Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna
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This Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna features lean ground chicken, lasagna noodles, spinach, fresh basil, a vibrant red pesto tomato sauce, and plenty of cheese in an easy one pan meal! It’s high in protein, so flavorful, and much easier than making lasagna the traditional way!
About This Recipe
I’m a big fan of one pan meals and this Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna is in the list of my top three favorite one pan meal recipes of all-time! It’s easy to make on a weeknight, full of vibrant flavors, and so satisfying and comforting!
I’ve previously shared recipes for a basic Easy Skillet Lasagna and Skillet Vodka Sauce Lasagna before. This one follows the same cooking method but features a red pesto-enhanced tomato sauce that is full of delicious, spicy and savory flavors! Thanks to using lean ground chicken and cottage cheese instead ricotta, this is a high protein lasagna dinner!
It’s ready in about 45 minutes from start to finish and no tedious layering is required like with a classic lasagna. The shallots, garlic, chicken, sauce and broken up lasagna noodles all get cooked in the pan over the stovetop. As for the mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese topping, you can either melt it directly in the pan or broil in the oven to get that browned, bubbly cheesy topping.
Or if you’re making this for meal prep, transfer to individual portioned dishes (as shown in the pictures) and top with the cheeses before broiling. This way, you can easily reheat a portion for an easy dinner during the week!
Why I love This Red Pesto Skillet Lasagna
- One pan meal = less cleanup!
- High protein – 44.7 grams protein per serving.
- Ready in 45 minutes inclusive of prep time.
- Great for meal prep and freezer-friendly.
- Vibrant flavors, spicy, filling and comforting!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Fresh veggies and aromatics: I used Asian red shallots (substitute regular shallots/eschalots or red onion, or yellow onion), garlic, fresh red chilies and baby spinach. I like using Thai Bird’s Eye for a spicy kick but any hot red chilies will work. Substitute the baby spinach with baby kale if desired.
- Lean Ground Chicken: I used homemade minced chicken breast that I made by pulsing chicken breast chunks in my food processor. Store-bought lean ground chicken is fine to use and convenient too.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: To cook the chicken.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness to the sauce.
- Red Pesto: My favorite store-bought jarred red pesto (pesto rosso) is from Marks & Spencer (M&S). It’s made with tomato puree, extra virgin olive oil, sundried tomatoes, red peppers, pine nuts/kernels, garlic, cashew nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheese. The tomato and garlic flavors really shine through in this pesto and it’s delicious in my Creamy Red Pesto Pasta with Chicken as well as in sandwiches! Use any high-quality red pesto you love, either store-bought or homemade.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Use your favorite kind! Mine is Waitrose’s Italian Chopped Tomatoes with Olive Oil & Garlic. Canned crushed tomatoes would also work if you prefer a smoother lasagna sauce without any tomato pieces.
- Tomato Passata: Known as strained tomatoes or tomato purée in the USA. Comes in cartons or large glass bottles. It’s different from tomato sauce which has seasonings. Passata is a smooth and silky tomato sauce that’s made by crushing tomatoes without the seeds and skin. The only other ingredient besides tomatoes might be salt.
- Chicken Broth: Adds more flavor than water. I love using Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base along with water to make an instant homemade chicken broth. It adds extra flavor and oomph that store-bought stock cubes or broth from a carton doesn’t have. Plus, you can use it to make exactly how much broth you need instead of open up a large carton and have to figure out what to do with leftovers! Substitute with homemade or store-bought chicken stock or broth.
- Spices and Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, dried mint, ground cayenne, and crushed red pepper chili flakes to season the tomato pesto chicken lasagna meat sauce.
- Lasagna Noodles: We’ll break up traditional lasagna noodles (not the no-cook/no-boil type) into pieces and cook them in the sauce. You can use wholewheat lasagna noodles if desired.
- Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: Adds more protein and keeps things lighter than if we were to use ricotta. I used 3% cottage cheese but you could also use 2% low-fat or 4% whole milk cottage cheese too.
- Mozzarella Cheese: I used freshly grated low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese from a block but a high-quality shredded mozzarella cheese from a bag like Tillamook Low Moisture Part-Skim Farmstyle Shreds would work if you’re in a rush.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese): Again, freshly grated is preferred since it always tastes fresher and melts better than store-bought pre-shredded cheeses. But you can use a high-quality shredded parmesan from a bag for convenience.
- Fresh Basil: Adds sweet, herbaceous flavors and enhances the red pesto flavor. Or use chopped fresh parsley instead.
Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna
This Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna features lean ground chicken, lasagna noodles, spinach, fresh basil, a vibrant red pesto tomato sauce, and plenty of cheese in an easy one pan meal! It’s high in protein, so flavorful, and much easier than making lasagna the traditional way!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 small / 52-57 grams Asian Red Shallots (or use a regular shallot/eschalot) – finely chopped
- 6 cloves / 30 grams Garlic – minced
- 1–10 pieces / 3-30 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety will work, omit for milder dish – note 1*) – finely chopped
- ¾ cup / 84 grams freshly grated Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese (or use store-bought shredded cheese)
- 1 ounce / 28 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or use store-bought shredded Parmesan cheese)
- 9 ounces / 250 grams (12 pieces) Lasagna Noodles (use gluten-free lasagna noodles if needed) – broken into 4 pieces each
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1.1 pounds / 500 grams Lean Ground Chicken (I used homemade minced chicken breast)
- ½ TSP Kosher Salt (to season the chicken)
- 1 tablespoon / 14 grams Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup / 125 grams Red Pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 (14-ounce) can / 400 grams canned Diced Tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes, I used Italian chopped tomatoes with olive oil & garlic)
- ¾ cup / 200 grams Tomato Passata (known as strained tomatoes or tomato purée in the USA)
2 cups / 500 milliliters Chicken Broth (I used 2 teaspoons/12 grams Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base dissolved in 2 cups of hot water) - ¾ – 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mint
- ½ – 2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- ½ – 1 teaspoon ground Cayenne, to taste
- ¾ cup / 200 grams Low-Fat Cottage Cheese (I used 3%, or use 2% or 4% whole milk cottage cheese)
- ⅓ cup / 14 grams fresh Basil Leaves – finely sliced
- To Serve: Sliced fresh Basil Leaves or Parsley
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the shallots, garlic and red chilies (if using) as indicated in the ingredients section. Use a block grater to grate the part-skim mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Break each lasagna noodle sheet into 4 pieces.
Red Pesto Chicken Skillet Lasagna:
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large deep edged skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the clumps with your spatula, until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent – about 40-50 seconds. Then add the garlic and chilies and sauté for another 30-40 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the red pesto: Add the red pesto and sauté for a minute to combine.
- Build the sauce. Add the canned diced tomatoes, passata, chicken broth, and all of the seasonings – ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried mint, ½-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, and ½-1 teaspoon ground cayenne. Stir to combine.
- Add the lasagna noodles: Add the broken lasagna noodles and evenly spread them out in the pan, making sure to submerge them in the sauce.
- Simmer: Bring the sauce up to a boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-13 minutes, uncovering to stir every 5 minutes to prevent the lasagna noodles from sticking to the pan, until the lasagna pieces are al-dente and tender.
- Mix in the cooked chicken: Add the cooked ground chicken and mix briefly to combine.
- Add the cottage cheese: Stir in the cottage cheese until evenly combined – about 1 minute.
- Add the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and mix until just starting to wilt – 1 minute.
- Stir in the basil: Add the sliced basil and mix to combine.
- Top with cheeses:
- (OPTION 1) If you prefer not to switch on the oven, scatter the mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese evenly over everything. Switch off the heat and cover the pan for 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.
- (OPTION 2) Alternatively, if you’d like the cheese to brown a little and become bubbly, divide into individual meal prep dishes (optional), then top evenly with the cheeses. Broil for 3-4 minutes in the oven or bake at 375°F/190°C for 9-11 minutes. If using an oven-safe pan, you can scatter the cheese on top of the lasagna and then place in the oven to broil.
- Serve: Let the lasagna cool for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with more sliced basil and serve.
Equipment
Analon 5-Quart Deep Large Sauté Pan
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Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
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- Fresh Red Chilies. To make this milder, leave out the fresh red chilies or use less. Also use less or omit the crushed red pepper chili flakes and ground cayenne.
- Nutritional information is approximate and will vary with ingredients substitutes and the brands you use. The nutrition information in the recipe card is based on dividing into 5 servings. If dividing into 4 servings, see the section on serving size in the post below for the relevant nutrition information.
- Check out the full article for ingredient notes and substitutions, storage and reheating, tips on customizing this recipe, and more!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe
- Calories: 571
- Sugar: 10.6g
- Sodium: 1247.2mg
- Fat: 20.8g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 50.6g
- Fiber: 4.9g
- Protein: 44.7g
- Cholesterol: 96.5mg
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Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Choose the right skillet before cooking. You’ll need a large deep skillet for cooking but make sure it is oven-safe if you’ll be broiling the cheese directly in the pan to brown it and make it bubbly. A cast iron pan or even a Dutch oven would be good options. This way you can keep it a one pan/pot meal and avoid having to transfer to a baking dish or individual containers.
- Stir frequently. To ensure the lasagna noodles cook evenly and don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, stir often during simmering. That said, a little sticking and slightly charred lasagna noodles is delicious in my opinion. But burnt pasta is not!
- Use a store-bought red pesto you love the taste of for the best flavor. Using fresh pesto over jarred pesto would be more flavorful but jarred works perfectly fine too if you use one you love the taste of.
- Add more water or broth if needed. If you find that the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid during simmering but is not fully cooked, add a little extra water and continue cooking until al-dente.
- Blend the cottage cheese. Depending on the brand, the small curds may not completely melt. For a smoother sauce like in my High Protein Chicken Taco Pasta, blend the cottage cheese in a small portable blender like the Ninja Blast, a food processor, or a normal sized high-speed blender.
