Chicken and vegetable lasagne

Chicken and vegetable lasagne

Chicken and vegetable lasagne
  • High protein
  • Low phosphate
  • Low potassium
  • Low salt
  • Main meal
  • European
  • 2 hours or less
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This recipe is a great source of protein and is full of added goodness from the vegetables.

Chef

Lizzie Morey
Lizzie Morey

Kidney Kitchen Chef

A healthy twist on a classic lasange, this delicious recipe is perfect for the whole family.

Ingredients

300g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, diced

2 small or 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

9 dried lasagne sheets

1 tablespoon olive oil

100g carrots, peeled and finely diced

100g spinach

White sauce

20g cornflour

25g unsalted butter

150ml chicken stock made with ¼ of a zero-salt chicken stock cube

300ml milk

Ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

40g grated mozzarella

Dressing

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Ground black pepper

To serve

200g mixed salad leaves

Method

  1. Step 1

    Make the white sauce by melting the butter in a small pan over a medium heat and then whisk in the cornflour and nutmeg, cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk and chicken stock whilst continuously whisking to avoid any lumps. Keep over a medium heat until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat and cook the chicken until it is browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and cook the onion and carrot until soft, adding in the garlic and oregano and cook for a further 2 minutes. Put the spinach leaves into a separate saucepan and pour a little boiling water over the top. Simmer for 1 minute, or until all the spinach is wilted, then remove from the heat. Drain the spinach using a colander, then rinse with cold water and squeeze out the excess water. Add the tomatoes, spinach and chicken to the frying pan with carrots and onion, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 6. Spread a third of the white sauce at the bottom of a baking dish, topped with half of the chicken mix. Place 4 ½ sheets of lasagne topped with another third of the white sauce and rest of chicken mix. Followed by remainder of lasagne and topped off with white sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella. Cook for 40 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a bowl and whisking together.

  5. Step 5

    Remove the lasagne from the oven and serve with the mixed salad and dressing.

Food facts

Serving sizes are based on adult portions. Here is a guide for children:

Toddler (age 1-4): ¼ adult portion

Young child (age 5-9): ½ adult portion

Older child (age 10-13): ¾ adult portion

Teenagers (14+): 1 adult portion

Some children do have bigger appetites than others. You child’s portion may need to be changed to fit their typical diet if you think the recommended serving sizes are too large or small. We would advise speaking with your dietitian prior to increasing the serving size if your child has struggled to manage potassium or phosphate.

The lasagne sheets are the main source of carbohydrate in this recipe, and the value has been provided for those who have been trained in insulin adjustment.

Despite the use of some high potassium ingredients, such as spinach and tomatoes, this recipe is low in potassium, when following the quantities in the ingredients, the cooking method and the serving sizes. Therefore, suitable for those advised to lower potassium in their diet.

This recipe is also low in phosphate, however it does contain some phosphate, mainly provided by the chicken, milk and cheese, therefore if you have been prescribed a phosphate binder you should take as directed. To lower the phosphate further, you could consider reducing the quantity of cheese in the recipe.

This recipe is high in protein, therefore suitable for those advised to eat more protein, such as those receiving dialysis. If you have been advised to eat less protein then you may wish to reduce the chicken quantity to 150g and try adding more vegetables like courgette, carrots and broccoli.

If you need to gain weight, have a growing child who needs more calories, or have a poor appetite, you can add more butter to make the white sauce or use whole milk to increase the calories.

Use gluten-free lasagne

Consider using 300-400g tofu or soya meat to replace the chicken for a vegetarian option.

Consider using non-dairy alternatives for butter, milk and cheese.

Consider using wholewheat lasagne sheets for healthier option.

This recipe has been kept as low in cost as possible.

Once cooked and cooled, this recipe can be stored in the fridge and reheated the following day. Ensure it is piping hot when reheating.

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