Cheesy Italian Ground Chicken and Goodles

Sometimes you just need what I like to call an “assembly” meal. And this ground chicken pasta is the definition of an assembly meal. You combine a jar of your favorite marinara, a pound of ground chicken, two boxes of Goodles or high protein pasta, and a bit of shredded Italian cheese blend to make a healthy one-pan meal in no time at all.

It might sound overly simple, but it’s plenty flavorful, especially with a good marinara or pasta sauce. You can also customize and elevate this recipe with additional ingredients. I’ll walk you through all the possibilities in the post below, and you can find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

The Core Ingredients

First of all, what are Goodles? Goodles are the latest and greatest “impastas” that are packed with more protein, fiber, and nutrients than your typical pasta. I’ve cooked a ton of recipes with chickpea pastas like Banza over the years, and I think I much prefer Goodles.

You also get packets of cheese sauce mix in a variety of flavors with Goodles. This recipe calls for the Twist My Parm flavor, but I’ve used Down the Hatch and Shella Good flavors to make ground beef Goodles and Crockpot chili mac, respectively.

If your local stores don’t carry Goodles, you can use another boxed mac and cheese in its place. This recipe calls for two 5.25-ounce boxes, so you’ll want to use an equivalent amount.

Beyond the Goodles, another ingredient worth touching on is the marinara. I used Carbone roasted garlic, which is extra tasty. If you’ve tried my spaghetti and chicken meatballs, you know I’m also a fan of Rao’s. Both of these options have between 90-100 calories per 1/2 cup and aren’t the most low calorie marinara on the block. There are plenty of pasta sauces on shelves in the 50-60 calories per 1/2 cup range if you need to save a few calories.

That just leaves ground chicken, milk, and Italian shredded cheese. I think you know by now you can swap chicken for ground turkey, use any milk, and get creative with cheese selection. Onward!

Recipe Upgrades and Pairings

You can add some additional flavor and volume to your ground chicken Goodles with diced onion, carrots, and celery (or any of the above). To keep things easy, you could start with frozen diced onions like in my turkey shepherd’s pie and hamburger soup recipes.

I would brown the ground chicken on its own before adding the frozen veggies and cooking alongside the chicken. Once the onions soften and the chicken is fully cooked, then I would add the marinara.

Other ways to add some bulk might include chopped spinach or kale towards the end.

In terms of flavor enhancements, adding a tablespoon or two of Calabrian chiles to the marinara is an easy upgrade. You can, of course, simply use it as a garnish as well. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil are always welcome additions to pasta dishes like this. And don’t forget a quick shower of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano!

As far as things to serve alongside your ground chicken and Goodles, I would rock with a side salad and some type of bread, depending on your calorie budget.

Have a question about the five ingredients or a substation? Fire away in the comments at the bottom of this post. And don’t forget to let me know your thoughts about this recipe there or in a recipe review once you’ve tried it and had your mind blown.