Chicken Lasagna With Cottage Cheese
This Chicken Lasagna features layers of rich tomato chicken sauce, tender lasagna noodles, and a quick white sauce with cottage cheese and spinach. Baked until bubbling and golden, it's great for meal prep or serving a crowd.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- 9 lasagna noodles
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley optional, to serve
Cottage Cheese Spinach White Sauce
- 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed well
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella divided
Instructions
Make the Garlicky Tomato Chicken:
- Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 small yellow onion (finely chopped) and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the 5 garlic cloves (minced) and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells caramelized.
- Pour in the 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, then add the 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Fold in the 4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken and 1 teaspoon honey, if using. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes, just until the chicken is heated through and evenly coated.
- The sauce should be thick and spoonable rather than watery. If it looks thin, simmer it uncovered for a few additional minutes.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the 9 lasagna noodles for 2 minutes less than the package directions.
- Drain and arrange the noodles in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet to prevent sticking.
Make the White Sauce:
- Place the 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach (thawed) in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This is the key to preventing a watery lasagna.
- Add the 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup whole milk, squeezed spinach, ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, 1 large egg, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 cup of the mozzarella (half of the 2 cups shredded mozzarella)to a blender.
- Blend for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth and velvety.
- Reserve the remaining 1 cup mozzarella for the top of the lasagna.
Assemble the Lasagna:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread about 1/2 cup of the tomato chicken sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cottage cheese white sauce, then arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the sauces.
- Spread one-third of the cottage cheese white sauce over the noodles, then spoon one-third of the remaining tomato chicken mixture on top.
- Repeat the layers twice more as follows: 3 lasagna noodles, cottage cheese white sauce, tomato chicken sauce.
- Finish with a layer of cheese (reserved 1 cup mozzarella).
Bake:
- Cover the baking dish loosely with foil, making sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- For a more deeply browned top, broil the lasagna for 1-2 minutes, watching it closely.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Finish with Chopped fresh basil or parsley, if using.
Notes
Make Ahead: Cook and cool the lasagna noodles and tomato chicken sauce. Once cooled, layer up as directed in your baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking as usual. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
Storage: Store the cooked, cooled lasagna in its baking dish, covered tightly with foil, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze the baked and cooled (or unbaked) lasagna, tightly wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping and reheating (or baking).
Reheating: Reheat the lasagna in its baking dish, covered with foil, at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until fully heated through. Alternatively, reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1006mg | Potassium: 861mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4926IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 392mg | Iron: 4mg