Ground Chicken Marinara
Moist chicken, aromatic vegetables, savory tomato sauce, and plenty of mozzarella cheese. Packed with protein, gluten-free, made in one pan, and ready in under 20 minutes.
This is, hands down, my new favorite dish. I love the juicy bits of chicken and vegetables basking in the Italian-style tomato sauce. You can serve the dish as is, over pasta or rice, or with warm bread on the side. Add a vibrant green salad and dinner is complete.
This sauce reminds me of a commingling of primavera sauce and chicken parmesan. The cheesy chicken, dotted with fresh vegetables, is beyond delicious. You can also add additional vegetables – great choices would be green peas, green beans, corn, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, lima beans, and zucchini.
I used tomato sauce, but you can use your favorite tomato product. Other great choices would be crushed tomatoes, puréed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and whole tomatoes that you crush as they simmer.
The marriage of flavors in this ground chicken marinara spot on. The tomato sauce is scented with basil, parsley, and oregano so it’s herby, lively, and zesty. Plus, the sweetness of the carrots cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates a perfectly balanced sauce.
You can also make this dish with ground beef. That would make it reminiscent of a Bolognese sauce. Ground turkey and ground pork also work.
To keep this dish gluten-free, serve it over rice or your favorite grain. I didn’t serve my ground chicken marinara over anything; I served it in bowls like a stew, with steamed broccoli and Italian bread on the side.
Ground Chicken Marinara
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 15- ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Top with the mozzarella cheese, cover, remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 1 minute, until the cheese melts.
- Top with fresh basil and serve.