This ground chicken pasta recipe is a quick and easy pasta dinner you will make over and over again.
It is like making bolognese pasta on a speed dial but with ground chicken, this tomato-based pasta comes together in 30 minutes, it is packed with flavor and utterly delicious. Your family would love this, let me show you how to make it.
This is one recipe that is fuss-free and you will be guaranteed a clean plate after dinner. This pasta with ground chicken has a flavorful, rich, and luscious tomato based sauce that coats the pasta perfectly.
The ground chicken makes its way into the tubes of the rigatoni pasta, making each mouthful a piece of heaven. This is so good and I bet you will love it too!
Love a delicious tomato based pasta then you will love this homemade creamy Cajun chicken orzo and marry me chicken pasta recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
It is hearty and super filling: This ground chicken pasta is comforting and indulgent. It is a complete meal in itself and it is super filling.
It is healthy: in case you are wondering what is healthy about eating pasta, well this recipe is relatively healthy as I only used ½ a pound of pasta and that was enough to feed a family of 4 (trust me we are big eaters) with a bit of leftover. This dish is actually surprisingly low-fat and packed with nutrients from tomatoes, the aromatics and not forgetting the chicken and parmesan cheese which are high in protein.
Economical: ground chicken is affordable and so is pasta and the rest of the ingredients used in making this recipe. I am sure most of these ingredients you may already have on hand as they are pantry staples.
A great way to switch things up: Take a break from the usual beef bolognese and use ground chicken instead. Not only is it a healthier option, but it is also absolutely delicious too.
What you will need
To make this super easy tomato pasta with ground chicken recipe, you will need the following handful of ingredients
- Pasta: I am using rigatoni pasta for this recipe but you can use any other pasta shape of choice including spaghetti.
- Ground chicken
- Onions
- Garlic
- Canned plum tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Italian seasoning: substitute with Herbs De Provence, Mixed herbss (UK) or any other herbs of choice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Olive oil
- Salt & black pepper
- Fresh basil
- Chili flakes
- Parmesan cheese
How to make ground chicken pasta
Prep the ingredients: finely chop the onions and garlic then using your hands, crush the canned plum tomatoes to your desired consistency. Gather the rest of the ingredients for convenience.
Boil the pasta: To a large pot of salted boiling water on medium high heat, add pasta and cook until al dente reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
Make the tomato pasta sauce: In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add onions and cook until soft, translucent and fragrant. Next, add chopped garlic and continue stirring just until it is fragrant (30 seconds or so).
Add the ground chicken and cook stirring, breaking it apart as you go. Cook for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give it a good stir, reduce the heat then simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Add grated parmesan cheese and add tear a few fresh basil leaves into the tomato sauce and stir to combine and until the cheese is melted.
Finally, add the drained pasta to the tomato sauce and stir or toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water until you get your desired consistency is achieved.
Take it off the heat and serve with additional parmesan cheese and extra basil leaves.
Enjoy!
How to store
Storage: If you do have any leftovers, allow it to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: You can reheat on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of water, broth or milk to loosen the sauce up.
Freezing: although I don't prefer freezing pasta dishes, this ground chicken pasta can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
FAQs
Can I make this a one-pan dish
Yes, you can make this chicken pasta in one pan which makes cleanup easy. Simply make the recipe in a pot (or Dutch oven) instead of a skillet. Follow this rigatoni bolognese recipe for how to make it.
How to season ground chicken for pasta
Seasoning ground chicken for pasta is a great way to add flavor to the dish. Apart from salt and black pepper, you can season ground chicken however you like using spices and herbs depending on the flavor profile you’re going for.
If I am making taco pasta then I use my trusted taco seasoning for an authentic Mexican vibe or Italian seasoning to give it a more Italian flavor just like todays recipe.
Can I use ground beef instead
Yes, this recipe works perfectly with either and you can substitute the ground chicken for 1 lb of ground beef if you wish.
More chicken dinner recipes you will love
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Ground Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ lb Pasta I used rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb Ground chicken
- 1 medium onion about ½ cup
- 1 Tablespoon garlic
- 400 g canned plum tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Fresh basil 6-8 leaves or as needed
- Pasta water
- Salt & black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: finely chop the onions and garlic then using your hands, crush the canned plum tomatoes to your desired consistency. Gather the rest of the ingredients for convenience.
- Cook the pasta: To a large pot of salted boiling water on medium high heat, add pasta and cook until al dente reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Make the tomato pasta sauce: In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add onions and cook until soft, translucent and fragrant. Next, add chopped garlic and continue stirring just until it is fragrant (30 seconds or so).
- Add the ground chicken and cook stirring, breaking it apart as you go. Cook for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give it a good stir, reduce the heat then simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Add grated parmesan cheese and add tear a few fresh basil leaves into the tomato sauce and stir to combine and until the cheese is melted.
- Finally, add the drained pasta to the tomato sauce and stir or toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water until you get your desired consistency is achieved.
- Take it off the heat and serve with additional parmesan cheese and extra basil leaves. Enjoy!
Nutrition
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air chicken pasta recipe you can make at home in 30 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @cheapchickenrecipes on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest or make it on Tiktok. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox every week.
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