RECIPE DOCTOR
Part-skim cheeses lighten this lasagna
By Elaine Magee
Knight Ridder News Service
Q. I'm tired of the same old lasagna. Do you have a nice light lasagna recipe that's a little different (but not too strange)?
A. I will gladly share one of my favorite lasagna recipes with you. I served this at my wedding reception, and to this day it is still one of my favorite dinners.
This lasagna is lighter than most (28 percent calories from fat), made with skinless chicken breasts, part-skim ricotta cheese and part-skim mozzarella, a nice low-fat bottled marinara sauce, and no additional cooking fat.
You can save time by buying roasted chicken breasts from the supermarket or rotisserie restaurant and by using no-boil Barilla lasagna noodles. I use Armanino Farms Pesto from the frozen section.
Chicken Pesto Lasagna
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 packet low-sodium chicken broth mixed with fl cup water
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2/3 cup pesto (5 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 2/3 cup chopped green onions
- 12 ounces (dry weight) lasagna noodles*
- 8 ounces (2 cups) grated or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 3 cups bottled marinara sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In frying pan, simmer chicken pieces in broth and Italian seasonings over medium heat until cooked throughout.
While chicken is cooking, mix the ricotta and parmesan with green onions in a medium bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces from pan. Lightly shred chicken in food processor with pesto and zucchini.
Cook noodles until just tender (following directions on back of box if necessary), drain well.
To assemble lasagna:
Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of 9x13-inch baking pan.
Add 3 strips of lasagna noodles.
Spread half of the chicken mixture on top.
Add three more lasagna noodles on top.
Spread all of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles
Top with three strips of lasagna.
Spread rest of the chicken mixture on top.
Top with last three lasagna noodles.
Spread remaining 2 cups of marinara on top.
Sprinkle grated mozzarella evenly over the marinara.
Coat one side of a sheet of foil with canola or olive oil cooking spray, then place the foil, sprayed side down, over the lasagna (the spray keeps the top from sticking to the cheese). Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more until top is lightly golden and sauce is bubbling.
Makes 12 servings
* Or use 9 ounce box of Barilla, no-boil noodles.
Per serving: 344 calories, 24 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 13 grams fat, 5 g saturated fat, 3.5 g monounsaturated fat, 1.2 g polyunsaturated fat, 47 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 691 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 34 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids, 0.2. Omega 6 fatty acids, 1. Weight Watchers points, 7.
Contact Elaine Magee at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses cannot be provided.
