Healthy Chicken Parmesan Bolognese

Two classic Italian dishes, melded into one stellar dinner! All the flavors of chicken parmesan, transformed into a hearty, Bolognese-style sauce. Then, that meaty sauce is tossed with tender pasta and covered with copious amounts of cheese. This might become your favorite dinner ever. 

You're going to freak out when you try this! I took lean ground chicken and seasoned it with all the classic chicken parmesan flavors - garlic, oregano, basil, and (of course) parmesan. I turned that blend into a hearty, meaty sauce for pasta. And then I blanketed everything with mozzarella! This is definitely a show-stopping, kid-friendly, easy-breezy meal. 

And this is super healthy too! Ground chicken breast is lean by nature; the only fat in the recipe is in the heart-healthy olive oil and protein-rich cheese. Definitely not true of fried chicken parmesan! Imagine that: all the flavors of chicken parm - none of the fat!

About the pasta: I used elbow macaroni because that's what I was in the mood for. Any pasta shape/variety works. Including gluten-free. Rice and couscous work too.

About the sauce: I created a homemade sauce here - with tomato sauce and a bunch of seasonings. If you want to skip that step, simply substitute bottled sauce!

Healthy Chicken Parmesan Bolognese

8 ounces pasta of choice (I used elbows)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken (preferably ground chicken breast)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
3 cups tomato sauce, from a carton or can
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
Crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 30 seconds, until the herbs are fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in the cooked pasta. Top with the mozzarella cheese. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with foil or a lid and let stand for a few minutes to melt the cheese (you can also speed up the process in a 300-degree oven).
Top with basil or parsley, if using, and serve with extra parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes on the side.
Serves 4