August 7, 2023Grey

Should You Make A Pesto Chicken Lasagna?

Pesto Chicken? In A Lasagna? Wait…

Hey friends!

Welcome to August! Can you believe it? We’re coming to the end of the Summer, kids are going back to school, and Fall festivities will soon be in full-swing. Honestly, I can’t wait! But, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the last bits of summer, so don’t freak out!

But while you’re working on wrapping up another season, I’ll have you covered with recipes you can whip up real quick for dinner!

Which brings me to today’s review of a Pesto Chicken Lasagna. Yes, you read that correctly.

This recipe is by Josh Elkin, and you can find the recipe right-> here!

Why Pesto Chicken?

Honestly? Why not? Would this be traditional, absolutely NOT, but we’re not claiming any authenticity here. We’re here exploring flavors and findings recipes that are indeed different and the could be added into your weekly or monthly rotation. What intrigued me about this recipe was the simplicity and the fact that it was unlike any other recipes I’ve tried.

I’ve made a variety of lasagnas, including white lasagnas, but never quite like this. This recipes asks you to use some ready made products, which again, makes this very simple to prepare. If you were preparing the pesto from scratch as well as the white sauce, then yeah–it would take you a bit longer.

So going with pesto and ground chicken for this lasagna? I think the combo worked very well. It’s a pairing that works well together in my other recipes, so why not in a lasagna?

Is The Pesto Chicken Lasagna Super Decadent?

When reviewing this recipe, I was worried that it would be one of those recipes that is just…too over the top and cheesy and heavy, and just…bleh. There’s a time and place for delicious, greasy food, but not something I want to comfortably add into my recipe rotation. This recipe was surprisingly…as you’d expect from lasagna. Yes, it’s not something you make and eat every single day, or even every week, but at least consuming the lasagna wouldn’t result in a stomach ache immediately after eating.

Now, I say this as someone who gets pretty bad stomach aches if I eat something that is just a bit too..greasy. If you’re lactose intolerant and eating this lasagna, then for sure you wouldn’t feel too good after eating ;).

I hope that makes sense? Yes, it’s heavy because it’s a STACKED lasagna that has layers of cheese, cream sauce, and pasta. But the grease isn’t pooling to the point it’s not appetizing. Frankly, I had none of that. Everything baked very nicely and kept its shape.

What About The Pasta?

So the recipe calls for ready-to-bake pasta sheets, and those are the ones that I used. The only Gluten-free Lasagna sheets I was able to purchase were the read-to-bake kind. Don’t get me wrong–they’re so convenient and tasty, but if you even have the smallest part not covered by some of the filling (it happens, please don’t act shocked), it will crisp up and will sooner char than cook evenly.

My lasagna’s bottom layer was more hard pieces of lasagna than I wanted. I’d consider using a different casserole dish next time and simply using more filling per layer, but that’s just one recommendation.

So, two things I’d recommend if you’re in this situation:

  • Use fresh pasta or the kind that requires boiling first before baking. You’ll ensure that the pasta is cooked through and it will embrace that filling more
  • Use a smaller casserole dish so you can ensure every little bit of the ready-to-bake pasta is covered with a thick later of the filling

Grey’s Grade: 4.5/5

I sincerely enjoyed this recipe and even more so because I have leftovers :). I love seeing recipes that add a different spin to something that is already so very much enjoyed. Now, I wouldn’t call this authentic, but more a fusion of flavors, which I think should certainly be acknowledged. I loved that this recipe wasn’t difficult to make and that you could sub in store bought ingredients to really help speed up the process.

The only things that I would change: using pasta that is not the ready-to-bake sheets. That’s the only thing that irked me, but that may very well be the brand that I am using and even my casserole dish. So, I’ll take this upon as an execution oopsie.

However, I would add that I would have liked to see more written instructions from Josh. I’m one of those people that studies recipes before I make them, and especially before I review them. While everything seems to be in this quick to deliver format, it would still be nice to have a few sentences written out instead of just an ingredient list.

Overall, would I make this again? Yes. Do I recommend that you give it a try? For sure. I really enjoyed making this and eating this, and I sure hope you will too!

What are your favorite casserole recipes? Let me know in the comments below!

Check Out My Reviews!

If you enjoyed my review, don’t forget to like the post and leave a comment. Want more content, check out my socials!

And if you’d like to support my reviews and future subscription box reviews, consider checking out my Ko-Fi page!

Want to work together? Contact me!