White Shredded Chicken Lasagna with Poblano Peppers

When it comes to pasta dishes, is there anything more hearty than a heaping plate of lasagna? I think not, and this white shredded chicken lasagna is the perfect comfort food when you are craving those carbs!

I have a confession. I’m not a big lasagna fan.

I know, right? It’s bizarre, considering how I’m in love with all things pasta. For some reason, I’ve just never grew too entirely fond of those casserole dishes full of layers of noodles. However, even as I type this post it sounds totally ludicrous, especially given the fact that I could probably scarf down this entire casserole by myself right now.

I think it may be that the noodles are the problem. Those thick store-bought lasagna noodles with the curly edges just weren’t doing it for me! My fiancé has been insisting that we make lasagna for… just about ever. And so I finally gave in, but I told myself I’d have to make fresh lasagna noodles if this was going to happen.

(If the store-bought lasagna noodle is your thing -and there is totally no reason why they shouldn’t be! – use them instead in this recipe. It will make your job a whole lot easier!)

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about this recipe. I am officially a lasagna convert! Making the noodles homemade really makes a huge difference because you can roll them super thin, much thinner than store-bought lasagna noodles. The noodles seem to just melt right into the cheese and the chicken and the lovely béchamel sauce when you cut into this dish, which is exactly how lasagna should be, in my opinion!

I added some extra special touches in this dish also: fire-roasted poblano peppers give a nice heat to the dish, while fresh spinach and gruyere cheese are the perfect accompaniments to the creamy white béchamel sauce.

Now it’s your turn: What is your favorite lasagna recipe? Share with me by commenting below!

White Shredded Chicken Lasagna

2016-05-05 11:28:29

Serves 4

This white shredded chicken lasagna features a beautiful béchamel sauce paired with shredded chicken, roasted poblano peppers, and fresh spinach.

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Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr 30 min

Total Time

2 hr 30 min

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr 30 min

Total Time

2 hr 30 min

For pasta dough

1. 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2. 1 cup semolina flour
3. 1 pinch kosher salt
4. 3 eggs, lightly beaten
5. 1 tbsp. milk
6. 1 tbsp. olive oil
7. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8. 2 poblano peppers

For sauce

1. ¼ cup butter
2. ¼ cup olive oil
3. 1 onion, finely chopped
4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
5. ½ cup all-purpose flour
6. 1 ½ cups chicken stock
7. 1 ½ cups milk
8. 3 cups gruyere cheese, grated
9. 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
10. ½ tsp. salt, plus extra for seasoning
11. ½ tsp. black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
12. 4 cups spinach
13. 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Combine all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Beat on medium speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, milk and olive oil. Beat on medium-high speed until mixture forms a dough ball. If it is too dry, add a splash of water at a time. If it is too wet, add about ½ tbsp. all-purpose flour at a time. Remove dough from stand mixer and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the toppings.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Allow to cool for several minutes, then shred chicken with two forks or with a stand mixer. Set aside.
3. Roast poblano peppers whole over an open flame (either a gas stove or a grill) until charred. Remove stems and seeds from peppers and thinly slice. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil a large pot of salted water over high heat.
5. Next, roll out the pasta dough. You want to roll the dough into thin long sheets. You will need 8 sheets that are about 5-6 inches wide and 12-13 inches long. Let noodles rest for several minutes before cooking in salted boiling water for about 30 seconds. (Cook them in batches to avoid crowding the pan.) Lay the pre-cooked noodles out on baking trays to rest while you prepare the sauce.
6. To make sauce, melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add flour, whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Allow roux to simmer until bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and milk and bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. Remove saucepan from heat and add gruyere, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until everything is melted and combined.
7. To assemble lasagna, spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of baking pan and top with one layer of noodles (use 2 of the pre-cooked lasagna noodles per layer). Top with another layer of sauce, ⅓ of the shredded chicken, ¼ of the roasted poblano peppers, and a handful of spinach. Repeat this two more times, with a layer of pre-cooked noodles, sauce, ⅓ of the shredded chicken, ¼ of the roasted poblano peppers, and a handful of spinach. Top with the last layer of pre-cooked noodles followed by the rest of the sauce and roasted poblano peppers. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of parmesan cheese over the top. Cook lasagna in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Heat broiler to high and toast lasagna under broiler for 2-3 minutes until the top of the cheese and noodles is crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven and slice to serve. Enjoy!

By Sarah Daniel

The Charming Detroiter https://thecharmingdetroiter.com/

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