- Adjust spice level to your preference. Use more or less fresh red chilies, crushed red pepper chili flakes, and ground cayenne to tailor this dish to your heat level preference.
- Use rotisserie chicken. To save cooking time, use pulled rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or homemade cooked shredded chicken. Stir it in to heat through when you would add the cooked ground chicken back into the pan.
- Use a different protein. Lean ground beef or turkey would taste great too!
- Use ricotta. For a more luxurious skillet pesto lasagna, stir in whole milk ricotta instead of cottage cheese. If you’d like a smoother sauce, use whipped ricotta. Or use low-fat ricotta if preferred.
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free lasagna noodles. Barilla gluten-free lasagna noodles, and Jovial (brown rice-based lasagna) or Chickapea (made with chickpeas and lentils) are some great options. You’ll need to adjust the simmering time as they tend to cook quicker than regular lasagna noodles.
- Dairy-free. Use a vegan red pesto, lactose-free cottage cheese, vegan parmesan and a plant-based mozzarella cheese.
- Vegetarian: Use a plant-based meat substitute that crumbles such and Beyond Beef or Impossible Meat. Alternatively, add veggies like diced mushrooms, carrots, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, etc. Also, use a plant-based Parmesan cheese without rennet.
- Vegan: Same as for making it dairy-free and vegetarian.
How to Make Red Pesto Chicken Lasagna Skillet – Step-by-Step
Cook the ground chicken with a big pinch of kosher salt in extra virgin olive oil in a large deep skillet. (image 1). Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. Melt the unsalted butter in the same pan and sauté the shallots, garlic and red chilies (image 2). Add the red pesto and mix to combine (image 3).
Pour in the canned diced tomatoes, passata, chicken broth, and stir in all of the seasonings (image 4). Add the broken pieces of lasagna noodles (image 5) and spread evenly, making sure to submerge them in the sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower the heat. Simmer for 10-13 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking (image 6).
Once the lasagna is al-dente, add the cooked ground chicken and mix briefly to combine (image 7). Add the cottage cheese and mix to combine (image 8). Next, stir in the baby spinach (image 9) until just starting to wild. Add the basil (image 10) and mix to combine.
You have two options for the cheese topping:
- Stovetop: If you prefer not to turn on the oven, scatter the shredded mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top of the lasagna directly in the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan for 5 minutes to allow the cheeses to melt.
- Oven: If using an oven-safe pan, scatter the cheese on top. Then place in the oven and broil for a few minutes. Alternatively, and as shown in the photos, divide the lasagna into individual meal prep dishes and evenly top each dish with both cheeses (image 11). Broil for 3-4 minutes in the oven or bake at 375°F/190°C for 9-11 minutes (image 12).
Garnish with more sliced fresh basil and enjoy!
A Note on Serving Size
You can divide this red pesto skillet lasagna into 4 hearty servings or into 5 servings depending on your needs and preference.
If dividing into 5 servings, the macros for each serving is as follows:
- Calories: 571
- Protein: 44.7 grams
- Carbohydrate: 50.6 grams
- Fat: 20.8 grams
- Fiber: 4.9 grams
If dividing into 4 servings, the macros for each serving is as follows:
- Calories: 713
- Protein: 55.9 grams
- Carbohydrate: 63.2 grams
- Fat: 25.9 grams
- Fiber: 6.1 grams
Note that this is an approximate estimate based on the brands and products I used. If using different brands and ingredient substitutes, the nutrition information will vary.
What to serve with pesto lasagna?
The serving size for this red pesto sauce lasagna is generous and satiating whether you portion it out into 4 or 5 servings! Each serving will have 40+ grams protein but if you’d like to have more fiber with this meal, you can serve with a simple side salad or sautéed/steamed veggies. It would also taste great with some garlic bread on the side if you’re extra hungry!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container or multiple meal prep containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Transfer the lasagna to freezer-friendly containers (as shown in the pictures) and cool completely. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on high or until hot throughout. It helps if you stab the lasagna a few times with a fork, especially in the center of the dish, so that heat can penetrate throughout when reheating.
If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge then pierce with a fork and reheat for 3-4 minute on high in the microwave. Garnish with basil or parsley after reheating for so that the fresh herbs don’t taste bitter.
FAQs
Yes, but you’ll need to make a few adjustments. No-boil lasagna noodles take a shorter time to cook than regular lasagna noodles so you’ll need less chicken broth. Reduce the amount of broth to 1.75 cups and adjust the cooking time so that they don’t become soggy and overcooked. If the liquid is absorbed and they aren’t fully cooked, you can add more water if needed. Please note that I’ve only tested this recipe with traditional lasagna noodles, not no-boil.
Yes! Penne, shells, fusilli, rigatoni, paccheri mezze or pipette are some great options. Note that the cooking time will need to be adjusted for different pasta shapes.
This recipe was designed using red pesto but stay tuned for a green pesto skillet lasagna recipe in the future!
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