Delicious Chicken Lasagne

close up shot of metal spatula scooping chicken lasagne out of baking dish

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5 from 1 vote

This lasagne is layered with a rich chicken and pancetta ragù alongside a cheesy béchamel sauce!

Prep Time25

Cook Time2

Total Time2 25

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £2.50 / $3

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Deep Heavy-Based Pot with Lid (for ragu)
Wooden Spoon & Tongs
Large Baking Dish (mine is 12x9" / 30x22cm)
Medium Sized Pot & Whisk (for bechamel)
Large Baking Tray (to place underneath baking dish)

Ingredients

350g / 12oz Fresh Lasagne Sheets
150g / 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

Ragu

200g / 7oz diced Pancetta (see notes)
1kg / 2lb boneless skinless Chicken Thighs (see notes)
1/2 tsp EACH: Salt & Pepper, plus more as needed
2 medium Carrots, finely diced
2 ribs of Celery, finely diced
1 large White Onion, finely diced
4 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
75g / 1/4 cup Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
160ml / 2/3 cup Dry Red Wine (see notes)
1x 690g/1.5lb jar of Tomato Passata (Pureed Tomatoes in US)
240ml / 1 cup Chicken Stock
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves (roughly 8-10 sprigs)

Bechamel

60g / 2oz Unsalted Butter
60g / 2oz Plain Flour
1 litre / 4 cups Milk (I use semi-skimmed)
200g / 2 cups Cheddar, grated (Gruyere also works nicely)
1/4 tsp EACH: Ground Nutmeg, White Pepper (sub black), Salt, or to taste

Instructions

Ragu

Add the pancetta to a large deep heavy-based pot over medium heat (no oil needed). Fry until the pancetta is crisp with the fat rendered down. Remove and place in a large baking dish (mine is 12x9" / 30x22cm), leaving the fat behind.
Season the chicken thighs with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and fry the thighs for around 1 minute 30 seconds each side, or until light golden. Don't try and cook the chicken through at this point, this is just to add some colour and develop flavour. Work in batches if you need to.
Remove the thighs and place in the baking dish with the pancetta, leaving all of the excess fat behind. Lower the heat slightly to medium-high and add the carrot, celery and onion. Fry until it all softens and begins to colour, then add the garlic and fry for another minute. Stir in the tomato puree and fry for a minute, then stir in the wine. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce and re-thicken into a paste.
Pour in the passata and swill out the jar with 1/4 cup of water. Stir in the chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme, then stir in the chicken thighs pancetta alongside all of the resting juices. Bring to a simmer, then place the lid on, reduce heat to low and allow to gently bubble away for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and gently simmer for a further 20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Use tongs to remove the chicken and place it back in the baking dish. Shred the chicken with two forks, then stir it back through the sauce. Adjust seasoning if desired then leave to one side as you proceed with the bechamel sauce.

Bechamel Sauce

Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour to create a roux, then gradually add in the milk, whisking as you go to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and allow it to cook, stirring regularly, for around 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Turn off the heat and stir through the cheese until it melts, then season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove the pot from heat. The sauce should be fairly thick and comfortably coat the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it rests.

Lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Spread a few spoonfuls of the ragu sauce in the baking dish (this is just to prevent the pasta sticking). Add a layer of lasagne sheets, cutting them into shape as needed. Spread over 1/3 of the ragu, then top with a drizzle of bechamel, then top with more lasagne sheets. Repeat 2 more times, finishing with a layer of bechamel and mozzarella on top. That's 3 layers of ragu, 4 layers of pasta and 4 layers of bechamel.
Place the lasagne on a large baking dish, just to catch any spillage. Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until deep golden/lightly charred on top and bubbly around the sides.
Rest for 10-15 minutes to help it retain its shape, then slice and serve up!

Video

Notes

a) Pancetta - This adds so much flavour to the sauce. You'll find it pre-diced at most supermarkets (I know Sainsbury's sells it in 200g portions which is ideal!). If you can't find it I recommend using bacon lardons or thick-cut bacon.

b) Chicken - Essential that you use thighs, not breast. Breast will dry out over the longer cooking process. Plus thighs are more fatty and add more flavour to the sauce.

c) Wine - This adds a really gorgeous depth of flavour to the sauce. Doesn't need to be anything fancy - just whatever you've got on hand!

d) Make Ahead - When I make this I typically make the chicken ragu, leave to cool then tightly store in the fridge. I then whip up the bechamel and continue with the recipe. You could also completely prep it ahead of time, just make sure the ragu and bechamel sauce cool before you assemble, or the pasta will start to cook and come out super soft and mushy after it's baked. Once cool and combined, tightly cover and store in the fridge 24 hours before needed. Preferably bring to room temp before baking at the above temp/timings (to take the fridge chill out the centre so it cooks through evenly). You can also store it in the freezer, then thaw it in the fridge overnight and bake it accordingly.

d) Leftovers - Store in the fridge for 3-5days or freezer long-term, then cover with foil and reheat in the oven at the same temp until piping hot through the centre (if freezing thaw in the fridge overnight then bake). You can also reheat it in the microwave until piping hot.

e) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 8.

Nutrition