Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Lasagna Food

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with racks in the center and lowest positions. Put a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips.
• Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into thirds, making 9 equal pieces (they should look like large chicken tenders). Put one sheet of plastic wrap on a clean cutting board. Put a piece of chicken in the center of the plastic wrap and top with another sheet. Pound the chicken with flat side of a meat mallet until it is very thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Whisk together the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, several grinds of black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using in a shallow dish until combined. Whisk 3 eggs with 1 tablespoon water in a second shallow dish. Whisk together the panko, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using in a third shallow dish.
• Dredge one piece of chicken in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly. Shake off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture, turning to fully coat. Let the excess egg drip off, then press the chicken firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat and packing the crumbs into any crevices. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
• Line a clean rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 pieces of breaded chicken and cook, flipping once, until the breading is golden-brown and crisp and the chicken is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain, then season with salt. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with the remaining butter, olive oil and chicken, making 3 batches total.
• Whisk the ricotta, remaining 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth and combined.
• Spoon a quarter of the tomato sauce (about 3/4 cup) into the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish and top with 4 noodles, placing them against the edges of the pan in an even layer (it's ok if they overlap). Spread a third of the ricotta mixture (about 2/3 cup) in an even layer over the noodles and top with 3 pieces of chicken. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat with another 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, 4 noodles, 2/3 cup ricotta, 3 pieces of chicken, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Finally, add another 3/4 cup tomato sauce, the remaining 4 noodles, the remaining 2/3 cup ricotta and the remaining 3 pieces of chicken. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. (It's ok if the lasagna is slightly higher than the edges of the pan.) Cover the pan tightly with nonstick aluminum foil (see Cook's Note).
• Bake until the noodles are tender and the edges are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Uncover the lasagna and bake until the cheese has completely melted and browned in spots, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.

ZUCCHINI NOODLE LASAGNA WITH ITALIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Use a mandolin on the largest setting to make zucchini noodles.
• Place zucchini on cooking sheets and bake for 10 minutes to help dry them out (DO NOT SKIP)
• Saute onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until tender and translucent. Add in ground chicken and Saute for about 5 minutes until almost fully cooked. Add in 1/2 cup marinara and cook for another 5 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking layer 1/2 cup marinara on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. When zucchini is done baking, line the bottom of the dish with one layer of zucchini noodles.
• Mix ricotta, egg white, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a large bowl. When meat mixture is done cooking add it into the bowl and mix well.
• Layer 1/2 the mixture over the zucchini noodles. Add another layer of zucchini and layer the rest of the meat mixture on top.
• Layer the last layer of zucchini noodles over the top. Next spread 1/2 -1 cup marinara over the top. Layer with 4 ounces mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.

CHICKEN PARMESAN ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Steps:

• Slice zucchini into 1/8-inch thick slices using a knife or a mandolin. Sprinkle zucchini with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. (Salting zucchini takes out a lot of the extra moisture.) After 10 minutes, blot off excess moisture with a paper towel.
• Preheat the grill to high heat and grill the slices of zucchini until lightly charred on both sides. Again, use a paper towel to blot away any excess moisture.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in flour until no clumps remain and cook another minute. Slowly pour in milk, whisking to combine as you go. Stir in poultry seasoning and salt. Bring milk to a low boil and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and cream cheese until melted, remove from heat.
• In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, spread some of the cheese sauce on bottom of dish and layer zucchini to cover. Next, spread a layer of chicken and broccoli and then top with gouda cheese. Repeat the layers until all of your ingredients are used up, making sure to top off with cheese sauce and gouda. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and then cover with foil.
• Bake 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh thyme or your favorite herbs.

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until it wilts. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, trim the ends of the zucchini. Using a knife, carefully slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/16 inch thick. If the zucchini looks watery, lay the slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture before using.
• Grate the mozzarella cheese and set aside.
• Cut the basil into a chiffonade by stacking the leaves on top of one another, rolling them tightly and then cutting across. Finely chop the parsley. In a medium bowl, combine the herbs, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the eggs, salt and pepper and stir well.
• To assemble the lasagna, place a third of the mushrooms and spinach mixture over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon a layer of marinara on top and cover with half of the zucchini strips, carefully overlapping the edges. Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture onto the zucchini and spread to distribute evenly. Sprinkle half the mozzarella on top of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat the process above, layering the mushrooms and spinach, marinara, the remaining zucchini strips, cottage cheese, and mozzarella into the dish. Top with the remaining mushrooms and spinach, followed by a final layer of marinara.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the Parmesan over the top and bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Allow to stand for 35 minutes before cutting into squares.