Lasagna with Chicken, Mushroom, and Spinach
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta-Baked
Season: Winter
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This lasagna with chicken is a bit different than your typical lasagna with meat ragout. It’s a lighter taste for sure. I call for the so-called no-boil instant lasagna because it has a thin, silky texture that I find more appealing than the thicker and pastier lasagna that is typical. This recipe is most conveniently made in three 9 x 9-inch aluminum pans.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Preparation Time: 1:40 hours

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

10 large fresh basil leaves

1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken breast halves, pounded into thin scaloppine between two pieces of wax paper with a mallet or side of a heavy cleaver

1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced

10 ounces spinach, heavy stems removed rinsed well,

1 pound instant (no-boil) lasagna

1 pound fresh ricotta cheese

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1. In a flameproof casserole, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the onions and garlic until the onion is translucent, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't burn, 7 to 8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper and cook on medium-high heat, stirring so the bottom doesn't blacken, for 20 minutes.  Turn the heat off and add the basil to steep until the sauce is needed.

2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the chicken until light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Set the chicken aside.

3. In the same non-stick skillet, cook the mushrooms until dark golden brown, stirring, about 4 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

4. In the same non-stick skillet, wilt the spinach in handfuls, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water as you do until all the spinach is wilted, 3 to 4 minutes in all.  Drain and set aside.

5. Spoon a few tablespoons of tomato sauce in the bottom of each of three 9 x 9-inch aluminum pans.  Layer in this order: lasagna, sauce, spinach, salt, pepper, mushroom, lasagna, ricotta, sauce, lasagna, chicken, salt, pepper, sauce, lasagna, mozzarella, and sauce.

6. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

7. Cover the lasagna pans with a tented piece of aluminum foil and bake until bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes.  Serve or cool and freeze.

Variation: 

Note:  If reheating frozen lasagna, preheat the oven to 400ºF and bake 1 1/2 hours.

Posted: 12/27/2006