Chicken Bolognese Recipe

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Rich and meaty without the fat. . Yvonne Ruperti

Notes: If you can't find ground chicken, grind your own: Cut skinless, boneless, chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks. Freeze until firm but not frozen, about 30 minutes. Working in two batches, pulse briefly in food processor until the chicken is the size of small peas. Avoid over processing or the chicken will turn mushy.

Recipe Details

Chicken Bolognese Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 105 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)

  • 2 small celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

  • 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped (1/3 cup)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 12 ounces ground chicken (see note)

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 1/4 cups full-bodied dry red wine

  • 2 anchovy fillets, mashed (1 teaspoon)

  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

  • 1 pound dried spaghetti, pappardelle, tagliatelle, or penne

  • Handful of fresh basil leaves

  • Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Add 1 tablespoon water to small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over. Let gelatin soften at least 5 minutes.

  2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, carrot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

  3. Stir in chicken and cook, mashing with wooden spoon to break up into small pieces, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

  4. Stir in milk and simmer until most of the milk has cooked off and the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off but mixture is moist, about 15 minutes. Stir in anchovies, soy sauce, tomato paste, and softened gelatin. Stir in tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  5. Heat 4 quarts of salted water in large pot over high heat to boil. Stir in pasta. Cook pasta to al dente and drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.

  6. Toss bolognese sauce with hot pasta, adding pasta water if necessary to loosen sauce. Serve with chopped basil and grated parmesan cheese.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
558 Calories
15g Fat
74g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 558
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 66mg 22%
Sodium 764mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 74g 27%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 15mg 77%
Calcium 146mg 11%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 1098mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)