Italian Ground Chicken Pasta: A Comfort Food Classic with a Lean Twist
This Italian Ground Chicken Pasta recipe gives you all the comfort of a classic pasta dish with a lean, flavorful twist. With bold herbs, tender ground chicken sausage, and a rich tomato sauce simmered to perfection, it's a weeknight favorite that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Italian ground chicken sausage
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed lightly crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 28 ounces whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter optional, to mellow acidity
- Cooked pasta of your choice Angel Hair recommended
- Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or non-reactive pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground chicken sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté 8–10 minutes until the chicken is browned and veggies are soft.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add basil, oregano, thyme, fennel seed, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Pour in San Marzano tomatoes with juice. Crush them with a spoon. Add chicken stock and sugar. Stir well.
- Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and mash tomatoes as needed.
- Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Add butter if the sauce is too tangy. Let the sauce rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Toss with cooked pasta of your choice. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!