Recipe: Green Chili Chicken Lasagna

Move over red sauce! This is a Southwest take on a classic dish we all know and love: lasagna! The chopped green chilies give this dish a slight bite, while the creamy yogurt-based salsa verde and ricotta cool it off. Top it off with savory Monterey Jack cheese and you'll see clean plates at the the end of dinner. For another fun lasagna twist, check out our Pizza Lasagna Rolls and Skillet Cheater Lasagna!

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Recipe: Green Chili Chicken Lasagna

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: 9 servings
Serving size: 1/9th of recipe (3x4-inch square)

Ingredients

• 9 whole grain lasagna noodles, dry
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 pound raw)
• 1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 (10-ounce) can salsa verde
• 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese

Instructions

1. If starting with raw chicken: Place the chicken in a pot large enough to hold it all, and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken by about 1-2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. When the water comes to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reads 165ºF.
3. Using tongs, remove the chicken and reserve on a plate. When it is cool enough to touch, shred it and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
5. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions for al dente, and make the chicken mixture while the lasagna is cooking.
6. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the shredded chicken, the yogurt, salsa verde, both cans of green chiles, the cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper, to taste.
7. Spread about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish, just enough so the noodles do not stick to the bottom of the dish.
8. Layer 3 lasagna noodles, ⅓ of the chicken mixture, ½ cup of ricotta, and ¼ cup shredded cheese, and repeat.
9. After the second layer is complete, layer the last 3 lasagna noodles, and the last ⅓ of the chicken mixture (no more ricotta cheese). Top with ½ cup of shredded cheese, and bake for 30 minutes, or until warmed through and the sides are bubbling.
10. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, and additional cilantro as desired.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1/9th of recipe (3x4-inch square))
Calories: 247
Calories from fat: 60
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 46mg
Sodium: 502mg
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 23g
WWP+: 7
SmartPoints: 7

3.1 The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.