Chicken Spinach Lasagna
A new twist on classical lasagna is chicken spinach lasagna that keeps you coming back for even more! Shredded chicken, mushrooms, spinach, no-boil lasagna noodles, and a delightful milk-based sauce are used in this meal.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
Yield: 8
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup of chopped onion
2 Tbsp. of minced garlic
8 oz. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp. of dried basil
1 tsp. of dried oregano
1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt, divided
1 (6 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
2 1/2 of cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk (I used whole milk)
1/4 tsp. of nutmeg
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
1. Over medium-high heat, heat a large saute pan. Add the oil and then the onions, garlic, mushrooms, basil, oregano, flakes of red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt once it is hot. While stirring occasionally, sauté for five min or until the mushrooms soften. Before going to step 3, please ensure all of the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms.
2. Stir in and cook the spinach till the spinach wilts. Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chicken that has been cooked. Just set aside.
3. Mix the chicken broth, milk, nutmeg, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a slow simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, whisk in the flour gradually until it thickens, approximately 5-10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese.
4. In a 10X10 square baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom, then layer 2 noodles, 1 cup chicken mixture, 1 cup sauce, and 1/4 cup mozzarella on top, ensuring the noodles are entirely covered in sauce.
You could even lightly press them down. Repeat the layers of noodles, chicken, sauce, and cheese three more times. There will be slightly more sauce in the last layer and the remaining cheese on top.
5. Cover with aluminum foil on the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 min. Broil for 2-3 minutes for a golden brown top if desired. Allow for 8 minutes of resting time before serving.
NOTES:
Simmer for 3-4 minutes longer if the sauce is not thickening. Just keep whisking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of your saucepan. You could thicken the sauce even more by whisking in an additional 1 tablespoon of flour, but I tend to find that letting the sauce cook a little longer thickens it on its own. Also, bear in mind that it will thicken the sauce even more once you stir in the Parmesan.
9 X 13 Pan: You should bake the lasagna in a 9X13 pan if required, but I would advise you to double the recipe, otherwise the lasagna will not be as thick. The time for baking would be around the same time.