Traditional bolognese sauce from the Italian city of Bologna is incredibly rich and fairly heavy. It’s often made with ground beef and / or pork, wine, and milk. It has to simmer on the stove for hours to develop the right flavor. If that’s what suits you, hey that’s great. However, I don’t have hours in my schedule to make sauce. And I like to try to make traditional recipes a bit healthier when I can, without sacrificing flavor, which is where this version with ground chicken comes in. I know what you’re thinking — bolognese sauce … with chicken? Yes! This easy chicken bolognese tastes so similar to the sauce Nonna used to make, minus the fatty beef and pork and the hours and hours of simmering on the stove. Ground chicken is leaner than the traditional ground beef, but you still end up with an ultra flavorful and silky sauce that’s ready in 45 minutes. I call this a huge win-win!
Ingredients in Chicken Bolognese
Making bolognese sauce with chicken requires these common ingredients, including the following: Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Ground Chicken Bolognese
To create layers of flavor in the quick and easy bolognese sauce, the recipe starts with a simple mixture of carrot, celery, and onion — the “holy trinity” of most Italian recipes! If you have a food processor (or Vitamix) now’s the time to break it out! Of course, you can easily make this sauce using a knife and cutting board. Here are the basic recipe steps:
Ways to Eat Chicken Bolognese
Serve the bolognese with your favorite pasta such as pappardelle, tagliatelle, spaghetti, noodles of any kind, or really any pasta shape. Or use it in any Italian recipes that call for classic bolognese or even marinara sauce. You can also swap in this leaner chicken bolognese in any recipe that calls for classic bolognese sauce or marinara. For instance, you can try swapping this bolognese sauce in one of the following recipes:
More Easy Italian Sauce Recipes:
Easy Pizza Sauce — A no-cook, no-blender recipe for homemade pizza sauce that’s ready in five minutes!! Simply whisk the ingredients together and get ready to enjoy pizza sauce that’s BURSTING with flavor! In the Freezer: Chicken bolognese sauce freezes well, so you can easily make a double batch to have some on hand for later. Store the sauce in individual serving-sized airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. If you also made pasta, I do not recommend freezing it in the sauce. To Reheat: Heat individual portions in the microwave on high for 30-second intervals. Larger portions of sauce are easiest to reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Pasta with Vodka Sauce — Make an Italian restaurant-worthy pasta dish EASILY at home in 30 minutes! Pasta is tossed in a tomato-forward sauce that includes red pepper flakes, onions, garlic, spinach, heavy cream for RICHNESS, and of course, vodka! Spaghetti and Meatballs — A family favorite recipe that never goes out of style! Made with homemade beef and pork baked meatballs, homemade marinara sauce, and perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti, this Italian classic is sure to get rave reviews! Lasagna Pinwheels — Rolled up lasagna that’s filled with juicy Italian sausage and a rich and creamy bechamel sauce before being baked in a homemade sausage bolognese sauce and more cheese!
