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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Rosemary-Chicken Lasagna



Since I made the Number One Best Lasagna and learned how to prepare lasagna noodles so they'd come out perfectly, it's time to revisit the first lasagna I'd posted on this blog.  Two years ago I made Rosemary-Chicken Lasagna with smoked Gruyere and the smoke was the dominating flavor, masking the rosemary.  This time, that's not going to happen.

Rosemary-Chicken Lasagna
from Cooking Club of America

CHICKEN FILLING
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lb. bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (about 2 1/3 c)
2 small green bell peppers, diced (1/4")
2 tbsp white wine, if desired
1/3 c pine nuts, toasted

CHEESE FILLING
24 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
1 c (4 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt

SAUCE
5 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c all-purpose flour
3 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

LASAGNA
12 lasagna noodles
1 c (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c (4 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese

Chop enough rosemary to measure 1/2 teaspoon; reserve for garnish. Place chicken and remaining rosemary sprigs in medium skillet. Add enough water to almost cover chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
 

Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10 minutes or until no longer pink in center and juices run clear, turning once.

I flipped the chicken before covering and flipped again after about 5 minutes.

Place chicken and rosemary on plate; cool. Shred chicken. Remove rosemary from stems; finely chop. Combine chicken and rosemary on plate or bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook 4 minutes or until tender.


Add mushrooms, bell peppers and wine; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced and vegetables are tender.

Stir in pine nuts; remove from heat.

Place lasagna noodles in hot water to soak for 15 minutes.


In small bowl, stir together all cheese filling ingredients.


To make sauce, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves.

Whisk in flour; cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Slowly whisk in milk until smooth and thoroughly blended. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until thickened.

If you prepare this in any advance, anticipate a skin will form over the sauce.

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.


Spread 1 cup of the sauce in pan.

Layer as follows:

3 noodles, half of the cheese filling,

half of the vegetables, 3 noodles,

...and this is where I goofed up the steps...

1 cup of the sauce, chicken filling, 3 noodles, remaining cheese filling, remaining vegetables, 3 noodles,

and remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, 1 cup Gruyère cheese and 1/2 teaspoon reserved chopped rosemary.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and cheese begins to brown in spots. Let stand 10 minutes.
 

Ok, so I botched the exact layering of the lasagna. Oops. I figured there'd be a sloppy disheveled price to pay there. What I didn't expect was the pool of liquid in the lasagna pan bottom after I shoveled the first piece out. Yikes. And I didn't anticipate the noodles to puff up as they did, forming ravines of cheese grease between them.

The flavor though, oh, the flavors! Excellent! This second go-round with regular Gruyere allowed the rosemary to really come through. The nuttiness of the cheese was very nice, especially when supplemented with a pine nut! Oh, wow!

Cost:
  • rosemary: $1
  • chicken breast: $0.59
  • onion: $0.60
  • mushroom: $1.69
  • bell peppers: $0.64
  • pine nuts: $2.41
  • ricotta: $3.99
  • Gruyere: $8.99
  • eggs: $0.67
  • garlic: $0.35
  • butter: $1.84
  • milk: $0.49
  • mozzarella: $1.25
Total:  $24.51, or $2.04 for each of 12 servings.

Click for the printable


Last image collected by The Cook at 8:22 PM
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