Delicious Chicken Bolognese al Forno Recipe Will Make You Feel Like You’re in Italy!

At least once a week I get a craving for pasta. Sometimes my family and I will head to our favorite Italian restaurant in town, but that can quickly get expensive. Instead, for just a few dollars a serving, I can make my own pasta dish for dinner instead. I love whipping up a rich, tomato sauce — it makes the house smell fantastic! The thing is, on weeknights, I don’t have a lot of time so I need a dish that’s easy. That was the inspiration for this chicken bolognese al Forno recipe. It takes just 20 minutes of prep time, so it’s perfect to cook up after work.

We give our version extra flavor with a dash of red pepper flakes, a little red wine to add depth of flavor (though you can sub in chicken broth if you prefer) and store-bought marinara sauce. We add ground chicken to make the dish hearty and protein-rich, then combine the sauce and meat mixture with penne, top with two kinds of cheese and bake. I guarantee your family will come running to the table when you pull this pasta bake out of the oven! That’s how good it is.

What I really appreciate about this meal is how simple and yet incredibly delicious it is. And it’s a money-saving meal, too! Watch our video to see how easy the recipe is to make. Then try it for yourself and let us know what you think.

• 12 oz. penne pasta
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 (24 oz.) jar marinara pasta sauce
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into ½"-thick slices
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan
• 1 Tbs. parsley leaves

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Coat 13"x9" baking dish with cooking spray. In large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain well. Return to pot.

Meanwhile, in 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, stirring and breaking up with spoon, until chicken is no longer pink, 7–8 min. Stir in wine; cook until almost evaporated, about 3 min. Stir in marinara sauce; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook until flavors blend, 10–15 min.

Stir meat mixture into pasta. Transfer to baking dish; top with mozzarella. Bake until cheese melts, 5–10 min. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.

Nutrition

• Calories: 560
• Fat: 19 grams
• Saturated Fat: 8 grams
• Protein: 33 grams
• Carbohydrate: 58 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Cholesterol: 85 mg
• Sugar: 10 grams
• Sodium: 870 mg