Chicken Lasagna Florentine

This creamy, delicious chicken lasagna looks, sounds, and tastes like it takes a lot of effort to create but is really pretty simple to throw together. Bonus: you can make it ahead when you have time and then simply bake it up for an effortless dinner.

Here's the how-to:

First heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cut up two boneless, skinless chicken breast halves into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the heated skillet with garlic. Then stir-fry the chicken until no longer pink.

Remove the skillet from heat and stir in shredded Cheddar, spinach, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream.

Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions.

Then arrange three noodles in the bottom of a greased rectangular baking dish. Top with 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers 2 more times.

Finish with the filling, then top with grated Parmesan and finely chopped pecans. I only put pecans on half, to avoid complaints from the kiddos.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Chicken Lasagna Florentine

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 cups spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced

10 ¾ oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup pecans, finely chopped

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to heated skilled with garlic. Stir-fry the chicken until no longer pink. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the Cheddar, spinach, mushrooms, soup, and sour cream.
2.Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange 3 of the lasagna noodles in the dish. Top with chicken mixture. Spread evenly over the noodles. Repeat layers, ending with the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pecans.
3.Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
To make ahead: Assemble lasagna, then cover and refrigerate. Before baking, remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake according to the recipe directions.

If you're in a rush, try these time saving tricks:

*Pick up a rotisserie chicken from your grocer’s deli and chop 2 cups of the white meat, instead of cooking chicken breasts.

*Substitute frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained and canned mushrooms, also drained to cut time spent chopping fresh vegetables.

A taste tip:

*If you have an aversion or allergy to mushrooms, try adding cut-up, oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes instead.