VEGGIE PACKED CHICKEN LASAGNE
This is comfort food at its best. Tender slow-roasted chicken, a creamy vegetable-packed sauce and a rich cheesy topping make this a family favourite. The adults get a beautifully indulgent lasagne with crispy golden cheese, while little ones enjoy a softer version packed with vegetables and gentle flavours.
Serves: 4–6 adults plus 4–6 baby portions
INgredients
Slow-Roasted Chicken
- 1.3kg chicken thighs
- Roast covered with foil at 170°C for 1½ hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Allow to cool before handling.
Chicken & Vegetable Sauce
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 450g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 85g unsalted butter
- 95g plain flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 tbsp garlic purée (or 1–2 garlic cloves, minced)
- 175g spinach, roughly chopped
- 175g roasted red peppers, finely chopped (jarred work brilliantly)
- 20g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- All of the roasted chicken, skin and bones removed
- 250g diced pancetta ( adult version only )
- 1 chicken stock pot ( adult version only )
- Reserved juices from the roasted chicken tray
- Salt and black pepper, to taste (adult version only)
Cheese Sauce
- 70g unsalted butter
- 70g plain flour
- 450ml milk
- 200g mature Cheddar (or another strong, nutty cheese) ( adults only )
- 1 tsp English mustard ( adults only )
- Handful of grated mild cheddar ( for babies )
To Assemble
- 9 lasagne sheets (adult dish)
- 2 lasagne sheets (baby dish, broken into smaller pieces)
Method
1.Roast the Chicken
Roast the chicken thighs, covered with foil, at 170°C for 1½ hours until beautifully tender.
Leave to cool until they're comfortable to handle.
Reserve all of the roasting juices.
2. Make the Vegetable Sauce
In a large saucepan, melt the butter before adding the onion and mushrooms.
Cook gently until softened. The mushrooms will release quite a lot of liquid—continue cooking until everything is tender.
Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the flour until fully combined.
Gradually whisk in the milk before returning to a medium heat, stirring continuously until you have a thick, smooth white sauce. I also like to stir in the chicken stock that has been released during roasting.
Fold through:
- Spinach
- Roasted peppers
- Fresh tarragon
3. Divide for Baby & Adult
Remove roughly one quarter of the sauce into a saucepan or bowl
For the baby version, strip 2 chicken thighs, discarding the skin and bones. Finely chop the meat and stir into the smaller pan.
For the adult version, shred the remaining chicken into chunky bite-sized pieces and stir into the large saucepan.
Meanwhile, fry the pancetta until lightly golden and beginning to crisp.
Add the pancetta to the adult pan, along with:
- Chicken stock pot
- Salt and pepper to taste
Stir well.
4. Make the Cheese Sauce
Melt the butter before removing from the heat.
Whisk in the flour until smooth.
Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously before returning to the heat until thickened.
Remove a small amount—just under a quarter
To the remaining sauce add:
- Mature Cheddar
- English mustard
Stir until silky and completely melted.
5.Assemble
Adult Lasagne
Layer the chicken mixture with lasagne sheets over three layers, finishing with a final layer of pasta.
You'll use approximately 9 lasagne sheets.
Finish by pouring over the cheese sauce.
Baby Lasagne
Build two layers using broken pieces of lasagne sheet, making them much easier for little mouths to manage.
Top with the reserved plain white sauce.
Cover tightly with foil.
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6. Cook
When you're ready to eat, bake at 180°C for - 50-60minutes, or until the pasta is completely tender.
Leave the adult lasagne uncovered to create that irresistible golden, bubbling cheese topping.
Keep the baby lasagne covered with foil throughout cooking to prevent crispy edges and keep everything beautifully soft.
This lasagne freezes brilliantly.
Assemble both dishes but freeze before baking. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before cooking as above.
