Chicken Lasagna

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, saute the onion in butter until tender. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute. Stir in the flour and salt until well incorporated. Cook until bubbly. Gradually stir in the broth and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring, for one minute or until thickened.

2. Stage

Stir 2 cups of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and pepper into the milk mixture in pan. Set aside. Editor’s Tip: Remove the pan from heat before adding the cheese, and add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring to melt it before adding the next handful. You want to avoid overheating the sauce at this stage, or else it might break. When a sauce breaks, it separates and curdles, which looks rather unappetizing. (If the sauce does break, don’t worry. Here’s how to save a broken sauce.)

3. Stage

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parsley and remaining mozzarella. Editor’s Tip: Everything up to this point can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to three days. Store the cheese sauce and ricotta mixture in separate containers.

4. Stage

Spread one-quarter of the cheese sauce into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Start the layers by placing three lasagna noodles in the dish. Layer with half of the ricotta mixture, half of the spinach, half of the cubed cooked chicken and one-quarter of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers, adding noodles, ricotta mixture, spinach, cooked chicken and cheese sauce. Finish the lasagna with a layer of the remaining noodles and cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.

5. Stage

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the lasagna is heated through. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before slicing.