Mary Berry's Lighter Chicken and Spinach Lasagne Recipe for Easy Family Meals
Lasagne is a classic dish ideal for Sunday lunches, family gatherings, and meals with friends. It can be prepared in advance and looks impressive when served bubbling from the oven. Traditional versions often involve time-consuming layers of beef ragù and béchamel sauce, but Mary Berry offers a lighter, easier alternative in her book Cook and Share.
A Simplified Approach to a Classic Dish
Mary Berry's version features fewer layers than traditional lasagne but remains creamy and delicious. She explains, "I've cheated with the white sauce and made a quick creamy sauce instead. Soaking the lasagne sheets in water first ensures they will cook quickly." This method simplifies preparation while guaranteeing success.
The recipe alternates a chicken and spinach mixture with a herby tomato sauce and pasta sheets, creating a fresh springtime meal. It serves six to eight people and can be paired with salad or green vegetables.
Ingredients and Method for Chicken and Spinach Lasagne
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8):
- 6 sheets of fresh lasagne
- 150g cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
- Chicken and spinach layer: 500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs, diced; ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped; 2 large garlic cloves, crushed; 200g button mushrooms, sliced; 200g baby spinach; 2 tsp cornflour; 200g crème fraiche
- Herby tomato layer: 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste; 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and prepare a shallow 1.8L ovenproof dish.
- To make the chicken mixture: Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat, add chicken pieces, and fry until golden. Add chilli, garlic, and mushrooms, frying briefly. Stir in spinach until wilted.
- In a small bowl, mix cornflour with two tablespoons of water until smooth. Add crème fraiche and parsley to the pan with the chicken, stir, then pour in the cornflour mixture and stir until thickened. Set aside.
- To make the tomato and herb sauce: Combine chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and thyme in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
- Soak lasagne sheets in boiling water for a few minutes until soft.
- To assemble: Spoon a third of the chicken mixture into the dish, then a third of the tomato sauce over it. Arrange three lasagne sheets on top. Repeat layers once more.
- Finish with a final layer of chicken mixture and tomato sauce, resulting in three layers of each sauce and two layers of pasta. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with salad or green vegetables.
More from Mary Berry and Related Cookbooks
This recipe is part of Mary Berry's collection aimed at bringing families and friends together. Other notable cookbooks include The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan and The Tucci Cookbook by Stanley Tucci, offering a range of Italian-inspired dishes. For Mediterranean recipes, Good Food: Mediterranean Dishes provides triple-tested options with step-by-step instructions.
Mary Berry also shares other easy meal ideas, such as a bolognese pasta bake, a fish pie with extra ingredients, and a quick salmon pasta for weeknights.
