Grilled Chicken Lasagna with Mushrooms and Spinach in a Smoked Gouda Sauce

This is the kind of lasagna that makes one famous!

See the layers!  All that chicken layered in between sauted mushrooms and onions, spinach and that creamy smoked Gouda white sauce on a bed of spinach and homemade marinara sauce!  What could possibly be better?  And no the is not a low fat meal, but it's really delicious!!!!!!

Here's your first bite, better get busy and make this today for dinner!

I really out did myself on this!

My husband said this is a 13 out of 10.  That's high praise coming from him, he is my biggest critic!  No really,  he does love me and he loves my cooking.  

The Players for lasagna minus the chicken, marinara (I used my own marinara) and the sauce.

The sauce players!

The Chicken!

Salt and pepper the chicken, grill @ 400 degrees 7 minutes on each side or until done (can be baked in oven also).  Set aside to cool. 

When cool slice very thin  1/8 “ thick.

Boil water in a large pot.  In a large bowl fill ½ way with water and add ice for ice bath.  Pick off stems on spinach (save a little spinach for plating) and blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water then remove and submerge into ice bath until cold.  (Use same water to cook lasagna noodles as per directions on the package.)

Squeeze out excess water and set aside. 

Roughly chop mushrooms and onions.  Mince garlic.  Heat a skillet on medium heat with a drizzle (1 tablespoon) of olive oil.  Add mushrooms and onions and cook until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated (5 minutes).  Add garlic the last 30 seconds,  set aside for now.

Melt butter in medium sauce pan (do not brown).  When melted add flour and stir making a roux.  Cook, stirring  constantly for 2 minutes.  

Begin to add in the milk and the cream, whisking until all incorporated and cook until it begins to thicken (covers the back of a spoon).   Grate smoked Gouda cheese, removing the smoke ring on the cheese.  

Add in the Gouda to the white sauce and stir until cheese is melted.  About 15 minutes, if sauce is too thick add in extra milk to thin sauce.

Spray baking dish with cooking spray and add a small amount of half-n-half to the bottom of dish, barely to coat the bottom.  Start layering with three lasagna noodles, sliced chicken, 

mushroom/onion mixture, spinach, 

1/3 Romano cheese and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, 

1/3 of Gouda sauce.  

Repeat next layer and end with noodles, gouda sauce and 

sprinkle with remaining Romano and Mozzarella cheese.  

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degrees oven for 30 minutes.  

(If made ahead of time and is cold, cook for 10 minutes long or until hot and bubbly.) 

Heat marinara sauce.  Serve lasagna on a bed of baby 
spinach and marinara sauce.Do you see the layers?  

Let's cut us a bite.

Bite this!

Happy Eating!

The Recipe:

Grilled Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna in a Smoked Gouda Sauce

9 lasagna noodles cooked

12 ounce bag of baby spinach

8 ounce carton of Baby Bella mushrooms roughly chopped

¼ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and thinly sliced

1 cup shredded Romano cheese

1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1 small jar of marinara sauce

Salt and pepper the chicken, grill @ 400 degrees 7 minutes on each side or until done (can be baked in oven also).  Set aside to cool.  When cool slice very thin  1/8 “ thick.

Boil water in a large pot.  In a large bowl fill ½ way with water and add ice for ice bath.  Pick off stems on spinach (save a little for plating 4-5 big leaves for each plate) and blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water then remove and submerge into ice bath until cold.  Squeeze out excess water and set aside.  Use same water to cook lasagna noodles as per directions on the package.

Roughly chop mushrooms and onions.  Mince garlic.  Heat a skillet on medium heat with a drizzle  (1 tablespoon) of olive oil.  Add mushrooms and onions and cook until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated (5 minutes).  Add garlic the last 30 seconds,  set aside for now.

Make Sauce

Smoked Gouda sauce:

8 ounces of smoked Gouda, grated with rind removed 

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

1 cup 2% fat milk

1 cup half-n-half

Melt butter in medium sauce pan (do not brown).  When melted add flour and stir making a roux.  Cook, stirring  constantly for 2 minutes.  Begin to add in the milk and the cream, whisking  until all incorporated and cook until it begins to thicken (covers the back of a spoon).   Grate smoked Gouda cheese, removing the smoke ring on the cheese.  Add in the Gouda to the white sauce and stir until cheese is melted.  About 15 minutes, if sauce is too thick add in extra milk to thin sauce.

Spray baking dish with cooking spray and add a small amount of half-n-half to the bottom of dish, barely to coat the bottom.  Start layering with three lasagna noodles, sliced chicken, mushroom/onion mixture, spinach, 1/3 Romano cheese and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, 1/3 of gouda sauce.  Repeat for next layer and end with noodles, gouda sauce and sprinkle with remaining Romano and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degrees oven for 30 minutes.  (If made ahead of time and is cold, cook for 10 minutes long or until hot and bubbly.

Heat marinara sauce.  Serve lasagna on a bed of baby spinach and marinara sauce.

Happy Eating!