This Comforting Chicken Ragu Packs a Big Punch of Flavor (in ⅓ of the Time!)
Ragu is one of the first foods I ever really fell in love with. 🥰 I was introduced to it while working at a fine-dining Italian restaurant, and I begged the Chef to teach me. That was 10+ years ago, and I’ve been cooking ragu ever since.
What I love about ragu is that you can use almost any meaty ingredient to create a hearty sauce (ragu is just a broad term for rich, slowly cooked Italian meat sauce). I’ve shared many ragu recipes, from Slowly Braised Lamb Ragu to Beef Short Rib Ragu and even Wild Mushroom Ragu.
But this is our first-ever poultry ragu on Plays Well With Butter!
At the restaurant, the cooks would rotate our ragu della casa (house ragu) with pappardelle based on whatever meat they felt like making. They often chose hearty proteins like lamb, pork, and short rib, but the sauce took hours and hours of simmering to prepare.
That’s why, as a home cook, I love the convenience of a quicker-cooking poultry ragu. Making ragu with chicken cuts down on the simmer time dramatically!
The juicy chicken thighs only need 1 hour (vs. 3!) to turn meltingly tender. The meat braises with sweet Italian tomatoes, aromatic fresh herbs, and dry white wine, infusing the meat with tons of classic flavor.
It might be lighter, but this chicken ragu recipe still has all the rich, hearty coziness you love about a restaurant-worthy ragu. It’s the ultimate hands-off comfort food and one of the fastest ragus on PWWB!
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Buy Now → How to Make Rich and Hearty Chicken Ragu Sauce
Preparing chicken ragu sauce comes down to 3 main steps: browning, deglazing, and simmering.
Patience is key here – the goal is to pull big flavors out of relatively simple ingredients, which takes some time! The good news is this chicken ragu sauce only simmers for 1 hour – just enough time to relax with a glass of wine.
Pat the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry, season, and place them skin-side down in a heavy large skillet or pot. Let them sear, untouched, for a few minutes per side until deeply browned and remove from the pot. Why? ⇢ This brown sear translates to tons of flavor in the base of the chicken ragu sauce.
Add the carrots, celery, and onion, cooking in the chicken juices until borderline caramelized (about 20 minutes!). Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes more until deeply browned. Pour in a dry, unoaked white wine like Pinot Grigio, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom, and let the wine reduce.
Add the fresh herbs, bay leaves, parmesan rind, tomatoes, and browned chicken thighs into the pot, bringing everything to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partially with a lid and let it bubble away for about an hour. Quick Tip! ⇢ Skip the chopping and use kitchen twine to tie the whole herbs together instead!
Prefer to use your oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot? See the Recipe Notes, below, for alternate cooking methods that still yield a hearty, flavorful chicken ragu.
Once the chicken ragu is simmered, take the thighs out of the pot and use a fork to shred them. This should be pretty easy – the chicken will be fall-apart tender! Discard the skin and bones as you go, then add the shredded chicken back to the pot.
Make It Ahead!
Cooking chicken ragu sauce ahead of time is a great timesaver! Like other stews and sauces, ragu only gets better as it sits and the flavors meld and deepen. Simply simmer the chicken ragu sauce and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy.
Toss the Hearty Chicken Ragu with Pasta!
A hearty ragu is best paired with wider pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle (pictured here). Fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti alla chitarra (flat spaghetti), or bucatini (tubular spaghetti) work well too. Even egg noodles!
The #1 mistake I see home chefs make when serving pasta at home is plopping the beautiful braised sauce on top of a pile of pasta. Please don’t do this! The key to a restaurant-quality ragu is always cooking the al dente pasta with your sauce to build a cohesive dish. Learn more ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving chicken ragu (or any pasta ragu dinner!) with other Italian classics. While the sauce simmers, you can easily whip up a side of Garlic Lover’s Garlic Bread and a Classic Caesar Salad to round out the meal. These Tiramisu Cups also make the perfect dessert, especially for a date night or a pasta dinner with friends.
I can’t wait for you to try this Slowly Simmered Chicken Ragu! It’s Italian-inspired comfort food at its finest, and your kitchen will smell heavenly as it simmers away.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Slowly Braised Chicken Ragu
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Braise
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Rich and comforting Slowly Braised Chicken Ragu! Flavor-forward chicken thighs turn fall-apart tender as they slowly simmer with veggies, fresh herbs, Italian tomatoes, and wine to create a hearty homemade ragu sauce.
Toss with pasta or gnocchi, or serve over a bowl of polenta for an epic Italian-inspired comfort food meal. This chicken ragu recipe is easy enough for a lazy Sunday supper and delicious enough for any special occasion, from date night to holiday dinners!
Make Ahead and Freezer-Friendly. Stovetop, Oven-Braised, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot directions provided below.
Ingredients
for the Slowly Simmered Chicken Ragu:
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 2.5–3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and skin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry, unoaked white wine
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8–10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- optional: 1 parmesan rind
- 1 (one) 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped or crushed
- 1 cup water or chicken stock
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for Chicken Ragu Pasta:
- 20 ounces dried pasta of choice
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- heaping ½ cup grated parmesan
- for serving, as desired: grated parmesan, finely chopped fresh herbs, etc.
