I have been making lasagna for years. As a teenager, I went through several years in which I was a strict vegetarian, and I created many versions of lasagna with different combinations of veggies in various sauces. Now that I have added poultry into my diet, I have incorporated chicken into my lasagna recipe.
I call my recipe “Lazy Lasagna” because I use Penne noodles, which are in my opinion, much easier and quicker to work with than traditional lasagna noodles, and taste just as good. I do make it in the traditional way as well, but this recipe calls for penne.
A note also to those with kids, my fussy little 14-month-old eats this happily, so it is a kid-friendly recipe! 🙂
Cat’s Lazy Chicken Lasagna
1 Package Ground Chicken, Cooked
1 Large Onion, Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Stalks Celery, Thinly Sliced
1 Red Pepper, Chopped
1 Green Pepper, Chopped
1 Small Zucchini, Chopped
10-15 Medium Button Mushrooms, Thinly sliced
1 TBSP. Italian Spices (Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano…etc.)
1 Bottle Tomato Pasta Sauce
1 Container Cottage Cheese (Regular or Reduced Fat)
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Eggs
1 Cup Shredded Mozarella Cheese
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups Dry Penne Noodles, Cooked
Fry Ground Chicken until well cooked and crumbled. Add in chopped vegetables and allow to cook slightly. Add spices, and Pasta Sauce and heat. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix Cheeses, eggs, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook Penne noodles, until cooked but very firm (they will soften during baking) Drain and rinse. In a large rectangular baking pan, begin with a layer of the meat mixture, layer cheese mixture next, then penne noodles, alternating each of the 3 mixtures. Top with Shredded Mozarella cheese. Cover with tin foil, and Bake in 350 oven for about 1.5 hours.
