Made this for dinner tonight because I realized how much beef we’ve been eating lately! It tastes good and is healthy too – no butter, lean meat… the only bad thing is the Parmesan cheese. I’ve made this before and it’s one of my favorite things to cook/eat.

Here’s the recipe courtesy of Wolfgang Puck:

(Oh, if you’re gonna cook it, here’s my suggestion – instead of spending all the time finely chopping the carrots, celery and onion, just put them in a food processor)

Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 pound ground chicken
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
* 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
* Pinch chili flakes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 2 cups tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup tomato juice
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1 pound penne pasta

Directions
Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground chicken and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and chili flakes and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce until the white wine is almost completely evaporated.

Add the tomato sauce and juice and simmer until a thick sauce consistency, about 20 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Cook the penne in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the Parmesan and toss well. Serve in a large bowl garnished with parsley leaves.