Chicken Lasagna

Fast and Easy Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:
10-15 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (use rotisserie chicken for lots of yummy flavor)
12 ounces frozen peas
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup Swiss cheese
1 cup water
¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
fresh herbs for topping - parsley / thyme

6 tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
6 -7 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
5 cups milk

* I sauteed some baby bellas to add another layer to the flavor - Portobellos have more taste, imho, than their button mushroom counterparts.  I mixed the chicken with the mushrooms to make it easier to assemble. I also drained and added a small jar of pimientos to get a lovely red and green contrast in each serving. I just put half the jar in with the first pea layer and the other half with the second.  I also use parmesan, Swiss and Mozzarella for my cheese layers.

Procedure: 

Make the sauce: 

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. 
• Add the garlic and saute (don't let it burn!!)
• Add the flour, poultry seasoning, and salt. 
• Whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
• Add the milk, one cup at a time, whisking after each addition and allowing it to thicken slightly each time before adding the next cup. 
• When the sauce is smooth and thick, remove from heat and set aside. 

Layer the lasagna: 

• Grease a 9x13 pan 
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Cover the bottom of the pan with (about 5) broken lasagna noodles, half of the chicken and mushrooms, half of the peas and pimientos, ¼ cup Parmesan1/2 c Mozzarella, 1/2 c Swiss, ⅓ cup water*, and 1½ cups sauce. 
• Repeat this layer once more. 
• Top with a layer of broken noodles, ⅓ cup water*, 1½ cups sauce, and ½ cup Swiss cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. 

Remove the foil, sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly. 

Sprinkle with fresh herbs like parsley and/or thyme - or dry - this really is just a "make it pretty" step!!!.
Let stand 10 minutes or more before cutting and serving.

*The water gets soaked up by those "no-cook" noodles


Like most lasagnas, this is a little pricier than my usual budget - but you do get 9-12 servings as it is RICH.

This week's recipe detective was Jaye!