Homemade ravioli, mostly meat, has been a staple at our family Christmas table for as long as I can remember. So when I floated the idea of a chicken ravioli filling, several Italian eyebrows immediately arched. In our family, “meat ravioli” means beef. Period.
After years of developing and teaching ravioli recipes (including my top rated beef ravioli filling), I knew exactly how to make a chicken and spinach ravioli work. Watching them eat their words — bowl after bowl of this light, flavorful filling — was especially satisfying.
Tuck some of this moist chicken mixture inside my foolproof ravioli dough to make some of the lightest, most delicate flavored ravioli in my repertoire of classic Italian pastas.
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Light chicken ravioli filling
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This chicken ravioli recipe is light in both flavor and texture making it a perfect spring main course thanks to shallots and a bit of white wine.
I also use my grandma’s technique of adding stiffly whipped egg whites to the filling for a fluffier texture and binder of the filling. It works wonders!
A simple, homemade brown butter sauce or a buttery cream sauce make this the ideal spring Sunday supper.
The secret ingredients
Since my juicy chicken meatballs are super moist from ground chicken thighs, it makes sense to repeat that success here.
Not every grocery store has ground chicken from dark meat available. Some stores, like Whole Foods, sell ground chicken from leg meat, which works perfectly here. Otherwise, ask the butcher at the meat counter to grind some chicken thighs fresh for you.
How to make a really moist chicken ravioli filling
Final recipe note
Chicken ravioli is a daintier filling but that doesn’t mean it needs babied. Seal it well, don’t overcrowd the pot and cook until the pasta is tender. The filling is already cooked so no need to worry here.
Want more ravioli TLC? My Ravioli School video series covers filling, sealing, and cooking ravioli step by step.
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Chicken Ravioli with Homemade Filling (No Ricotta)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup white onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic , chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ lb ground chicken thighs, I ask the butcher to grind them
- 3 egg whites , beaten stiff
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, rough chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese , grated
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted and the oil is shimmering. Saute the onions for about 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds or until you can smell it.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup white onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Pour in the wine and simmer cooking the alcohol off for about 2 minutes. The onion will have absorbed the wine as well.½ cup white wine
- Stir in the ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.½ lb ground chicken thighs
- Add the chicken to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse the chicken until finely ground.
- Add the spinach, Parmesan, both salts, the rosemary and the lemon juice. Pulse the processor and run until the spinach is chopped and the chicken comes together.1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Remove the chicken from the processor to a bowl and gently fold in the egg whites until mixed in.3 egg whites
Fill ravioli
- Roll out homemade ravioli dough to setting #5 on a pasta machine or until you can see your whole hand through the dough when holding the dough up to a window.
- Space 2 teaspoons of filling down one side of a long ravioli pasta sheet, about 1" of space between each ravioli. Use a small brush or your fingertips to paint the outline of a square around the filling to help seal the ravioli.
- Fold the sheet over lengthwise covering the filling. Use a pastry cutter to cut between each ravioli. Remove each ravioli to a parchment or plastic lined baking sheet sprinkled with a little flour.
Cook the ravioli
- Bring a pot of water (about 5 qts) to boil. Add about a handful of kosher salt to the boiling water. Gently add the ravioli to the water and cook for 3 – 3 ½ minutes. Remove with a strainer to heated bowls or plates and cover with your favorite cream sauce or pesto. I also love this light tomato sauce with chicken ravioli.Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to serve.
Notes
Food processor method for grinding chicken thighs
You can use your food processor to grind chicken thighs, helping your budget in the process. Here’s how to do it:- Quickly dice the chicken thighs into equal sizes about 1″ in size.
- Add to the bowl of the food processor fitted with a blade.
- Pulse the processor to start grinding and then pulse about 15 times or so. You don’t want to over-process or you’ll end up with filling that is too minced but it should be soft and not “piecy.”
Can I use ground chicken breast instead of ground chicken thighs?
Hi Carol! I haven’t tried it with chicken breast as I am concerned about the filling being not as tender when the ravioli is boiled. The egg whites will definitely help lighten the filling so if you give it a go, I’d love to hear you thoughts!
Could I use chicken stock in place of the white wine?
Certainly, Natasha! You could also add a little splash of white wine vinegar to the chicken stock as well which will give you the tang as well as the moisture.
How. Many in a serving. Approx nutrition?
Hi Debra — the recipe card notes that the filling makes about 40 ravioli. I don’t currently include nutritional data on my recipes since they’re centered around Italian comfort food. That said, because nutrition can vary quite a bit depending on ingredients and portions, a nutrition calculator or app will give you the most accurate numbers for how you’re making it at home.
Q: Would you be able to freeze and use later or would the egg whites fall and lose the creamy texture?
Hi there Beverly! 100%! I have done just this and they were great and also the same with the beef ravioli. Thanks for asking!