I was looking forward to the lasagna rolls more than ever the next night, and they didn’t let me down. Shredded chicken, pesto, ricotta and mozzarella are rolled up in lasagna noodles and cooked in both bechamel and red sauce. One of the best things about this recipe is that you make just about all of the components ahead of time and simply assemble at the last minute for a really quick and tasty weeknight dinner. You could even use store-bought pesto and marinara to make things easier on yourself. Another bonus? The leftovers reheat well. I had them for lunch the following day and enjoyed them as much as the first night.
By Tracey
Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls
from Confections of a Foodie Bride
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)
- 1 cup shredded chicken
- 1 (15 oz) container of ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup pesto sauce
- 1/2-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 cup chunky marinara sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Add the butter to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Once it melts, add the flour, whisking to combine. Cook for one minute. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Raise the heat to medium-high, and continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat. Add 1/4 cup of the white sauce to the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan and spread in an even layer.
In a medium bowl, stir the chicken, ricotta, pesto, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella together. Season with salt and pepper. Working with one lasagna noodle at a time, place a heaping 1/3 cup of the filling on the noodle and spread to cover. Roll the noodle up, then place in the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling.
Pour the remaining white sauce over the lasagna rolls, then top them with the marinara sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the rolls (you don’t have to use the entire 1/2 cup remaining, but I like a lot of cheese, so I did!).
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese has browned and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan.
