Ground Chicken Bolognese combines finely chopped onion, carrot and celery with tender chicken mince, tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. A small amount of milk softens the tomato flavor, while a gentle simmer gives the sauce a thick texture that clings to pasta. This version uses broth rather than wine. Allow about 55 minutes from chopping to serving, with the pasta cooked separately during the final part of the simmer.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Preparation
- About 15 minutes
- Cooking
- About 40 minutes
- Resting
- 0 minutes
- Total
- About 55 minutes
- Yield
- 4 portions with pasta; 4 planned servings
- Equipment
- 5-quart heavy pot, separate pasta pot, fine grater and thermometer
Times are estimates and depend on equipment, ingredient size and preparation speed. Any optional chilling or separately prepared sides add time.
What Makes This Sauce Work
- Uses broth instead of wine.
- Finely diced vegetables contribute flavor throughout the sauce.
- The sauce can be made before the pasta is cooked.
- A measured portion of milk rounds out the tomato base.
Gather Your Bolognese Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (150 g), finely diced
- 1 medium carrot (80 g), finely diced
- 1 celery stalk (40 g), finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
- 1 can (28 ounces / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 ounces (340 g) dry rigatoni
- 3 quarts (2.8 liters) water, for pasta
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Use crushed tomatoes rather than diced tomatoes for a cohesive sauce. Milk is part of this formula; a dairy-free replacement is an untested change. Pasta shape can vary, but keep the dry weight the same and follow that package’s cooking time.
Build the Chicken Bolognese Step by Step
Soften the vegetables
Warm olive oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften without scorching. Finely cut vegetables blend into the finished sauce more readily than large chunks.
Cook the chicken
Add chicken and break it into small irregular pieces with a spoon. Cook for 6–8 minutes until it is no longer visibly raw. Add garlic, tomato paste and oregano; stir for 1–2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Build the sauce
Pour in broth and scrape up the browned residue. Stir in crushed tomatoes, milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Keep the surface bubbling lightly rather than boiling hard, which can splatter and dry the sauce unevenly.
Simmer and check
Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the spoon. Check a thick spoonful containing chicken with a thermometer; the chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). If the sauce becomes too stiff before then, add a little of the measured pasta water later.
Cook and combine the pasta
During the simmer, bring the 3 quarts water to a boil in a separate pot. Cook rigatoni according to its package, reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain. Toss with sauce, adding reserved water a tablespoon at a time only if needed. Divide into four portions.
Getting the Sauce Right
Sauce is watery
Use a wider pot and simmer uncovered a little longer, stirring to prevent sticking. Do not add pasta until the sauce has reduced.
Chicken is in large clumps
Break it up during the initial cooking stage, before adding liquids. A firm spoon edge works better than trying to mash cooked clumps in the finished sauce.
Pasta becomes dry after mixing
Starchy pasta absorbs liquid as it stands. Add reserved cooking water in small measured splashes and serve promptly.
Recipe Variations
- Untested option: use the same dry weight of tagliatelle instead of rigatoni and follow its shorter package time.
- Untested option: replace half the carrot with an equal weight of finely diced mushrooms; cook away their released moisture before adding chicken.
Serving Ideas
Serve with a fresh tomato-cucumber salad or a simple green vegetable. The recipe already includes pasta, so bread is optional rather than necessary.
For a side, try Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks or Roasted Butternut Squash Salad.
Saving Leftovers
Refrigerate cooked food in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat the center to 165°F (74°C).
Store sauce separately from pasta so the noodles do not absorb all the liquid. Reheat sauce gently in a saucepan, stirring and loosening with a little water. If freezing, freeze sauce without the pasta for better texture.
Keep raw ground chicken refrigerated and cook within 1–2 days of purchase or refrigerator thawing. Freezing and substitution suggestions describe expected handling and texture, not kitchen-tested quality guarantees.
Your Questions Answered
Is this a traditional beef Bolognese?
No. This is a chicken-based adaptation with a shorter simmer and no wine.
Can I use ground turkey?
It is a plausible substitution, but this formula has not been kitchen-tested with turkey. Ground poultry still needs to reach 165°F.
Should the pasta simmer in the sauce from dry?
No. Cook it separately; this sauce does not include the extra liquid required for a one-pot pasta method.
Can I prepare only the sauce ahead?
Yes. Store the cooked sauce separately and cook fresh pasta when serving for better texture.
Recipes to Try Next
- Explore all 10 ground chicken dinner recipes
- Ground Chicken Kofta Skewers
- Ground Chicken and Cabbage Dumplings
- Ground Chicken Stuffed Eggplant
If you make this recipe, share how it turned out and any changes you made in the comments. Details about your pan, timing and ingredient swaps are especially useful to other cooks.
