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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Easy Chicken Bolognese

    Published: Mar 14, 2016 · Modified: Feb 18, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Easy chicken bolognese uses a jarred tomato sauce base with fresh vegetables added for flavor. This big batch freezer friendly recipe can be made ahead for extra quick weeknight dinners.

    A plate of spaghetti with chicken bolognese sauce has a fork twirling the noodles.

    What's better than taking a difficult recipe and making it easy enough for a weeknight? 

    A recipe that makes a huge double batch that lets you cook once and freeze plenty for an even easier night another time!

    This easy chicken bolognese checks both those boxes AND is lighter and healthier than traditional bolognese. Win-Win-Win!

    I'm always looking for new ways to spice up our pasta rotation. In our house, noodles are practically their own food group.

    When in doubt, if I make pasta for dinner I know I have the best chance of getting the kids to dig in. And while I might still struggle to get them to eat veggies they can see mixed in stir-fry style, pasta sauces are perfect for sneaking in a little extra hidden nutrition.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Prep the Veggies
    • Make Ahead and Freezer Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    The ingredients to make chicken bolognese are on the kitchen counter.

    This recipe has a very simple list of ingredients, all you need to have on hand is:

    • Ground chicken: You could also use ground turkey or pork if you prefer.
    • Jarred marinara sauce: This adds so much more flavor than just plain canned tomatoes
    • Carrots
    • Onions
    • Minced Garlic
    • Chicken stock
    • Olive oil
    • Pasta: Any shape you love but I recommend traditional spaghetti.

    How to Prep the Veggies

    How to chop the fresh carrots.

    The fresh vegetables add so much flavor to the bolognese sauce. They will soften and cook down into the marinara sauce but will not completely disappear.

    Take the time to chop them extra small so that your bolognese isn't too chunky when you spoon it over your pasta.

    Make Ahead and Freezer Tips

    3 pounds of chicken sounds like a lot, but the whole purpose of this meal is to make a huge batch of sauce because it freezes so well.

    I used what we needed on the first night and then stored the leftovers in several smaller containers so that an easy weeknight dinner is just a boiling box of noodles and a bagged salad away.

    Leftovers will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Simply defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan on the stove or microwave it until heated through.

    Easy bolognese sauce lightened with chicken and Barilla marinara

    Serving Suggestions

    Want to round out the meal? I suggest these delicious and easy side dishes to go with your chicken bolognese:

    • The baked garlic bread is on a cutting board and has been cut into wedges for serving.
      Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • A focaccia bread on parchment paper with several squares cut and scattered.
      Bread Machine Focaccia
    • A loaf of bread machine Italian bread sits in a basket next to a few sample wedges near a plate of olive oil for dipping.
      Bread Machine Italian Bread
    • A salad spinner basket holds freshly washed lettuce leaves.
      Caesar Salad Dressing & 3 Variations

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of spaghetti with chicken bolognese sauce has a fork twirling the noodles.

    Chicken Bolognese

    4.50 from 2 votes
    This light bolognese sauce uses ground chicken for a healthier spin on the Italian classic. Easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, your family will love this pasta recipe.
    TOTAL TIME 30 minutes
    PREP TIME 10 minutes
    COOK TIME 20 minutes
    YIELD 6 servings
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 pounds ground chicken
    • 3 large carrots small diced
    • 2 small onions small diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 2 (24 oz) jars marinara pasta sauce
    • 1 pound pasta: Penne/Spaghetti

    Instructions

    For the bolognese sauce:

    • In a very large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and brown while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Continue to heat until the chicken is completely browned and the vegetables are starting to soften.
    • Add the bay leaf, chicken stock, and 2 jars of marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Heat until bubbling and then turn the heat down to low and simmer until your pasta is ready to serve.

    For the pasta:

    • I usually boil it for the lower end of the minute range recommended. For the organic spaghetti, that meant 9 minutes before draining.
    COURSEPasta
    CUISINEItalian
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

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    Easy bolognese sauce lightened with chicken and Barilla® marinara

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      Recipe Rating




    1. short life

      October 23, 2019 at 3:49 am

      This is such a brilliant idea! I can’t believe I’ve never thought of using chicken in bolognese before but it makes complete sense and I bet it tastes great too!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

    More about me →

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