Lasagna is never a last-minute quick supper, but with a few tricks up your sleeve, you’ll pull it off without a hitch. Make all the components, line them up on the counter, and assemble the casserole. Keeping things neat and organized is your ticket to success without burn-out!
Save Time and Use a Rotisserie Bird
To streamline things, instead of poaching your own chicken, buy already cooked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken. All you need to do is shred it. (Note that, if you prefer, poaching your own breasts takes very little hands-on time and can be done while you prepare all the other components. Cooking chicken breasts with the skin and bones ensures that the meat will be tender and juicy.)
Swapping No-Boil Noodles
In my recipe I call for regular lasagna noodles. You can use no-boil noodles for a great effort-savor, but there’s a caveat. They rely on the moisture in the sauce to soften them. Without enough liquid in the sauce, they could end up crunchy rather than soft and toothsome. Since we’re using bechamel in this lasagna, your best bet is to soak the no-boil noodles in boiling water for about 3 minutes. When you assemble the lasagna, be sure the top layer is well-covered with sauce. Cover the dish loosely with foil for the first 30 minutes so the noodles can soften in the sauce. Then remove the foil and let the cheese and sauce brown.
Make Ahead Lasagna Options
Make ahead 1: Make the components and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The filling, sauce, chicken, and grated cheese can be made up to two days ahead of time. Store them in the fridge. Reheat the sauce, since it thickens when cold and assemble the lasagna just before you are ready to bake the lasagna. Never mix hot and cold ingredients unless you are putting them straight into the oven.Make-ahead 2: Assemble and refrigerate for up to 24 hours ahead of time. Assemble the whole lasagna and refrigerate it in the baking dish covered with plastic or foil. You may need an additional 10 to 15 minutes to heat it all the way through. Make-ahead 3: Assemble the lasagna and freeze it in the baking dish. Cover the lasagna with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months for optimal freshness. Remove the plastic wrap and foil from the baking dish and replace the foil. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until hot. During the last 20 minutes of baking, remove the foil and continue baking until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is browned.
Pans and Pans of Lasagna
Skillet Lasagna Loaf Pan Lasagna Four Cheese Lasagna Classic Lasagna Buffalo Chicken Lasagna
To use no-boil noodles, soak them in boiling water for about 3 minutes. When you assemble the lasagna, be sure the top layer is well-covered with sauce. Cover the dish loosely with foil for the first 30 minutes so the noodles can soften in the sauce. Then remove the foil and let the cheese and sauce brown.
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
1 teaspoon salt
4 thick slices yellow onion
1 bay leaf
For the filling
10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1 pound (2 cups) whole milk ricotta
2 ounces (1 cup) finely grated fresh Parmesan
1 large egg
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg (or a pinch of ground nutmeg)
For the sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, cold from the fridge
2 ounces (1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta
5 to 6 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
12 (about 3/4 pound) dry lasagna noodles (not no-boil noodles)
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella
Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool. Remove the skin and bones and shred the chicken. You should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups. When cool enough to handle, place the spinach on a clean dish towel and roll up the towel. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Place the spinach on a cutting board and finely chop it. Spread a clean dish towel on a baking sheet or the countertop. Remove several lasagna noodles from the pot and set them on the towel to drain. Repeat with the remaining noodles as you use them. Place 4 drained noodles over the sauce in the baking dish. Dollop and spread half the filling over the noodles. Distribute half the chicken on top of the filling and spread with 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat with 4 noodles, the remaining half of the filling, the remaining half of the chicken, and 1 cup of the sauce. Finally, top with the remaining 4 noodles and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Let the lasagna rest and settle for about 10 minutes before slicing into serving pieces. Leftovers will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for at least 4 days. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
