Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan Lasagna

Ingredients

• For the Ground Chicken:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (I used extra virgin but use whatever brand/variety you like best)
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, optional (but they give a nice kick!)
• 1 lb. Ground Chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• For the Panko:
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs
• For Lasagna:
• 12 Lasagna Noodles, boiled according to package
• 2 1/2 cups Ricotta Cheese (I used whole-milk here, but you may use skim)
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce, Store-bought or Homemade will work OK
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
• Garnish:
• Fresh Basil and Parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. For the Ground Chicken:
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using); saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in ground chicken, salt, and pepper and cook - breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon - until golden brown and cooked all the way through; 6-8 minutes. Transfer the chicken mixture to a clean plate; set aside. Return empty pan to the burner - you will use this again for the panko.
3. For the Panko:
4. Heat the olive oil (in the same skillet you used for the chicken) over medium-high heat. Add in the panko bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy and golden. Remove from heat and transfer breadcrumbs to a small bowl; set aside.
5. For the Lasagna:
6. Boil 12 lasagna noodles according to package directions. While they're boiling, prepare the ricotta cheese.
7. For the Ricotta:
8. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, egg yolk, salt, pepper, parsley, and basil; set aside.
9. Assembly:
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Spread a 1/4 of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Layer with 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the chicken mixture, 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce, and 1/2 cup of the ricotta cheese, and a 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat this two more times, topping the final layer of noodles with remaining meat, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, panko bread crumbs, and finally, the Parmesan cheese, in that order. Cover the lasagna tightly with a piece of lightly oiled foil. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 more minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and basil.