Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 (24-oz.) jar pasta sauce
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
9-12 lasagna noodles, uncooked (depending on size of dish)
2 cups spinach, chopped
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

-Place the chicken breast in a large non-stick skillet and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

-Add 1-2 tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat.

-Add onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

-Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes.

-Add the pasta sauce and the chicken to the skillet.

-Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes while making the ricotta layer.

-In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, egg and Italian seasoning. Stir until well combined.

-In a baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the pasta sauce mixture so that it just coats the bottom of the dish. Top with one layer of lasagna noodles so that they cover the sauce completely.

-Spread one half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with one cup of chopped spinach.

-Layer with one third of the pasta sauce mixture.

-Repeat the layers again with noodles, ricotta mixture with spinach, and pasta sauce.

-The last layer will be noodles, the remaining pasta sauce and shredded mozzarella.

-Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.

-Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more.

-Let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.


Modifications I have made:

- I have "doubled" the recipe for a 9x13 pan, using twice as much of everything except the pasta sauce (I keep 1 jar).
- I have used butterfly pasta instead of lasagna noodles and I actually like it better this way. It keeps its shape but is easier to cut.
- I have used cottage cheese instead of ricotta (less fat), and I just blend up the cottage cheese with a hand mixer to make it smoother.
- I have used chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts (about 2-2.5 tenders per breast, in my calculations).

Super healthy and, while it takes some time, pretty easy to make!