Chicken and Bacon Lasagna

Here's a slightly different take on the traditional lasagna.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 65  g butter
• 75  g streaky bacon
• 1  chicken stock cube, dissolved in
• 250  ml boiling water
• 200  g spinach
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
• 1  bay leaf
• 500  g  minced chicken
•  salt and pepper
• 50  g flour, plus
• 1⁄2 tablespoon flour
• 1⁄2 lemon, juiced
• 600  ml milk
•  nutmeg
• 9  sheets  no-boil lasagna pasta
• 2  tablespoons  freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Sauté the onion in a large frying pan, with about a quarter of the butter.
2. Meanwhile, slice the bacon into chunky strips.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the spinach.
4. Return to a boil, drain and rinse with cold water.
5. Squeeze all the water out of the spinach and slice it a few times.
6. When the onion has been cooking for a few minutes, add the bacon, thyme and bay leaf.
7. Increase the heat slightly and cook until the bacon starts to crisp.
8. Add the chicken, cooking and stirring until it is nicely browned.
9. Season with salt and pepper and then sift 1/2 tbsp flour over the top, stirring until it disappears.
10. Add the lemon juice and stock.
11. Increase the heat again and stir continuously as you bring the liquid to a boil.
12. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the liquid has cooked into the chicken to make a thick and juicy sauce.
13. Stir the spinach into the sauce and remove the pan from the heat.
14. While the chicken is cooking, you can make the white sauce.
15. Melt the rest of the butter in a small pan and then stir in the flour to make a thick paste.
16. Gradually add the milk, stirring until it comes to a boil.
17. Reduce the heat and keep stirring until you have a thick, smooth sauce (about five minutes).
18. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
19. Grease a baking dish with a bit of the chicken sauce, then cover with three sheets of lasagne.
20. Spread half the chicken sauce over the lasagne along with one third of the white sauce.
21. Repeat with another layer of lasagne, the rest of the chicken, and another third of the white sauce.
22. Lay the last three lasagne sheets over the top and cover with the last of the white sauce.
23. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and cook in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
24. Take out when the top is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbling around the edge of the dish.
25. Let stand five minutes before serving.