Recipes – Wholemeal chicken lasagne

2018-07-08

Yield: 
12
Time to prep: 
10m
Time to cook: 
30m

Images

Image of wholemeal chicken lasagne

Today is my bestie’s birthday and I thought of making her favourite comfort food as her birthday treat. My mama’s famous lasagne is hands down the best lasagne I have ever had in my life. Over the years after making so many times, I made my own adjustments to it to make it perfect.

I know most of you will think twice once you see the heading. Wholemeal! And with Chicken? But believe me, you’ll be amazed by the results.

Today I’m gonna show you the quick and easy way of making lasagne.

Ingredients

  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic
  • 100g higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon (optional)
  • Olive oil
  • 1kg quality minced chicken
  • 4 carrots, grated or finely chopped
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 5 or 6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 4 sticks of celery and a hand full of leaves (both finely chopped)
  • Hand full of coriander, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon of Mexican chillies, chopped (optional)
  • 1 or two bottles of tomato pasta sauce with herbs (if you want the ragù to be runnier, add more. I usually use both.)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon of powdered nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon of powdered cardamom
  • 350g dried wholemeal lasagne sheets

White sauce

  • 6 tablespoons of butter
  • 300g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoons of mustard
  • 2 medium leeks
  • 4 tablespoons plain flour
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
  • 100g of extra cheddar cheese, grated for the top
  • 100g of mozzarella cheese, grated for the top
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on high heat. Once hot, add finely chopped rosemary and chopped bacon and fry for 2 minutes, or until the bacon starts to crisp up, stirring regularly.
  2. Once the bacon is all crispy add your garlic, minced chicken, bay leaves and the chilly (if you’re using any).
  3. Once it began to cook break the meat up using a wooden spoon.
  4. Bring down the heat to medium and cook for at least 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
  5. Now add chopped onions, carrots and celery and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften, stirring regularly.
  6. Next add the pasta sauce following with celery leaves, coriander and seasoning. Now reduce the heat to low and Give everything a good stir.
  7. Finally add the mushrooms and Leave to simmer for about 1/2 hours, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
  8. While your ragù is cooking, make your white sauce. Trim, wash and finely slice the leeks, then add to a pan along with butter and the bay leaves. Stir well and season with a tiny pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  9. Reduce the heat to low and add mustard and cook for 15 minutes, or until sweet and softened, adding splashes of water, if needed.
  10. Add the flour and stir well to coat, then gradually add the milk, stirring continuously. Turn the heat up to medium, bring to the boil, then reduce to low and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly.
  11. Carefully transfer the sauce to the food processor and blitz until smooth and silky. Now add the grated cheese and stir well to combine. Season to taste.
  12. Once the ragù is ready, preheat the oven to 190C (375F).
  13. To build your lasagne, spoon a quarter of the ragù into a large deep ovenproof dish (roughly 25cm by 30cm) and spread it out evenly.
  14. Spoon over a quarter of the white sauce, then snap over some lasagne sheets, making sure they completely cover the sauce in one layer. Repeat 3 times, finishing with a layer of white sauce.
  15. Sprinkle extra cheddar and mozzarella cheese over your lasagne and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
  16. Remove the lasagne from the oven and leave to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Have a cuppiest day!