Aside from a few lasagnas with white sauce, I’ve pretty much always made {and loved} a simple red sauce lasagna. So when I saw this recipe for a lasagna that seemed to be having an identity crisis and couldn’t decide whether it was a soup or lasagna, I was intrigued and had to make it.
Made it. Loved it. So should you. It’s so different than any lasagna you’ve probably ever tried. And trust me when I say that’s a good thing!
Old Fashioned Chicken and Noodle Lasagna
Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken breast {or 3 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken}
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 sprig or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk {I used 2%}
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
9 No-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups {6 oz} shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan full of water to a boil. Sprinkle water with thyme. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and add to water; reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from water and place on cutting board to cool. Toss cooking water. {Skip this step if using rotisserie chicken}
While chicken is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until just tender, about 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from pan and set aside.
Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in same saucepan and reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in flour until well combined. Stir in chicken broth, milk, 1 tablespoon thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cooking and stirring until thickened. Remove 1 cup of the sauce and set aside.
Add in carrots and peas into the pan and stir into sauce. Cover and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Coarsely chop chicken and add to sauce. Add in mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Simmer until heated through.
Spread 1/3 cup of the reserved sauce in prepared baking dish. Top with three noodles, half the chicken mixture and a third of the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with 2/3 cup of sauce {do not add final layer of cheese yet!}.
Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until noodles are tender and cheese is browned and bubbly.
Lauralli says
This is very similar to my chicken pot pie recipe except the noodle/pie crust part! Thanks for a new twist on a family favorite!
Conni says
This looks delectable! Thank you, Mavis. Have you, by any chance, frozen this dish. How’d it turn out?
JC says
OHMYGOSH this was delicious! I made it with gluten free no-boil noodles and it needed just a tad bit more liquid as the noodles were slightly chewy, but edible. Next time I am going to use the filling mixed with some cooked rotini noodles and bake it casserole style. Can’t wait to have it again!
Susan says
My husband made this tonight and it was different and yummy. I like the idea of using rotini (or penne) just since lasagna noodles can sometimes pop up and dry out when baking.