Ground Chicken Bolognese
Published 1/8/2023
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This ground chicken bolognese features a super flavorful homemade bolognese sauce, and pairs with your favorite pasta. Enjoy!
We love ground chicken recipes here at Fit Foodie Finds because chicken adds so much flavor to whatever you are cooking. Keep scrolling for more healthy ground chicken recipes.
This ground chicken bolognese is a Fit Foodie reader favorite. It’s one of our best healthy ground chicken recipes because it’s veggie-packed, high-protein, and made with just one pan! You’ll love it.
Seriously One of the BEST Ground Chicken Recipes
So, let’s discuss this ground chicken bolognese. It’s all about versatility, and flavor flavor flavor. Want to eat it as a healthy dinner idea? Want a meal-prep lunch recipe? Want to make a triple batch and freeze it for later? This ground chicken bolognese satisfies all of this and more 😀
Made in just one pan, this ground chicken bolognese recipe is made with all the flavors, plus is packed with veggies, too!
Our Go-To Ground Chicken Bolognese
In this post, we’ll teach you how to make one of the best ground chicken recipes on the internet, how to serve it, and how to freeze it.
PS: this seriously might be one of the best healthy ground chicken recipes we’ve ever made! Plus, it’s already a staple in our family’s kitchens.
Why you’ll love it!
Amazing as leftovers
Serves a crowd
Veggie-packed
PS: if you’re looking for a different ground meat, try our Mexican Ground Beef Skillet or our Ground Turkey Shells!
Featured Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and the instructions.
Ground chicken bolognese
- Seasonings: Worcestershire, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.
- Ground chicken: can’t have ground chicken bolognese without ground chicken! Feel free to sub for another ground like beef, turkey or even a plant-based ground.
- Minced veggies: white onion, garlic cloves, carrots, and celery come together as the veggie base for this amazing bolognese.
- Tomatoes: we’re using 2 large cans crushed tomatoes, as well as tomato paste.
- Light brown sugar: the brown sugar adds a little sweetness and depth to this bolognese.
- Rotini pasta: we love our ground chicken bolognese with rotini, but any variety of pasta will work. Go with a variety you love!
Toppings
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Diced basil
How to Make Ground Chicken Bolognese
Mix dried spices
Add salt, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a small bowl and mix to combine.
Saute Chicken & Add Spices
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven. When the olive is fragrant, add the ground chicken to the Dutch oven and break up the chicken into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add the spices to the chicken and mix again. Let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked but still has some pink pieces, and then remove the chicken from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a separate bowl.
Saute Veggies
Keep any oil or chicken drippings in the Dutch oven. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and then add the onion, and a dash of salt.
Allow the onion to sauté for 4-5 minutes and then add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Allow the veggies to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add Tomatoes
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire to the Dutch oven and whisk the ingredients together. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium/high heat.
Simmer Bolognese
Add the ground chicken back into the Dutch oven, mix, and turn the heat down to low and allow the chicken bolognese to simmer uncovered over low heat for 1.5 hours.
Once the bolognese has simmered and some of the liquid has cooked off, remove the bolognese from heat and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Prepare Pasta & Serve
While the bolognese is resting, prepare pasta according to package instructions. Serve the bolognese over the pasta and top with parmesan and chopped parsley. Enjoy!
try it!
Slow Cooker Bolognese
Want a set it and forget it approach to bolognese? You’ll love our slow cooker bolognese.
Top Tips
Don’t rush the simmer time: the 1.5 hours of simmer time is absolutely crucial to this recipe! It will allow the veggies and tomatoes to cook down to a rich, flavorful sauce.
Double or triple for later: this recipe is fantastic as leftovers throughout the week, or freezing for another time. If your dutch oven allows, feel free to double or even triple it!
Serve with your favorite pasta: we love serving this ground chicken bolognese with rotini, but truly any pasta will work.
FAQs
Bolognese sauce boasts the flavors of meat, wine and tomatoes. It is a rich sauce that tends to be more thick than chunky due to using ground meat and minced or finely diced vegetables.
Bolognese is a meat sauce that hails from Bologna, Italy and is traditionally served over pasta or used in a lasagna.
We have tested this with a plant-based ground and it came out great. Feel free to use your favorite kind.
Yes! Many of you have made this recipe with ground turkey, ground beef or ground venison.
Yes! This bolognese is a fantastic recipe to freeze for later. Instructions can be found below in this post.
Latest Chicken Recipes
How to Serve Ground Chicken Bolognese
Pasta all the way! We love this recipe with rotini pasta, but fettuccine, spaghetti or angel hair pasta would also be delicious!
Looking for a salad to serve with this ground chicken bolognese? Let us recommend any of the following:
Storage
Fridge: Let ground chicken bolognese cool completely. Then, transfer into an airtight container. Will last in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Freeze for Later
This is a great recipe to freeze for later! Hold off on adding the pasta and let the ground chicken bolognese cool completely. Transfer into a freezer-safe, gallon-size bag and then remove as much air as possible. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
Ground Chicken Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, separated
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
- 2 lbs. ground chicken
- 1 small white onion, minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups minced carrots
- 1.5 cups minced celery
- 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 16 oz. rotini pasta, any variety of pasta will work
Toppings
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped basil
Instructions
- Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven. When the olive is fragrant, add the ground chicken to the Dutch oven and break up the chicken into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Add the spices to the chicken and mix again. Let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked but still has some pink pieces. Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a separate bowl.
- Keep any oil or chicken drippings in the Dutch oven. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and then add the onion. Season the onion with ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix. Allow the onion to saute for 4-5 minutes and then add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Allow the veggies to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire to the Dutch oven and whisk the ingredients together. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium/high heat.
- Add the ground chicken back into the Dutch oven, mix, and turn the heat down to low and allow the chicken bolognese to simmer uncovered over low heat for 1.5 hours. Stir periodically.
- Once the bolognese has simmered and some of the liquid has cooked off, remove the bolognese from heat and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- While the bolognese is resting, prepare pasta according to package instructions. Serve the bolognese over the pasta and top with parmesan and chopped basil.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is the first time I’ve made this recipe and so any alterations were slight as I prefer to try a recipe as written for an honest review. My only alterations were honey in place of the brown sugar, one ☝️ pound of ground turkey for chicken, fresh thyme for dried because that’s what I had and that after simmering my onions for just about 2 minutes I threw everything in to the pot and let her go after a quick mix. Served with penne pasta and air fryer roasted asparagus. Absolutely wonderful! I will be making again and adding just a touch of fish sauce, otherwise a great recipe for someone beginning to cook. Can’t mess it up 👍 Mahalo for the greatt recipe 🙏❤️🌺
So happy to hear you loved this recipe! And thank you for sharing your modifications — so helpful for other readers 🙂
Ground chicken Bolognese is a variation of the classic Italian Bolognese sauce made with ground chicken instead of the traditional ground beef or pork. It is a flavorful sauce typically made with ingredients such as ground chicken, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. The sauce is simmered until the flavors meld together and the chicken is cooked through. Ground chicken Bolognese can be served over pasta, such as spaghetti or fettuccine, and is often garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. It offers a lighter and leaner alternative to the traditional Bolognese sauce while still providing a delicious and satisfying meal.
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