
Slow simmered with fresh ground chicken, diced tomatoes, an assortment of vegetables, and dried herbs, the flavor of this sauce develops slowly, but so worth the wait.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Family favorite – The whole family will love this great recipe for healthy chicken bolognese. Perfect for simmering slowly for a unique Sunday dinner.
Red meat alternative – If you want to reduce your red meat consumption but are still craving a big bowl of pasta, this lighter version with ground chicken instead of traditional ground beef fits the bill.
Rich flavor – Red wine, chicken broth, and whole milk are the sauce ingredients that make this a truly hearty red sauce.
Make ahead option – This spaghetti bolognese sauce tastes great for days and is easy to reheat, so go ahead and prep it a few days in advance.
Ingredients to make chicken spaghetti bolognese sauce
- Olive Oil– Use extra virgin olive oil to saute the vegetables.
- Onion – White or yellow onions are best.
- Carrots- Diced carrots, no need to peel just clean well.
- Celery – Diced celery adds more texture and taste.
- Chicken – Ground chicken gives this bolognese sauce some texture and added protein.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic cloves taste best, but jarred garlic is a great substitute.
- Tomato Paste – Tomato paste helps thicken up the sauce.
- Red Wine- The full-bodied flavor adds depth to this traditional bolognese sauce. You can also use white wine or omit it if you want an alcohol-free sauce and add more broth.
- Chicken Broth – Choose a low-sodium broth so you can adjust the salt content to your liking. You can also use chicken stock.
- Whole Milk – I used whole milk, but any type will help tenderize the meat and create a creamy and rich texture.
- Canned Tomatoes – I used diced petite tomatoes, but you can also use San Marzano tomatoes or any diced tomatoes you happen to have in the pantry. If using whole tomatoes, break them up with your hands or a wooden spoon before adding them to the sauce.
- Spices – Bay leaves, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, red pepper flakes, or you can throw in a combination of your favorite Italian herbs.
- Salt and Pepper – Add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Spaghetti – I used spaghetti, but any long-shaped pasta will hold the sauce well.
How To Make Step By Step Instructions For This Bolognese Recipe
Step 1: In a large Dutch oven, large skillet, or large pot, cook onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat until they have all softened. About 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add garlic and ground chicken, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until no pink remains.
Step 3: Add wine and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. About 10 minutes.
Step 4: Add chicken broth, whole milk, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and spices.
Step 5: Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour.
Step 7: Cook spaghetti according to package directions making sure it cooks al dente. DO NOT rinse pasta. Drain and add spaghetti to the sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce or serve over pasta. Garnish with fresh basil and finely shredded parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
Kitchen supplies to make chicken bolognese sauce with spaghetti
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Buy Now → FAQs
Usually, chicken bolognese sauce is made with onions, carrots, ground chicken, tomato paste, dried herbs, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock.
Though ingredients may differ by recipe, the key difference is that bolognese contains meat or, in this recipe, chicken, while spaghetti sauce is tomato-based.
Yes, classic bolognese contains milk so it is likely that Italians do include milk.
How to store this rich delicious chicken bolognese sauce
Fridge: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature before storing it.
Make ahead bolognese sauce
If you want to get this ground chicken bolognese off your to-do list and you like to meal prep, you can prepare this recipe a few days ahead.
If you like having meals on hand in the fridge, I recommend you double the recipe, store them in smaller containers in the freezer, and defrost them as needed.
Chicken bolognese recipe variations
- Top this delicious chicken spaghetti with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Instead of chicken mince, you can use fresh chicken breasts or chicken thighs and finely chop or make a meat sauce with ground meat. Note the cooking time may vary depending on the type of meat you use.
- Change up the pasta shape and use fettuccine, linguine, spaghettini, or your favorite pasta.
- Use gluten-free pasta like brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta if you want to avoid gluten.
- For an even more savory sauce, add a touch of Worcestershire sauce or stir in a touch of soy sauce.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can place it in the food processor and process it to your desired consistency, or use crushed tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.
- For a richer sauce, use heavy cream instead of whole milk.
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Spaghetti Chicken Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3/4 Diced Onion
- 3/4 Diced Carrots
- 1/2 Diced Celery
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 3 cloves Minced Garlic
- 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Red Wine
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 28 ounces Diced Petite Tomatoes
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Basil
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Pepper
- 8 ounces Spaghetti
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil and cook onion, carrots, celery until they have all softened. About 5 minutes.1 tbsp Olive Oil, 3/4 Diced Carrots, 1/2 Diced Celery, 3/4 Diced Onion
- Add garlic and ground chicken, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until no pink remains.1 pound Ground Chicken, 3 cloves Minced Garlic
- Add wine and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. About 10 minutes.1/2 cup Red Wine
- Add chicken broth, whole milk, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, and spices.1 cup Chicken Broth, 1 cup Whole Milk, 28 ounces Diced Petite Tomatoes, 1 Bay Leaf, 1/2 teaspoon Oregano, 1/2 teaspoon Basil, 1/2 teaspoon Thyme, 1 teaspoon Parsley, 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper, 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
- Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. DO NOT rinse pasta. Drain and add spaghetti to sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.8 ounces Spaghetti
Fabuloso!