CHICKEN & ZUCCHINI LASAGNE

SERVES 6. PREP 40 MINS. COOK 1 HR 10 MINS.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 (about 380g) zucchini, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped

• 1 brown onion, finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 500g chicken mince

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tsp chicken stock powder

• 420g tomato pasta sauce

• 24 dried lasagne sheets

• 400g can diced tomatoes

• 120g packet baby spinach

• 80g (1 cup) coarsely grated cheddar

BECHAMEL

• 90g butter

• 75g (½ cup) plain flour

• 750ml (3 cups) milk

METHOD

1 Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, carrot, onion and celery. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add the chicken to pan. Cook, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until chicken changes colour. Return zucchini mixture to pan. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add stock powder, pasta sauce and 500ml (2 cups) water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour. Stir for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from side of pan. Remove from heat. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Place over medium-high heat.

Bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season.

3 Preheat oven 180C/160C fan forced. Spread ½ cup of the chicken mixture over base of a 7cm-deep, 21 x 31cm (base size) baking dish. Cover with 6 lasagne sheets. Spoon over half the remaining chicken mixture. Use the back of a spoon to smooth surface. Drizzle over ¾ cup of bechamel. Top with 6 lasagne sheets. Repeat layering with the remaining chicken mixture, another ¾ cup of the remaining bechamel and 6 more lasagne sheets. Top with half the tomatoes and all of the spinach. Cover with remaining lasagne sheets then remaining tomatoes. Spoon over remaining bechamel.

4 Sprinkle with the cheddar and bake for 4550 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly before serving.