Chicken lasagna

How to prepare a chicken lasagna .

If we were asked to name traditional pasta recipes from Italian cuisine, chances are that lasagna was one of the first to come out.

Famous worldwide, the classic lasagna recipe is one prepared with a Bolognese sauce as a filling, sandwiched between sheets of pasta, washed down with bechamel sauce and grated cheese and baked gratin.

It admits all kinds of variations regarding the type of filling to be used, the flavors of the pasta and the sauce with which to cover it.

We love lasagna and we have shared many recipes with you. We review them as a sample of their versatility and so that you have options to choose from when you want to get out of the traditional meat lasagna . 

We complete the offer with this chicken lasagna, which we have delighted with a very fried sauce made with onion, red pepper, green pepper and tomato.

It is an interesting alternative for those who are not very fond of red meat or want to slightly alter the classic recipe without taking risks by being excessively innovative.

What I recommend is to use quality ingredients, from the pasta, in this case lasagna Garofalo , one of the best pasta in Italy. And of course, the fillings, today chicken, but you have many ways to fill it.

The filling can be lightened by increasing the amount of vegetables and reducing the amount of chicken. To the taste of the cook and the diner.

Preparation of chicken lasagna. The filling

1. We start by preparing the filling of the lasagna, which is what takes the longest because it needs slow and prolonged cooking so that all the ingredients amalgamate and are creamy.
2. We wash the carrot and the two types of pepper well and cut them into sheets first, and into small cubes afterwards.
3. Peel the onion, cut it in half and cut each half into cubes of the same size as the rest of the vegetables.
4. We reserve each vegetable separately because we are going to add them to the casserole in order of hardness, from the hardest to the most tender.
5. We can use the vegetables we want, the ones we like the most or the ones we have on hand. Zucchini, eggplant, celery and leek are especially good for him.
6. They are very juicy vegetables with soft flavors that fit very well with the rest of the filling ingredients.
7. We can also use garlic, as we like it and our diners.
8. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, which we cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until it becomes transparent without browning, so that the final result does not become bitter.
9. Add the carrot and sauté over medium heat for five more minutes.
10. Finally, we incorporate the two types of pepper, mix and fry for the last five minutes.
11. Next we add the minced chicken meat and raise the heat so that the outside seals quickly and does not weigh down or form chicken balls.
12. We help so that this does not happen by stirring with a spoon without stopping.
13. The last step of the filling is to add the chopped tomato, the Provencal herbs and season to taste. Let reduce to medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
14. When seasoning the filling, we test to see if it is to our liking. If it is acidic, we can sprinkle a little sugar to counteract it.
15. We take the opportunity to rectify salt and pepper if necessary.
16. We preheat the oven to 200º C for 15 minutes, just enough to make the rest of the lasagna and prepare the bechamel sauce.

Preparation of chicken lasagna. The bechamel sauce and the final assembly

1. While the filling reduces, we prepare the bechamel sauce. The thickness we give will depend on whether we hydrate the pasta plates for lasagna or use them dry.
2. If we do the first, we submerge them in hot water for 15 minutes and prepare a béchamel to taste. 
3. It is faster to use the plates dry, but in this case we need to make a bechamel sauce as liquid as possible.
4. That ensures the hydration of the lasagna plates during the baking time. Also a deep dish to cover all the lasagna with the sauce.
5. Assembling the lasagna is simple. We put a few tablespoons of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. We cover the base lasagna plates.
6. Spread a layer of the chicken and vegetable filling on them. And on this, a couple of tablespoons of bechamel sauce.
7. We repeat the operation until we have four floors and finish with lasagna plates.
8. We can make fewer layers, adapting the assembly to our tastes or to what the depth of the source allows us. Once the lasagna is assembled, cover with the bechamel sauce.
9. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and put the source in the oven, pre-heated to 200º C.
10. The time will depend, again, on whether or not we have hydrated the lasagna plates.
11. If you have done it, 10 minutes is enough and another 5 more gratin to brown it. Otherwise, we extend the oven time to 20 minutes or until the surface is golden.

Enjoy this chicken lasagna that will surely surprise your family, especially the little ones will like.

You can see all the photos of the step by step in this chicken lasagna recipe album  .

Curiosities, tips and recommendations for a yummy lasagna

• Lasagna is one of the most traditional recipes of Italian gastronomy and one of the most popular, inside and outside the country. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it. It is a comforting and tasty dish that can be easily adapted to the taste of each one. Therein lies the key to its great success.
• It is important to serve the hot chicken lasagna. Although it should be left to rest for a few minutes before serving to avoid scorching. Be careful because it gets very hot in the oven.
• The wait can be tough, but it will make us enjoy each bite much more intensely.
• You can accompany it with a light green leafy salad. It is a round dish in every way: tasty and filling.
• It does not require more to satiate our appetite. Nutritious and energetic, because it is loaded with proteins and hydrates, and also economical, suitable for all budgets.