This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Forget traditional lasagna, this zucchini lasagna is perfect for summer and will make you melt with pleasure. Imagine savory layers of tender zucchini, melting cheeses and fragrant tomato sauce: the perfect gourmet dish for a light meal on a hot summer's day.
💙 Why you'll love them
- A light, summery alternative to traditional lasagna.
- They're super-simple to make: just pre-cook the zucchini strips for a few minutes in the oven, pre-cook the chicken and place all the ingredients in a dish before finishing cooking in the oven.
- They are seasonal and gluten-free.
- They can be kept for several days, making them ideal for batch cooking.
🍗 Ingredients
These are the main ingredients, and the quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Zucchini: it's in peak season from May to October, so make the most of it!
- Basil pesto: you can make your own or buy it ready-made.
- Chicken: I recommend chicken fillets or cutlets.
- Tomato sauce for the base of the dish: you can choose plain, basil, arrabiata, etc...
- Cherry tomatoes: enjoy them from June to October!
- Cheeses: I use a mix of ricotta, block Parmesan (which I grate myself, it's so much better) and grated mozzarella.
- Garlic - if you want to choose your garlic carefully so you do not encourage the slavery of Chinese prisoners, read my Eco Tips on the subject.
- White or yellow onion, to lightly flavor the sauce.
- Italian seasoning
- Herbs: basil (fresh is best) and oregano (fresh, dried or frozen).
✅ Vegan and dairy-free version
- To make this recipe vegan, replace the chicken with the meat substitute (tempeh, seitan, tofu, etc...) of your choice, use a vegan Basil Pesto and replace the cheeses with the plant-based ones you like.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free ricotta and mozzarella cheeses (yes, they do exist). And replace the Parmesan with any vegetable-based cheese you like.
👩🏻🍳 The chef's tip
It's really important to pre-cook the zucchini strips: that's what's going to prevent them from giving off too much water and leaving you with a floaty lasagna.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
As they can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the fridge in a Tupperware, yes, you can make them in advance!
A small green salad will be perfect to accompany them, light and refreshing!
I recommend a Chianti, Barbera d'Alba, or Rosso di Montepulciano, red wines that pair perfectly with Italian dishes featuring tomatoes. For French wines, a Côtes du Rhône or a Ventoux can work very well too. If you prefer rosé, opt for a Provence rosé, as its freshness complements Mediterranean flavors. Finally, if you're a white wine enthusiast, Vermentino would be delicious with this dish.
❄️Storage
Once cooled, place the zucchini lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge. This means you can keep them for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, pop them in the oven at 300°F/150°C for a few minutes, or in the microwave.
☀️ Other summer delights
If you make these zucchini lasagna, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!
📖 Recette
Zucchini lasagna with chicken
Ingredients
- 2.6 lbs zucchini
- 10 tablespoons pesto
- 1 lbs chicken
- 1 ¾ cups tomato sauce
- 3 ⅓ cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3 ¼ cups mozzarella
- 2 large garlic cloves
- ½ red onion
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 355°F/180°C in convection mode. Cut your zucchini into thin slices (with or without a mandoline). Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and in an ovenproof dish, put your cherry tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic and onion, then sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Once translucent, add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Line the bottom of your lasagna dish with this mixture.
- Use the same pan to cook the chicken for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the ricotta and Parmesan. Then use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Now, for the assembly: add the zucchini slices on the tomato sauce, a bit of pesto, half of the shredded chicken, the cheese mixture, and the roasted cherry tomatoes. Finish with the mozzarella, which you shred with your hands, and the herbes de Provence. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to create a second layer.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Switch to the broil mode and let it cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes while keeping a close eye on it (it can burn very quickly).
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Répondre