Pasta With Chicken and Asparagus Ragu
This weeknight pasta yields a hearty yet light chicken ragu that’s infused with fresh oregano and studded with a pound of sweet asparagus. The tomato-free white ragu teams up with quick-cooking ground chicken, which stays juicy thanks to a simmer in broth and cream, but feel free to use your favorite ground meat here. (Ground pork will also deliver a rich, comforting pasta sauce.) To keep the asparagus bright green and crisp-tender — a trick that can be employed for peas, spinach or other green vegetables — it’s briefly blanched in the boiling water with the pasta during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
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 1/4-inch-thick (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- ½cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ¼cup chopped chives, plus more for garnishing
- ½teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
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 1/2 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.