Chicken and Corn Lasagne

There is nothing more exciting that cooking something new... I guess that's why we rarely have the same dish more than twice in one year except for roasts or a naughty favourite of ours - Eggs, Beans and Chips.  Some people find this strange but that's what makes food exciting I think.  Our house is full of cookbooks, I have magazine subscriptions and I am forever on the Internet googling for new ideas.  Yes you could say I may be obsessed.  LOL!!

Tonight's dinner, Chicken and Corn Lasagne, was loosely based on a recipe for cannelloni that I found on Taste.com.au - one of my favourite food sites that I can sit and drool over for hours.  The recipe for cannelloni sounded delish but I wanted to make it an easier dish for mid week and couldn't be bother, honestly, stuffing tubes filled with mixture.  So simple decision - lasagne. 

 

Obviously I also had to tweak a few other ingredients and give it my personal take and I have to say it was really yummy.  The layers were creamy and jam packed for what looked like a small serve.  This small serve was very filling and easy to eat. 

 

A strange twist to the normal style of lasagne - it had a creamy base and a tomato top.  But let's face it chicken and corn always work well together.  They creamy rocket and leek mixture added depth in lavour which actually surprised me.  Overall, besides the traditional every one's favourite beef lasagne, this dish was brilliant.

Chicken and Corn Lasagne

(recipe adapted from Taste.com.au)

 

Serves: 8

ProPoints per Serve: 10

 

2 chicken breast fillets, trimmed

cooking spray

1 leek, halved, washed, thinly sliced

1 bunch rocket, rinsed, roughly chopped

375 grams reduced-fat ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon reduced fat canola spread

2 tablespoons plain flour

3 cups skim milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt

white pepper

430 gram can sweetcorn kernels, drained

8 sheets Latina fresh lasagne sheets

700 gram bottle Italian tomato pasta sauce

120 gram reduced fat grated tasty cheese

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place chicken in a non-stick frying pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a board and finely chop. Wipe pan clean.

 

Heat frying pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Add leek and cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Add rocket and cook for 1 minute or until just wilted. Transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool.  Mix through ricotta cheese.

 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt canola spread.  Add flour stirring to make a roux.  Gradually add milk, stirring continuously until thickened and roux is dissolved.  Add Dijon mustard.  Add chicken and corn to the white sauce mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

 

Lightly spray a large rectangle baking dish.  Place 1/3 of chicken mixture over base of dish.  Cover with one and half sheets of lasagne over mixture.  Spread half the rocket mixture over sheets.  Cover with more lasagne sheets.  Continue layering with chicken and ricotta mixtures finishing with a layer of pasta sheet on top of chicken mixture. 

 

Pour over pasta sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for a further 20 to 30 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve.

 

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)