3 Sanderson Farms® Split Chicken Breasts
3 Sanderson Farms® Chicken Thighs
5 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
1 celery stalk, 1/2-inch sliced
3 quarts water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
6 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
3 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 cooked lasagna sheets
1. Wash chicken pieces and place them in an 8-quart stockpot. Add 3 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the diced onion, the sliced celery and water.
2. Bring temperature up to a simmer and cook 40 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 190°F.
3. Remove chicken from broth reserving 4 cups of broth. Pull chicken skin and bones off and discard. Pull chicken meat into bite size pieces. Place chicken in large bowl, cover and refrigerate.
4. Heat olive oil in the same stockpot over medium heat.
5. Add onion and celery. Cook 5 minutes.
6. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute.
7. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, Italian seasoning and the reserved 4 cups of broth. Simmer sauce for 30 minutes with lid on; stirring occasionally.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F.
9. In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set cheese mixture aside.
10. Remove chicken from refrigerator. Add 2 ½ cups of sauce to the cooked chicken pieces. Mix. Set aside. Reserve rest of sauce for topping.
11. Spray a 4.5-quart baking dish with oil. Spread ½ cup of sauce on bottom of pan.
12. To assemble chicken lasagna roll ups, place one cooked lasagna sheet on a flat work surface. Spread ½ cup cheese mixture followed by ½ cup of chicken and sauce mixture. Roll the filled lasagna sheet and place seam side down on baking dish. Repeat with the remaining lasagna sheets.
13. Spread 2 ½ cups sauce over chicken lasagna roll ups. Top with 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
14. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes and serve.
NOTE: Sauce and cheese mixture can be made a day ahead. Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups can be made a day ahead also.
Yield: 12 servings.