Chicken and spinach lasagne

WHO doesn’t love Lasagne?

This is my variation on the traditional Italian favourite swapping minced beef for chicken and spinach, it’s really tasty and when covered will keep refrigerated for up to three days.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 carrots, grated

2 sticks of chopped celery 100g chopped spinach 4 large skinless/boneless chicken breasts, sliced

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree Handful of chopped basil leaves

125g shredded mozzarella cheese

10-12 sheets of lasagne 250ml chicken stock 6 tbsp plain flour

50g butter

½ tsp nutmeg

200ml crème fraiche

100g soft crème cheese 250ml milk

75g grated cheddar

4 tbsp Parmesan, grated

Recipe:

Grease a 12” x 9” Pyrex dish with butter.

Heat olive oil in a pan and saute the onion, garlic, celery and grated carrot for a few minutes stirring frequently.

Add spinach and finally the chicken, turning continuously until cooked through.

Add three tablespoons of flour, cook for one minute.

Stir in the tinned tomato, tomato puree and chopped basil.

Gradually add the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Season.

Cover the greased Pyrex dish with one third of the mixture and top with a layer of lasagne.

Cover this with another layer of the chicken mixture and a sprinkling of the mozzarella, top with a further layer of lasagne.

Finally top with the remaining mixture and mozzarella, set aside.

For cheese topping melt the butter in a pan, add the remaining 3 tbsp flour and cook for one minute.

Add the nutmeg and the cream cheese to melt.

Stir in the crème fraiche and gradually add the milk stirring continuously to a smooth sauce.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese.

Top the lasagne with the cheese sauce and finally cover with freshly grated Parmesan.

Bake in a pre-heated oven to 190c for 30 minutes.

Eat whilst hot and really enjoy!