I have always wanted to try to make a lasagna that didn't consist of hamburg and tomato sauce! I wondered what it would taste like if I made something similar to a chicken pot pie? Well, it came out delicious! I started by cutting up carrots, onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and celery. When they became tender, I added some thyme and tarragon, along with salt and pepper. I had a couple of packages of Perdue Short Cuts that I used instead of going to all the trouble to cook and dice chicken breasts.
Now for the filling...which is pretty much the same as a regular lasagna, ricotta cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, and a little garlic powder. As for what kind of sauce to use, I decided to make a cream sauce and add spinach and Parmesan cheese.
A cream sauce is equal parts of butter and tablespoons of flour, the amount depending on how much sauce you need. I used 3 tablespoons of each. Over medium heat, mix the two together until a paste forms. Let it cook a bit before you start adding your liquid. For this sauce, I was trying to keep it healthy, so instead of using cream, I used chicken broth. Use a whisk and stir until thickened.
I added on package of chopped spinach. After tasting it, I thought it needed salt, pepper, tarragon, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
And now for the fun part! Spoon some of the sauce on the bottom...
Spread some ricotta mixture on your pasta...
Add some of your chicken mixture....
Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese.....
I couldn't believe how tall it came out! I end the top with ricotta and sauce. If you finish with the pasta, it simply dries out in the oven.
Voila! I have to say, it came out delicious. (I couldn't decide which picture to use, so I left both of them!)
The fun part about this dish is you can use whatever meat and vegetables you have on hand. You could spice it up by using a pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella. Don't be afraid to use your imagination!
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