Easy Chicken Ragu Recipes

EASY CHICKEN RAGU

Steps:

• Fill 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven with water; heat to boiling over high heat.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, place oil, onion, carrot and celery; cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until onion becomes soft. Stir in rosemary and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes, breaking up chicken with large spoon or spatula, until chicken browns.
• Remove from heat; stir in wine. Return to heat; cook 1 minute.
• To boiling water, add spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt; cook as directed on box.
• Stir marinara sauce into chicken mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes. Taste chicken ragu; if needed, season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken ragu over cooked spaghetti.

CHICKEN RAGù HAND PIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl and work the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles coarse sand. It's O.K. if some of the butter pieces aren't fully incorporated.
• Whisk together the ice water, vinegar and 1 egg, then slowly add to the flour a bit at a time, stirring gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
• Flour your hands lightly, gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently a few times.
• Form the dough into a thick, flat square, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for an hour. (The dough can stay overnight in the refrigerator or be frozen at this point.)
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 4 1/2-inch rounds (a small bowl works well for this if you don't have a cookie cutter). Collect dough scraps if needed to re-roll dough to obtain 10 rounds.
• Whisk the remaining egg. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add one heaping tablespoon of the chicken ragù to each pie, being careful to not scoop up too much liquid. Sprinkle with a little of the cheese, then brush the outer rim of each round with egg and fold over to seal tightly.
• Set the hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges, being careful not to puncture the dough that covers the filling. Brush the top of each hand pie with egg.
• Bake until the pastry tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHICKEN & CHORIZO RAGU

Steps:

• Fry the chorizo over a medium heat in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish for 5 mins or until it releases its oil and starts to char at the edges. Add the onion and fry for 5 mins more or until soft. Tip in the garlic and cook for 2 mins before stirring in the paprika and sundried tomatoes. Add the chicken thighs and fry for 2 mins each side until they are well coated in the spices and beginning to brown.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, and turn the heat down. Cover and cook for 40 mins until the chicken is falling apart and the sauce is thick. Stir the lemon juice through. Serve by piling spoonfuls of the ragu into hot jacket potatoes with parsley sprinkled over and a dollop of soured cream, if you like.

CHICKEN RAGù WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Put the oil in a wide saucepan or deep skillet that will fit six thighs snugly and turn the heat to medium. Add the bacon and cook it until it's crisp, 5 to 6 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a small bowl.
• Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, skin-side down, to begin to brown. After 3 or 4 minutes, turn it and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onion and fennel and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just starting to turn golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for another minute or so.
• Pour in wine and simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the bacon and then the chicken with any accumulated juices, skin-side up, keeping the thighs in a single layer. Pour in enough water to almost cover the chicken.
• Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down so the liquid is bubbling very gently. Partially cover with a lid, setting it so some steam can escape. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool. Once you can handle it, remove the bones and skin and shred the chicken by hand.
• If you are serving the ragù over pasta, get your water going: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
• Add milk to the pan and turn the burner to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until sauce is nearly reduced by half and slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the shredded chicken back to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the butter, then the Parmesan. If serving over pasta, add some of the starchy pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
• Add the parsley, and toss sauce with the pasta, if using. Pass more Parmesan at the table.

CHICKEN RAGU

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water when it boils and cook the pasta to al dente.In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat. Brown the pancetta for 3-4 minutes, then add another tablespoon of EVOO. Add the chicken and brown evenly for 5-6 minutes. Add the onion, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic, season with salt and pepper, then grate the carrot with a box grater directly into the pan and stir in. Cook until the vegetables are soft, 5-6 minutes.Add the Marsala to the chicken and vegetables, stir and reduce for a minute, then add the tomatoes and crush them with a wooden spoon. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce and combine the flavors.Drain the pasta and toss with the chicken ragu and cheese. Discard the bay leaf. Garnish with some torn basil. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN RAGU

Steps:

• Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken thighs and Italian sausage. Stir cook, breaking sausage into small pieces, until chicken is browned and sausage meat is no longer pink.
• Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic and bay leaf and continue to stir cook until the onion is softened.
• Stir in Marsala.
• Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer until half of the liquid has evaporated (about 15 minutes). Transfer this mixture to a Dutch oven.
• Mix in mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste and cloves.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes.
• Serve as a stew with a salad and French bread or serve as a sauce for your favourite pasta.
• Makes 4 to 6 servings.

PULLED CHICKEN RAGU AND RIGATONI

Steps:

• Place the chicken thighs and breasts in a medium pot with the carrots, celery, quartered onion and bay leaves. Sprinkle with salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer to cook through and flavor the stock, 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a shallow dish until cool enough to handle. Strain the stock and reserve the meat.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a small pot and cover with 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the stock. Bring to a simmer until the mushrooms are reconstituted, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the chicken bones, discarding the skin and bones, and pull into small pieces. You will need only the dark meat. (Reserve the white meat for another use, such as Creamy Chicken and Noodles.)
• Heat the EVOO over medium-high heat in the pot used to cook the chicken. Cook the pancetta to render, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped onion, garlic and rosemary, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half. Return the pulled chicken into the pot with 2 cups of the reserved stock. (Reserve the remaining chicken stock for another recipe, such as Creamy Chicken and Noodles.)
• Chop the reconstituted mushrooms and add them into the sauce along with their liquid. Simmer to thicken the sauce, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid just before draining. Toss the pasta with the sauce and starchy water. Mix in some pecorino, and serve with more to pass at the table. Garnish with grassy flat-leaf parsley.
• Cook's Note: Cool and store the sauce for a make-ahead meal. Bring to room temperature before reheating over medium heat. Cook the pasta right before serving.

CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEA AND TOMATO RAGU

Steps:

• Toss the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and heat an additional 30 seconds. Add the onion, garlic and fennel to the hot pan. Season with salt and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are beginning to soften and are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the oregano and garlic powder to the vegetables and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the vegetables are translucent and beginning to brown slightly, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the pan along with the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush the tomatoes into medium-sized pieces. Simmer for 10 minutes while you start the chicken.
• Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and heat an additional 30 seconds. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until the chicken is evenly browned on both sides, an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully ladle the tomato mixture over and around the chicken, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and butter and cook to heat through, 2 more minutes. Did you taste it? Season with additional salt, garlic powder or garlic salt if needed. Stir in the basil and serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.