Chicken Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken and Vegetables

• 1.25 lb chicken breast, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 12 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 cups packed, chopped fresh spinach

Bechamel Sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon white pepper

Ricotta Mixture

• 15 oz whole milk ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• black pepper to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg

Assembly

• 9 lasagna noodles, par-boiled
• 12 oz fresh or grated mozzarella cheese
• 0.75 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated
• truffle oil (optional)

Instructions

Prepare Chicken and Vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. If using dry pasta, start your salted water to a boil and par-cook the lasagna noodles to al dente.
3. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite-size pieces and season with 1 teaspoon salt and cracked pepper to taste. Sauté in a skillet on medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until golden brown and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside.
4. Wipe out the pan and add a little more oil. Add mushrooms and onion and sauté until tender, on medium heat, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary, and sauté 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and lower heat to medium-low, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid.
5. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted, and add this to the chicken. Set aside.

Make Bechamel Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium-low heat. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes on medium heat until flour is golden.
2. Whisk in milk one cup at a time. Add rosemary and stir constantly until it just comes to a simmer—this will thicken it.
3. Add salt, nutmeg, and white pepper. Stir until incorporated. Set aside.

Prepare Ricotta Mixture

1. Whisk ricotta cheese with an egg, lemon zest, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Assemble and Bake

1. Butter or grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour ¾ cup bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Place one layer of lasagna noodles.
2. Cover with half of the ricotta mixture, spreading it evenly. Top with half of the chicken/mushroom filling, sprinkle with one-third of the Parmesan cheese, and one-third of the fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with 1 cup of bechamel sauce.
3. Repeat, adding another single layer of lasagna noodles, lightly pressing down. Spread out the remainder of the ricotta cheese mixture, top with the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, another third of the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese, and drizzle with another cup of bechamel. Optionally drizzle with a little truffle oil.
4. Top with the last layer of lasagna noodles and pour the remainder of the bechamel sauce, spreading evenly. Add the last of the cheeses and sprinkle with a little rosemary.
5. Cover tightly with parchment and foil and bake in a 400°F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove parchment and foil and bake uncovered until the top is golden, about 10-15 more minutes.
6. Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting so it sets up.

Notes

• For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with additional mushrooms or your favorite meat substitute.
• Use parchment under the foil to prevent aluminum from touching the lasagna.
• Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Fresh lasagna noodles or egg roll wrappers can be used for an extra light version.