Whenever I share a recipe from any cuisine that is not Pakistani, I make sure I do extensive research and share a version that is as closest to the original as possible. But when it comes to my Chicken Lasagne recipe, there is nothing authentic about it. A perfect illustration of Italian-desi fusion.

When I started cooking, my minced chicken lasagne was one of the most requested recipes. It was assigned to me by default at every potluck, family gathering and office party. I feel my generosity with the red sauce and cheese in every layer is what made this saucy casserole a sure hit.

My favourite part about this recipe is that it can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen till needed. In fact, I always aim to layer the night before giving the ingredients ample amount of time to meld and for the layers to settle down.

How to Make Chicken Lasagne:

Making my Chicken Lasagne is fairly simple.

Make the Red Sauce by stewing sautéed minced meat in a rich tomato sauce.

Prepare a Cheesy White Sauce by adding lots of grated cheese to your standard bechamel sauce.

Layer the lasagna in an oven proof dish. I find lasagne sheets that do not require any boiling save a lot of time and effort.

Bake Lasagne covered for 20-25 minutes and uncovered with the top grill on until the top is a nice golden colour.

Ingredients:

Red sauce:

• Oil 2 tbsp.
• Minced Chicken 500g
• Onion 1 large
• Garlic 4-5; minced
• Salt to taste
• Pepper ½ tsp.
• Red Chilli Flakes ½ tsp.
• Cayenne Pepper ½ tsp.
• Bay Leaf 2
• Mixed Italian Herbs 1 tsp.
• Chicken Stock Cube 1
• Tomatoes 2-3; chopped
• Tomato Sauce or Chilli Garlic Sauce ½ cup
• Sugar ½ tsp. (optional)

White sauce:

• Butter 2 tbsp.
• All Purpose Flour 2 tbsp.
• Milk 1 litre
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 cup
• Oregano ½ tsp.
• Salt to taste
• White Pepper ½ tsp.

Chicken Lasagne:

• Lasagne Sheets 12-15 (prepared according to package instructions)
• Prepared Red Sauce 2 cups
• Prepared White Sauce 2 cups
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 cup
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 1 cup
• Oregano ½ tsp.

Instructions:

Start by making the red sauce. Sauté onion in oil until translucent. Add minced chicken along with garlic and sauté until meat changes colour and water begins to dry out. Add all spices, chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce along with 1 cup of water. Simmer on low heat for 40 minutes till an hour. The red sauce should have a slightly thick consistency. Discard bay leaf and keep aside until needed.

To make the white sauce melt butter in a pan and sauté flour for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove pan from heat and gradually add cold milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Once all the milk is added return pan to heat and continue stirring. As the sauce begins to thicken add grated cheese, salt, white pepper, and oregano. Adjust seasoning to preference and keep aside as soon as the sauce reaches desired consistency.

To assemble lasagne, grease an oven proof dish with oil. Spread a few tablespoons of white sauce at the bottom of dish. Arrange lasagne sheets on top. Follow the following steps

• Lasagna Sheets
• Red Sauce
• White Sauce
• Lasagna Sheets
• Shredded Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese
• Lasagna Sheets
• Red Sauce
• White Sauce
• Lasagna Sheets
• Shredded Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese

Spread white sauce on the topmost layer. Top with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Bake covered in a preheated oven for 25 minutes and uncovered with the grill on for 10 minutes or until top is golden brown. Allow the lasagne to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.