Four Cheese-Chicken Lasagna

By MooK

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 28 -ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• For the lasagna:
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound lasagna noodles (not no-boil)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 bunches kale (preferably Tuscan kale), stems removed, leaves finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 15 -ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups grated asiago cheese (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

Step 1

Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the chicken and cook until browned, turning, 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups water, the tomatoes, bay leaves, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 50 minutes. Break up the chicken with a spoon. Cook until thickened, 20 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

Prepare the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Drain the noodles and drizzle with olive oil; set aside.

Meanwhile, place the kale in a large microwave-safe bowl; add 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until tender, 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze dry, then return to the bowl. Stir in the eggs, ricotta, half of the parmesan and the parsley. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss the mozzarella, asiago and the remaining parmesan in a separate bowl.

Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles, overlapping them slightly. Cover with half of the kale mixture, then 2 more cups sauce. Sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat the layers (noodles, kale mixture, sauce, mozzarella mixture). Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce and the remaining mozzarella mixture. Set on a baking sheet.

Loosely cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden and bubbly, about 25 more minutes. Let stand 30 minutes before serving.