Chicken lasagna is loaded with chicken, creamy sauce, broccoli and cheese.It is baked to perfection. Fabulous comfort food.Whole family will love.Aside from pizza, chicken lasagna is one of the wonders of the Italian kitchen. This is a versatile dish that can flaunt a unique combination of ingredients, tantalizing the palates of everyone eating it and filling their bellies after they succumb to the temptation of second (and dare we say third?) helpings. Even if your lasagna manages to last till the next day, the leftovers won’t last long in your fridge as everyone at home will be fighting to get their hands on them.
The Origins of the Lasagna
Long before chicken lasagna made its debut on the world’s dinner tablets, the first lasagna was served during the Middle Ages in the city of Naples. According to the Liber de Coquina, one of the oldest cookbooks dating back to the 14th century, this dish was created by interleaving layers of pasta with layers of sauce. The pasta, at the time, was made from semolina and water or flour and eggs. As for the sauce, it combined béchamel (white sauce), ragù (meat-based sauce), and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
However, some food historians believe that the concept of lasagna was conceived much earlier, around 146 BC to be precise. When the Romans overthrew the Ancient Greek civilization, they began adopting their culture, language, knowledge, and even food. The Greeks had a dish comprising flat dough strips known as laganon. Therefore, while they didn’t invent this pasta dish as the world knows it, they may have inspired its creation.
How to Make Chicken Lasagna Like a Pro
One of the easiest lasagna recipes you can prepare for your family is chicken lasagna. The flavor of the meat combined with the soft pasta and aromatic sauces will ensure that everyone showers you with praise with every morsel they savor. However, if you want to create the perfect lasagna, you need to know the following tips.
- Place the Pasta Sheets Upright in Your Pot – To prevent the pasta sheets from sticking, consider boiling them in batches. Once the water is boiling, place them on the sides of your pot upright. Stir gently to separate them since they’re bound to fall on top of one another.
- Don’t Overcook the Sheets – Your pasta needs to be a bit more al dente than usual since you’ll be cooking it further in the oven. If you overcook the pasta, it’ll turn mushy and your lasagna will seem runny. To further keep your pasta sheets firm, dip each in a bowl of cold water and lay them flat over a kitchen towel.
- Add More Sauce to Oven Ready Pasta Sheets – If you’re opting for no boil pasta sheets, use slightly more sauce. This pasta will need more moisture to cook. So, let the pasta and sauces settle in your baking dish for a few hours before baking.
- Consider Using Fresh Mozzarella – Fresh mozzarella will bring out the flavors of your chicken lasagna and complement its texture. It’ll melt easily and give your cheese lovers a few delicious strands they will definitely love tugging at.
- Avoid Adding Too Many Vegetables – As much as you may be tempted to make your lasagna healthy, adding too many vegetables, especially water-rich veggies like mushrooms and pepper, will water down your lasagna. You’ll need to squeeze out any excess liquid to prevent this or simply have vegetables served on the side.
CHICKEN LASAGNA WITH BROCCOLI
Ingredients
- Boiled chicken fillet / Turkey fillet ( ground)- 1 kg
- Barrila Spinach lasagna sheets ( no-cook sheets)- 20
- Broccoli ( boiled & cut into small pieces)- 1 large
- Bechamel sauce- 1 ½ cup
- Cooking cream- 1 cup
- Onion ( finely chopped)- 2 large
- Black pepper- To Taste
- White pepper - To Taste
- Salt- To Taste
- Butter - 2 tbsp
- Parmigiano cheese- 10 tbsp
- Bechamel Sauce
- Butter- 3 tbsp
- All-purpose flour- 3 tbsp
- Full fat Milk- 2 cups
- Salt- 1/ 2 tsp
- White pepper- To Taste
Instructions
- Bechamel Sauce
- Take a large saucepan and melt butter. Add flour and keep stirring until they froth together without changing the color.
- Remove from the heat and pour hot milk immediately. Beat with a whip to blend milk and roux.
- Put again the saucepan over high heat and stir until it starts to boil. Boil for 45 seconds. Don't forget to stir.
- Add salt and white/ black pepper to taste.
- Chicken Lasagna
- Preheat your oven to 400 F or 200 C. Place the rack in the middle.
- In a large pan melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add chopped onion and fry till golden, then add chopped broccoli and continue cooking for another 2 -3 minutes. Add Boiled & ground chicken/ turkey fillet. Fry 5-7 minutes. Pour ½ cup Bechamel sauce and cooking cream. Mix well and cook another 10 minutes. Add pepper and seasoning to your taste.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool down.
- Spray your baking dish. ( 33 cm x 22 cm). Pour on the bottom ½ cup sauce Bechamel. Top with 4-5 lasagna no-cook sheets, 1 cup chicken/turkey and 3 tbsp Parmigiano cheese.
- Repeat same procedures for another 3 layers.
- On the top spread the remaining Bechamel, and Parmigiano cheese.
- Cook 30-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on top.
- Before serving this Chicken Lasagna with broccoli, let it rest for 5-7 minutes.
- Category: Chicken recipes
- Cuisine: Italian
Viola! Chicken Lasagna with Broccoli.
This looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Lucy, Thank You!