Butter Chicken Lasagna
Tender yogurt-marinated chicken thighs simmered in a rich, gently spiced butter chicken sauce, layered with noodles, cilantro ricotta and plenty of mozzarella. It's creamy, cozy and a little bit smoky-sweet, and it feeds a crowd.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 40 min
- Wait
- 50 min
- Total
- 3 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 1 lasagna (9×13-inch dish), 8 generous portions
Steps
Before you start
- Start the chicken marinade at least 30 minutes ahead (up to 8 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor).
- Shred the mozzarella from a block yourself if you can. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which is coated to prevent clumping.
- Kashmiri chili powder gives color with mild heat. If you use cayenne or hot chili powder instead, use only half as much.
- Read the timing: the sauce simmers while you boil the noodles and mix the ricotta, so have everything measured before you start the sauce.
- Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and put a rimmed baking sheet on it to catch drips.
Marinate the chicken
- In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, grated ginger, 2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric and 1 tsp kosher salt until smooth.
- Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours).
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a thick, orange-red marinade
Tip: Cut the pieces uniformly so they cook at the same rate.
Sear the chicken
- Heat the neutral oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Lift half the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and spread it in a single layer.
- Sear 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until browned in spots.
- It will not be cooked through.
- Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Leave the browned bits in the pan.
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Ready when: Chicken is browned on the edges with charred spots, still raw inside
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. Overcrowded chicken steams and turns gray instead of browning.
Build the flavor base
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the ghee and let it melt, then add the chopped onion and ½ tsp of the sauce salt (taken from the 1½ tsp).
- Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, for 8 to 10 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.
- Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, 1 tbsp garam masala, cumin and 2 tsp chili powder, and stir constantly for 1 minute until the paste darkens to brick red.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and golden; the spices smell toasty and the paste has darkened
Tip: If the spices start to stick or smell scorched, splash in 2 tbsp water and lower the heat.
Simmer the sauce
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, sugar and the remaining 1 tsp sauce salt.
- Bring to a bubble, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 12 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Stir in the cream, the seared chicken with any plate juices, and the fenugreek leaves if using.
- Simmer uncovered 10 minutes more.
- Start the noodles (next step) during this simmer.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that closes slowly; a chicken piece reads 165°F (74°C) in the center
Tip: The sauce must be thick, not soupy, or the lasagna will be watery. If it's loose, simmer a few more minutes. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Boil the noodles
- Bring about 4 quarts (4 L) of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
- Add 1 tbsp kosher salt and the 9 noodles.
- Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally in the first minute, until flexible but still firm.
- They will finish cooking in the oven.
- Drain, rinse briefly under cool water, and lay in a single layer on a sheet of parchment or a baking sheet so they don't stick.
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Ready when: Noodles bend easily but are still slightly firm in the center
Tip: Don't cook the noodles fully. Slightly underdone noodles hold their shape after baking.
Mix the ricotta filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, beaten egg, ½ tsp kosher salt and the ¼ cup chopped cilantro until evenly combined and spreadable.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform, with no streaks of egg
Assemble the layersOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the lower-middle of the oven with a rimmed baking sheet on it, and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread 1 cup of the sauce (mostly sauce, with few chicken pieces) over the bottom of the 9×13-inch dish.
- Layer 1: 3 noodles side by side, half the ricotta (dollop, then spread gently), 2 cups sauce with chicken, and one-third of the mozzarella (about 1 cup).
- Layer 2: 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta, 2 cups sauce, and another third of the mozzarella.
- Layer 3: 3 noodles, all remaining sauce (about 2 cups) spread to the edges, and the remaining mozzarella.
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Ready when: Dish is full with sauce covering the top noodles completely and cheese evenly spread
Tip: Cover the top noodles fully with sauce; exposed noodle edges dry out and turn hard.
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Tent the dish with foil that has been lightly greased on the underside so the cheese doesn't stick.
- Set the dish on the baking sheet in the oven at 375°F (190°C) and bake 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling at the edges of the dish
Tip: Don't skip the baking sheet. The sauce can bubble over.
Bake uncoveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil and continue baking at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, until the cheese is melted with golden-brown spots and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- A thermometer in the center should read 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Top is golden with browned spots, edges bubble, center reads 165°F (74°C)
Tip: For deeper browning, broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching constantly.
Rest and garnish
- Transfer the dish to a wire rack and let the lasagna rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.
- Cut into 8 portions with a sharp knife and lift out with a spatula.
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Ready when: Sauce has stopped bubbling and the surface looks set; slices hold their shape
Tip: Cutting too early causes the layers to slump; the rest is worth the wait.
Good to know
Tips
- Marinate longer, up to 8 hours, for the most flavorful, tender chicken.
- Keep the sauce thick before assembling. A soupy sauce is the main cause of runny lasagna.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh, which releases water as it bakes.
- Let the lasagna rest the full 20 minutes so it slices cleanly.
Make ahead
Make the sauce with the chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Assemble the whole lasagna (unbaked) up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge, covered, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the covered baking time. Check that the center reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: cover tightly and store up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual portions well and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat portions covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes (or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes), until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C) in the center.
Substitutions
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Leaner, so cut into slightly larger pieces and don't overcook; they'll be less juicy.
- heavy cream → full-fat canned coconut cream. Gives a dairy-free sauce with a subtle coconut flavor. Use the ricotta as written or swap for a dairy-free alternative.
- ghee or unsalted butter → unsalted butter. Works equally well; a little less nutty.
- whole-milk ricotta → whole-milk cottage cheese, drained and blended or mashed. Drain in a sieve for 15 minutes first to avoid a watery filling.