Homemade ravioli with chicken breast

The first time I tried homemade chicken ravioli was after I had some chicken breast left from another meal and wanted to make something different, not just the classic pasta with sauce. It doesn't take a short time, but it's not a complicated recipe either, and if you enjoy working with dough, you'll find the whole process relaxing. I usually take my time for such dishes on a freer day, but the result is truly worth it.

Quick Info

Total Time: 2 hours (including filling and sauce)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

For the ravioli:
2 medium eggs
200-220 g flour (plus extra for the work surface)
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1/2 boneless chicken breast (approx. 150-200 g)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce:
Remaining meat from the filling (about 50 g, see steps)
1/2 chicken breast (150-200 g), diced small
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 glass (200 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon curry (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Method

1. Prepare the dough for the ravioli. Put the eggs and salt in a bowl. Beat them with a fork, then gradually add the flour. When it becomes hard to mix with a spoon, transfer it to the table and start kneading by hand. Add flour as needed until you have a smooth dough, neither too soft nor too hard. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

2. For the filling, cut the chicken breast into small cubes. Place it in a pan with the chopped onion, a little salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water, cover, and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. When it's ready, blend everything with a blender or pass it through a meat grinder until it becomes a paste. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.

3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. The dough should be thin but not easily breakable (about 2-3 mm thick). Cut circles with a glass (6-7 cm in diameter works best). Place a teaspoon of filling on each circle and cover with another circle, or fold it if making half-moons. Press the edges to seal. You can use a special mold, but it also works with your fingers.

4. Put a large pot of water to boil. Add salt. When it's boiling well, add the ravioli in batches. Don't overcrowd. They boil for about 10 minutes, until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon directly into a colander and quickly rinse under cold running water. This prevents them from sticking together. Let them drain.

5. Prepare the sauce. Use the leftover meat from the filling (I usually save a few tablespoons of filling to make the sauce thicker) plus half a diced chicken breast. Put everything in a pan or wok with the crushed garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, curry if desired, and the glass of water. Simmer over medium to low heat, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens.

6. Add the boiled ravioli to the sauce, gently mix to avoid breaking them, and let it cook for 2-3 minutes to absorb the flavor. Serve warm, optionally with chopped parsley or grated parmesan.

Why I make this recipe often

It's the kind of recipe where you can use leftover meat or whatever you have in the fridge for the filling. The charm of making everything from scratch is undeniable, and fresh pasta has a different texture compared to store-bought. Ravioli can be frozen, making them practical for future meals. They can be easily adapted based on what you have on hand.

Tips and Variations

Tips
- The dough rolls out best if you divide it into two or three pieces and work with them one at a time.
- If you don't have tomato paste, you can use concentrated tomato juice, but don't add too much liquid.
- Heat the pot of water before you start filling the ravioli to save time.
- Don't leave the uncooked ravioli exposed for too long, as they can start to dry out and crack at the edges.

Substitutions
- Chicken breast can be replaced with ground turkey, veal, or even vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, spinach).
- For the sauce, you can use cooking cream or butter if you don't want a tomato base.
- Wheat flour can be replaced with whole grain or spelt flour, resulting in slightly denser ravioli.

Variations
- You can also add a little ricotta cheese or grated cheese to the filling.
- Spinach pairs very well with chicken or cheese.
- For extra flavor, you can add dried herbs (basil, oregano) to the filling or sauce.
- You can make smaller ravioli, like tortellini, if you have the patience.

Serving Ideas
- Chicken ravioli go well with a fresh green salad.
- For an extra touch, sprinkle grated parmesan or a little olive oil on top.
- Bake in the oven with sauce and grated cheese for a heartier dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze uncooked ravioli?
Yes, you can place them on a floured tray, freeze them separately, then transfer them to bags. Boil them directly from the freezer, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the cooking time.

How long do cooked ravioli last in the fridge?
They keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. When reheating, it's better to place them in warm sauce for a few minutes.

Can I use previously boiled or cooked chicken breast?
Yes, if you have leftover boiled or grilled meat, it can be used for the filling – just make sure it's finely chopped and mixed with sautéed onion and tomato paste.

What can I do if the edges don't seal well?
Moisten the edges slightly with a little water before sealing them. Press firmly with your fingers or a fork.

Nutritional Values

Approximately, one serving (without parmesan or extra topping) has about 430-480 kcal. Of these, protein ~28 g, carbohydrates ~55 g, fats ~10 g. They are quite filling due to the eggs, flour, and chicken.

Storage and Reheating

Cooked ravioli can be stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days. For reheating, it's best to place them in warm sauce for 3-4 minutes over low heat, stirring gently. Uncooked ravioli can be frozen individually, then transferred to bags as mentioned above. The sauce lasts in the fridge for 2-3 days. If reheating in the oven, add a bit of water or extra sauce to prevent drying out.

That's it. Homemade chicken ravioli is one of those recipes you can always return to, adapting based on what you have and your preferences.

We make the ravioli dough by beating the eggs with salt and gradually adding flour until we obtain a dough that can be rolled out with a rolling pin. Filling: The chicken breast is diced, the onion is chopped, tomato paste is added, seasoned, and simmered on low heat with a lid for 10 minutes. Then it is mashed. We sprinkle the table with flour and roll out a sheet, cut it with a glass, place a piece in the mold, add the filling, and close the mold. The ravioli are ready. We boil salted water, when it boils we add the pasta, cook for 10 minutes, then remove and rinse under cold water, let them drain, and prepare the sauce with which they will be served. In a wok, we put the remaining meat from the filling, cut half a chicken breast into cubes, add crushed garlic, tomato paste, and a glass of water. Let it boil until it reduces.

They can also be filled with other ingredients like cheese or spinach.

 Ingredients: For Ravioli: 2 eggs, salt, flour as needed. For Filling: half a chicken breast, 1 onion, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, pepper. For Sauce: leftover meat from filling + half a chicken breast, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, a glass of water, curry, salt, pepper.

 Tags:  ravioli chicken ravioli