Chicken pasta sauce can be used as a tasty dip or served over tender zoodles.
Chicken with red sauce is a hearty, wholesome keto dish using pre-cooked chicken, low-carb spaghetti sauce, and Italian seasonings.
Ruby Red Chicken Pasta Highlights
- Flavor: Rich, robust, and slightly tangy with Italian seasoning and garlic.
- Budget friendly: Use canned tomatoes and leftover chicken and veggies to keep costs low.
- Serving suggestions: Serve over zoodles or a low-carb pasta alternative. Use it to stuff mushrooms or as a hearty dipper for zucchini fries or low-carb mozzarella crisps.
- Swaps: Substitute ground turkey or sausage for chicken, or omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian version.
Key Elements for Red Sauce Chicken
Chicken: Use rotisserie chicken or leftovers on hand. Shredded or diced breasts, thighs, or cutlets all work well.
Sauce: Any low-carb and low-sugar brand of spaghetti sauce works great in this recipe. Make it creamy by stirring in some heavy whipping cream in Step 2. Zest up the sauce with homemade Italian seasonings or a few dashes of sriracha. Swap out the tomato ingredients in favor of a scratch Alfredo for a whole new flavor twist.
Tasty Recipe Twists
Swap out the chicken for leftover ground beef (or frozen meatballs!), turkey, or Italian sausage or turkey. Be sure any of these substitutes are precooked as well. Give your chicken with red sauce a nutrient boost by adding shredded zucchini, chopped spinach or kale, or sliced mushrooms.
How To Make Chicken Pasta Sauce
- Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper in oil until softened (full recipe below).
- Add remaining ingredients except chicken and simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Add cooked chicken and simmer until heated through.
Red-Hot Tips for Saucy Chicken
- Be sure the protein is pre-cooked to save time.
- If you find the sauce too thin, let it simmer uncovered for the last 15-20 minutes.
- For a smoother sauce, blend half the mixture with an immersion blender before adding the chicken.
Red Sauce Pairings and Preservation
Serve chicken pasta sauce over cabbage noodles for a super creamy main dish or with mashed cauliflower. It’s also delish on a Denver omelet or mixed into baked spaghetti squash. Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 3 months.
More Sauces for Low-carb Pasta
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Chicken Pasta Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 25 ounces low carb spaghetti sauce
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or cut in chunks
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Add in red pepper and garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat and simmer for 1 hour or until sauce thickens.
- Add cooked chicken and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve on zucchini noodles or your favorite low carb pasta.
Notes
- Use store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe and freeze the rest for soups and future meals.
- A variation is to eliminate the chicken for a low-carb, classic vegetarian marinara.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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