Not many pasta sauces, or ragùs, are made with chicken, at least that I know of. So, when I saw this one, I definitely had to try it. This chicken ragù was inspired by the version from Pasta Grannies, and I originally made it to serve with homemade lorighittas, since it’s the traditional sauce for that classic Sardinian pasta shape.
This chicken ragù is a little bit traditional with a touch of Greek inspiration, borrowing flavors from kota kapama — mainly the use of cloves. Cloves in a savory dish are excellent, and this sauce is no exception. Puréed tomatoes are simmered with a clove studded onion, parsley stems and bone-in, skin-on chicken. It’s rich, super flavorful and a little unexpected.
I served the sauce with pasta and kept the stewed chicken on the side to eat on its own, but you could also remove the meat from the bones and shred it back into the sauce. The choice is yours here. Now, onto the recipe below…
This chicken ragù is a little bit traditional with a touch of Greek inspiration, borrowing flavors from kota kapama — mainly the use of cloves.
What Is Chicken Ragù?
Chicken ragù is a slowly simmered Italian pasta sauce made with chicken. This version has a tomato base and includes some lovely aromatics for lots of added flavor. Traditionally, ragù just refers to a slow-cooked meat sauce — usually beef or pork, like in a Ragù Bolognese or a Ragù Bianco — but this version from Sardinia uses chicken.
The chicken becomes incredibly tender as it cooks, giving the sauce all that delicious chicken flavor and richness from the simmering bones. It’s like a classic Italian Sunday sauce, just with chicken.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1/2 Chicken – Bone-in, skin-on and cut into parts.
- 1/4 Onion – A white or yellow onion works great here.
- 12 whole cloves – The whole cloves get studded into the onion to flavor the sauce and are nice and easy to remove before serving.
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 28 oz Tomato Passata – You could also use canned whole tomatoes and blend them before adding to the pan. This is typically what I do since I always have whole canned tomatoes around.
- Olive oil
- 3/4 C Dry Vermouth – Or, dry white wine. I don’t usually have wine around so a bottle of dry vermouth is my way of adding all the flavor and acidity you would get from wine, but I can easily store the vermouth in the fridge long-term and have it when I need it.
- 4 Parsley Stems
- Salt
- Pecorino Romano – The sharp cheese is perfect to grate over this sauce just before serving.
How to Make Chicken Ragù
- Brown Your Chicken
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add in some olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and sear until golden brown on both sides. - Add In The Aromatics
Stud your onion with the cloves. Add to the pan along with the garlic cloves and parsley stems. - Deglaze Pan
Pour in the vermouth or white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol and reduce a bit. - Add in The Tomatoes
Pour in the passata (or blended tomatoes). Season with a little more salt and stir to combine. Partially cover and and simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. - Finish Sauce
To serve, remove the chicken parts and any aromatics. Toss sauce with pasta and serve chicken parts on the side. You can shred the chicken meat and return back to the sauce and serve like that if you want. - Serve and Eat!
Toss with your favorite pasta (lorighittas are a good choice, but any shape you like will work) and finish with a generous grating of Pecorino Romano. Eat up!
FAQs About Chicken Ragù
What does “ragù” mean?
Ragù is an Italian term for a slow-cooked meat sauce, typically served with pasta. This version uses chicken, whereas most of the time you typically see them made with beef and pork.
Can you freeze chicken ragù?
Yes! Let it cool completely, then store it in airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently before serving.
Can I use boneless chicken?
You can, but bone-in chicken adds more flavor and body to the sauce. Boneless thighs would be a decent substitute, but I would recommend using bone-in chicken for this.
Can I make chicken ragù ahead?
Definitely. The flavor actually improves after a day in the fridge—perfect for making ahead for dinner parties, easy weeknight dinners or even Sunday meal prep.
More Pasta Sauces to Try:
Kota Kapama – A rich and aromatic Greek chicken stew made with cinnamon, cloves, and tomato—kota kapama is a comforting, traditional family recipe.
Chicken Tagliatelle – Fresh tagliatelle pasta tossed with shredded rosemary-roasted chicken, golden raisins, and toasted pine nuts. A comforting chicken tagliatelle recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson.
Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce – A quick and luxurious wild mushroom cream sauce made with sautéed mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, and cream.
Big Batch Basil Pesto – This big batch basil pesto recipe uses weight measurements for perfect results every time. Packed with fresh basil, Parmesan, Pecorino, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil.
Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce – A simple, silky tomato sauce made with just a handful of ingredients. Rich from butter, naturally sweet from cherry tomatoes, and perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta.
Ragù Bianco (White Bolognese Sauce) – A delicious tomato-free version of classic Bolognese, this ragù bianco is simmered slowly and made with pancetta, beef, pork, and lots of fresh rosemary and sage.
Brown Butter Sauce with Sage and Walnuts – Brown butter, crispy sage, and toasted walnuts make one of the easiest and most delicious pasta sauces. Pairs great with agnolotti, gnocchi, or ravioli.
Pasta alla Genovese – Genovese sauce is a traditional beef and onion ragù from Naples. Slowly simmered with white wine, this sauce develops a rich, deep flavor perfect for pairing with pasta.
The Best Short Rib Ragù – The best short rib ragù, a twist on the classic Italian meat sauce, ragù Bolognese. Slowly cooked and served over fresh homemade pasta.
Did you make this Chicken Ragu recipe?
Leave a rating and comment below—or tag @TheMostHungry on Instagram. I can’t wait to see it!
Chicken Ragù
Ingredients
- 1/2 Chicken bone-in, skin-on, cut into parts
- 1/4 Onion white or yellow onion
- 12 Whole Cloves
- 2 cloves Garlic leave whole
- 28 oz Tomato Passata or blended whole canned tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- 3/4 C Dry Vermouth or white wine
- 4 Parsley Stems
- Salt
- Pecorino Romano grated, to finish
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add in some olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and sear until golden brown on both sides.
- Stud your onion with the cloves. Add to the pan along with the garlic cloves and parsley stems.
- Pour in the vermouth or white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol and reduce a bit.
- Pour in the passata (or blended tomatoes). Season with a little more salt and stir to combine. Partially cover and and simmer gently for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- To serve, remove chicken parts and aromatics. Toss sauce with pasta and serve chicken parts on the side. You can shred the chicken meat and return back to the sauce and serve like that.
- Toss with your favorite pasta (lorighittas are a good choice, but any shape you like will work) and finish with a generous grating of Pecorino Romano. Eat up!
Video
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
