One-Pan Pesto, Chicken and Spinach Lasagne

by BBC Good Food

This clever pasta bake is all cooked in one pan, saving on washing-up. If you want to make it veggie, replace the chicken with some peas or broad beans.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Heat half of the oil in a wide, shallow saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Season the chicken well and tip it into the pan, fry for 5 mins, or until nicely browned but not necessarily cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 2

Reduce the heat to low and heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onion and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring now and then, until softened. Stir in the garlic and sizzle for a further 30 seconds.

Step 3

Stir the mascarpone and pesto into the onions, crumble over the stock cube and add 500ml hot water(if cooking for 4). Stir to combine, bring to a gentle bubble, then add the chicken back to the pan.

Step 4

Snap the lasagne sheets into smaller pieces, aiming to break each sheet into 3 or 4 shards. Add to the sauce a few pieces at a time to prevent the pieces from sticking together. Stir regularly for the first few minutes of cooking (approx. 3 mins), then add the spinach, pushing down into the sauce with the back of the spoon. Put the lid on and cook for 2-3 mins.

Step 5

Remove the lid, give the lasagne another stir, the spinach should have wilted and the pasta sheets should be starting to soften. The sauce should still look quite loose at this stage, the liquid will be absorbed by the pasta as it cooks, but add a splash more water if it looks too dry or the pasta is sticking together. Stir every minute or so for the next 5 mins, or until the pasta is cooked through and the sauce clings to the pasta. Heat the grill.

Step 6

Check the seasoning, adding more salt or some pepper if you like. Tear the mozzarella into chunks and arrange on top of the lasagne, scatter with parmesan, then put under the grill for 5-7 mins until golden and bubbling.

  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml
  • 100g Baby Spinach 1x Sainsbury's Baby Leaf Spinach 100g
  • 125g Mozzarella, ball 1x Stamford Street Co. Mozzarella Cheese Ball 125g
  • 50g Parmesan, grated 1x Sainsbury's Grana Padano Cheese 200g
  • 2 Chicken Breasts, cut into small pieces 1x Sainsbury's British Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets Skinless & Boneless 320g
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed 1x Sainsbury's Garlic
  • 250g Mascarpone 1x Sainsbury's Mascarpone Cheese 250g
  • 150g Pesto 1x Sainsbury's Green Pesto 190g
  • 1 Chicken Stock Cube 1x Knorr Chicken Stock Cubes 20x10g
  • 200g Dried Lasagne Sheets 1x Sainsbury's Lasagne Sheets Pasta 500g
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