Eating Leftovers and Loving My Life

Stephanie and I tried a new recipe last night and both decided it was a bit of heaven. You must try it for yourself!!

Williams-Sonoma Chicken & Artichoke Skillet Lasagna

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
each 4 to 5 oz. (125 to 155g)
1 red onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 jar (1 lb, 8 oz./684g) artichoke & lemon pasta sauce *
2 1/2 (75g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
5 1/2 oz. (170g) fresh goat cheese, crumbled
8 dried lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

*Williams-Sonoma supposedly sells this, but I could not find it on their site anywhere. It's possible that they do not sell it anymore. I picked up the recipe a few years back and forgot about it until I bought a lemon artichoke pesto at the farmers market - which is currently over and leaves me searching for a website or a location where I can buy more yummy pesto...I will try to report back.

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a large nonstick fry pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning over once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, bell peppers, salt , back pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add half of the pasta sauce and 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into small chunks. Reserve 1/4 cup (90g) of the remaining pasta sauce and stir the rest of the sauce into the pan.

Transfer half of the chicken mixture to a small bowl. Spread the remaining mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top, then sprinkle with one-third of the goat cheese. Cover with a single layer of 4 lasagna noodles. Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture, one-third of each of the cheeses and the remaining noodles. Spread the reserved 1/4 cup (90g) pasta sauce on top, making sure to coat the edges of the noodles to prevent them from drying out during baking. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses on top.

Cover the pan, transfer to the over and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 15 minutes more. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, cut into 8 pieces and serve warm. Serves 8

p.s. we improvised a little to make this more affordable. i.e had no garnish, used chicken tenderloins, and just regular parmesan cheese. I can only imagine what the suggested $9 cheese would have made. Maybe some day. :)

** I e-mailed M.C.Rossi and they said you can find their pesto at the Good Earth stores, Emigration Market, and soon Winder Farms and Smiths.

Photo by Williams-Sonoma