Instructions
- Brown the chicken thighs: Add the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Use paper towel to pat the chicken thighs as dry as possible. Generously season the chicken with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add in the seasoned chicken thighs, skin side facing down. Work in batches, as necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot (which prevents browning). Cook 5-6 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and rendered, then flip and cook 3-4 minutes to develop a similar golden brown color on the second side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Brown the soffritto: Carefully drain all but 1-2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the pot, setting aside for later use or to discard once cooled. Reduce heat to medium. Add in the soffritto (carrots, onion, and celery), seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned, 15-20 minutes.
- Add the aromatics and deglaze: Add the garlic to the pot with the soffritto. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pot, stirring to coat the soffritto. Cook 2-3 minutes, until browned. Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the white wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the soffritto.
- Build and simmer the chicken ragu: Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using). Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices, water or stock, and browned chicken thighs from Step 1. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low. Partially cover the pot (place the lid on the pot such that it’s just partially covered, allowing some steam to escape as the sauce simmers) and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 55-60 minutes, until the chicken is fall-apart tender. If the chicken ragu sauce begins to reduce too much (i.e. it loses too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more water and/or reduce the heat further.
- Finish the chicken ragu: Carefully transfer the braised chicken thighs to a plate or cutting board. At this point, you can remove and discard the spent herbs, bay leaves, and parmesan rind from the pot, as well. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones as you go. Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the ragu sauce. Stir to combine. At this point, you can cool and store for later use (see Recipe Notes for storage and freezing directions), or proceed with making the chicken ragu pasta (below).
Chicken Ragu Pasta:
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – do NOT rinse it! (Learn more ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)
- Finish the chicken ragu sauce: Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, bring the chicken ragu sauce up to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Chicken ragu pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the chicken ragu sauce, tossing to coat. The sauce should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the ragu needs to loosen up a little; add in an extra handful of parmesan if it needs to tighten up a little. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with and absorb some of the ragu.
- Serve: Portion the chicken ragu pasta into individual pasta bowls, topping with additional grated parmesan, chopped fresh herbs, and/or crushed red pepper as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken Parts: If you prefer to make your chicken ragu sauce with a different cut of chicken, there are a few options that work well. Chicken legs are my top choice as a substitute for thighs – they have similar rich flavor and will stay super juicy and succulent throughout the long braise. If you prefer to use skinless chicken thighs or legs, that will work just fine too – be sure to leave the bone in for extra flavor and richness and reduce the Step 1 sear to 3-4 minutes per side. I don’t suggest using white meat for this recipe since it’s prone to drying – it will cook through and dry out before the ragu sauce has the chance to develop the rich flavor we’re after here. If you really prefer white meat, I suggest bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts – simmer them just until they’re cooked through, then let the sauce continue to simmer for the full hour before adding the shredded chicken back into the sauce.
- Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing:
- Chicken Ragu Pasta Storage and Reheating: Once assembled, chicken ragu pasta will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Make-Ahead Chicken Ragu Sauce Storage and Reheating: This chicken ragu sauce is also the perfect make-ahead recipe because it stores so well – it gets even better as it sits and its flavors meld together! To store, prepare according to Steps 1-5 of Recipe Directions, above. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Finish according to “Chicken Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4 of Recipe Directions, above, heating the ragu sauce on the stovetop – if needed, loosen up the sauce with a splash of water or stock.
- Chicken Ragu Sauce Freezer Instructions: This chicken ragu sauce is also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, prepare according to Steps 1-5 of Recipe Directions, above. Once cooled, transfer to a freezer container or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – these are my favorite freezer containers! Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen chicken ragu sauce in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Finish according to “Chicken Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4 of Recipe Directions, above, heating the ragu sauce on the stovetop – if needed, loosen up the sauce with a splash of water or stock.
- Alternate Cooking Methods:
- Oven Braised Chicken Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 1 hour, until the chicken thighs are fall-apart tender, then finish the chicken ragu sauce as directed in Step 5 and complete the recipe according to “Chicken Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4.
- Crock Pot / Slow Cooker Chicken Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Transfer the soffritto mixture to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics, tomatoes, broth/stock (or water), and browned chicken thighs as directed in Step 4. Slow cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish the chicken sauce as directed in Step 5 and complete the recipe according to “Chicken Ragu Pasta” Steps 2-4, which you can do right in your slow cooker. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire chicken ragu sauce recipe (Steps 1-5) in the slow cooker.
- Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Chicken Ragu: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to build the sauce according to Steps 1-4, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. If the ragu seems a little too liquidy, feel free to turn on the Sauté setting again, letting the sauce simmer down a little before finishing as directed in Step 5. Complete the recipe according to “Chicken Ragu Pasta” Steps 2-4, which you can do right in pressure cooker pot.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this chicken ragu recipe comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance – it takes 10 minutes, tops – and you can jump straight in to cooking during the week:
- Prep the veggies: Dice 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk of celery, and 1 medium yellow onion. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
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