This chicken bolognese is one of my favorite meals when I want a cozy, comforting dish without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s made with ground chicken, a classic mix of onions, carrots, and celery, and then simmered with tomatoes and a splash of wine for tons of flavor. It's great served with zucchini noodles, your favorite gluten-free pasta, or even brown rice.
Traditional bolognese usually takes all day to make, but this version is ready in about 45 minutes—and it still tastes like it’s been cooking low and slow. Add some gluten free garlic bread or a side salad for a weeknight dinner that will quickly become a family favorite!
If you're looking for more Italian inspired dinner ideas, check out my lemon and garlic shrimp pasta, this Tuscan style chicken, or reader favorite Marry Me chicken pasta.
Ingredient Notes
This bolognese recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and it is naturally gluten free and dairy free.
- Ground Chicken - Traditional bolognese sauce is made with beef, but I've opted for lean ground chicken for a lighter meal.
- Red Wine - I love the added flavor of a splash of red wine in this sauce. You don't need an expensive variety of wine here. If you don't have red wine on hand white wine will also work. And if you prefer an alcohol free version, substitute gluten free chicken broth.
- Crushed Tomatoes - You can use any brand of crushed tomatoes here, but I recommend San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- No Ground Chicken - You can swap ground chicken for ground turkey, ground pork, or ground beef in this recipe.
- No Red Wine - Replace the red wine with white wine or chicken broth. It will change the flavor, but it will still be delicious.
- Add Milk - Traditional bolognese sauce includes a small amount of milk. You can ⅓ cup of whole milk or your favorite plant based milk along with the crushed tomatoes to achieve the same flavor.
- Make it Spicy - Add some red pepper flakes to up the spice level.
How to make this Easy Chicken Bolognese
This rich meat sauce comes together all in one pot in less than an hour. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but still packed with flavor. I've used my large Dutch oven pot, but a large skillet will also work.
STEP 1: Add the carrot, celery and onion to a food processor. Pulse a few times until they are chopped into fine pieces.
STEP 2: Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is warm, add in the sofrito and saute for 5-7 minutes until fragrant.
STEP 3: Add the ground chicken to the pot with the vegetables. Cook until no pink remains, breaking the chicken into small pieces.
STEP 4: Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the cooked chicken and cook while stirring for 1 minute more.
STEP 5: Add the red wine and tomato paste to the chicken. Stir well and bring to a low simmer.
STEP 6: Once the sauce is simmering, add in the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Storage
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This sauce will also freeze well. I like to separate it into individual servings using souper cubes for a quick meal prep later. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
More dinner recipes to try:
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Recipe
Chicken Bolognese
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Yellow Onion 1 small onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 stalk Celery
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ Cup Red Wine
- 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 28 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
Instructions
- Wash and peel the vegetables. Chop the onion, carrot, and celery into large chunks and add them to a food processor. Pulse the food processor for about a minute, until the vegetables are finely minced.½ Cup Yellow Onion, 1 Carrot, 1 stalk Celery
- Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the soffritto and cook until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Add the ground chicken to the saucepan and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through, stirring frequently and breaking up the chicken into small pieces with a spatula.1 pound Ground Chicken
- Season the chicken and vegetables with garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.2 cloves Garlic, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the red wine and tomato paste, and stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a low simmer.½ Cup Red Wine, 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- Once the wine starts to simmer, add the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow the sauce to simmer for 20-25 minutes. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.28 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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