Estate Comforts
Chicken Lasagna with Broccoli Rabe with Sautéed Mushrooms
The Strategy:
Let’s explore a beautiful, autumnal departure from traditional red-sauce Italian casseroles. By anchoring this dish with a pungent, creamy goat cheese sauce and deeply roasted earthy mushrooms, we elevate the humble chicken lasagna into a complex, intensely flavorful centerpiece. It’s a stunning way to incorporate bright, slightly bitter greens like broccoli rabe into a deeply comforting weekend meal.
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup butter, 1⁄2 stick
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and finely diced, about 1 cup
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
- 1 quart milk
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled, about 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced, about 3 cups
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, chopped, about 4 cups
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 (8.8-ounce) packages fresh lasagna noodles, about 12 (8 x 4-inch) sheets
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, grated, about 2 cups
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about 1 cup
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onion in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and herbs de Provence. Slowly stir in the milk. Whisk until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the green onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown. Season with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the broccoli in boiling, salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli from the water and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
- Stir together the ricotta cheese and egg in a bowl.
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Place a ladle full of the sauce into the bottom of an 11 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a layer of lasagna noodles, trimming the noodles to fit the pan. Cover the pasta with a layer of sauce. Place 1⁄2 of the broccoli and 1⁄2 of the chicken on the sauce. Spoon half of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of the broccoli and chicken.
- Add a second layer of lasagna noodles. Top with a ladle full of white sauce. Spread all the mushrooms over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1⁄2 of the Parmesan cheese and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
- Place the last layer of lasagna noodles into the casserole. Top with a ladle of white sauce. Layer the remaining broccoli and cheese on top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the top of the casserole is golden-brown, and the cheese is bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
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The Heart of the Table
A sophisticated, earthy departure from traditional red-sauce Italian casseroles. By anchoring the dish with a pungent goat cheese sauce and deeply roasted mushrooms, it elevates the concept of "chicken and broccoli" into a complex, intensely flavorful centerpiece fit for a formal harvest dinner.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Slice into sharp, perfect squares and serve on wide, shallow plates. The cross-section will beautifully highlight the distinct layers of bright green broccoli rabe, dark mushrooms, and creamy white goat cheese sauce.
- THE POUR: An oak-aged Chardonnay or a rich Viognier. The wine requires significant weight and buttery notes to stand up to the pungent goat cheese and the earthy intensity of the sautéed mushrooms.
- THE VIBE: Warm, autumnal, and deeply comforting. This is a dish designed for crisp evenings, crackling fireplaces, and lingering conversations with close friends.
