Pasta With Chicken and Asparagus Ragu
Published Sept. 6, 2024
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½cup finely chopped white onion
- ½cup finely chopped carrot
- ½cup finely chopped celery
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 1pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat) or ground pork
- 1cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½cup heavy cream
- 1fresh oregano sprig
- 1pound short pasta, such as gemelli or fusilli
- 1pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced ¼-inch-thick (about 2½ cups)
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- ½cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ¼cup chopped chives, plus more for garnishing
- ½teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
871 calories; 34 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 97 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 46 grams protein; 1136 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.
- Step 2
In a large Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot and celery; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Step 3
Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4
Add broth, heavy cream and oregano sprig and bring to a simmer, stirring and spreading the meat in an even layer to keep it submerged in the liquid. Cover, adjust heat to medium-low and cook until chicken is tender and cooked through, 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes longer. Discard oregano sprig.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, adding asparagus during the last 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain.
- Step 6
Add pasta mixture and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the chicken ragu and cook over medium, stirring vigorously, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add lemon juice, cheese, chives and crushed red pepper (if using) and stir until pasta is evenly coated in the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 7
Divide pasta among bowls and top each with more cheese and chives. Serve warm.
Private Notes
Comments
This made for a hearty, yet still somewhat light and summery, pasta. Made it with turkey because it was a lot easier to find high-quality ground turkey than chicken. Go figure.
This is a great dish. I used pork instead of chicken and subbed Crimini mushrooms for celery. Added a bit more cream at the end. Used a whole what pasta from Sicily. Absolutely marvellous and a big hit.
Made with ground turkey and found the meat was amazingly tender yet the flavor overall awfully subtle. Next time I’ll add some tomato past and anchovy to the softened veg at the start. But I will make this again!
After reading the comments I decided to make a slightly thicker sauce. I did this by cooking the chopped veggies and chicken first. Once cooked, I put them aside. I then made a simple roux in the same pan of 2 tbsp of butter and flour. Once the roux was ready (few minutes) I added the broth and cream. Brought to a simmer and reduced heat. Once it thickened I added back the chicken mixture. Once pasta was almost done I added asparagus and pasta. Cooked until pasta al dente. The ragu coated the pasta and the meal was approved by my wife and kids.
I loved this but needed to jazz it up a bit. Used shallots vs onions. Added some coconut yogurt and ricotta at the end for a creamier consistency. Went so well with the rest of ingredients. Also included a hint of miso and fish sauce for extra depth. TIP: I would add the asparagus in step 6 once pasta and extra pasta water has been added. My asparagus ended up a little mushy and smushed with all the vigorous stirring at the end to cook down liquid. Next time I’ll add some cut spinach too to up the nutrients. Especially with all the extra cream I add!
We enjoyed this light pasta dish. I’d add more asparagus next time, and maybe some mushrooms.