Because sometimes you experiment with leftover ingredients in your fridge and come up with something decadently brilliant. I love how the herbed chicken pairs so well with the rich ricotta and the almonds give the dish a nice smoky crunch that is needed with all the creaminess. The cherries add a fun pop of sweetness, which perfectly balances out all the creamy cheese. Think of it like wine and cheese – sweet and savory and probably the best combination ever!

Yield: Makes 6 lasagna rolls (recipe can easily be multiplied)

Ingredients:

• 6 lasagna noodles
• 1 chicken breast
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• 20 cherries, pitted and chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• ⅓ cup half and half
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp red chili flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup reserved cooking water
• 1 tsp salt for sauce + ½ tsp for chicken + 1 tsp for cooking water
• ½ tsp pepper for sauce + ½ tsp for chicken
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese
• ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds
• ¼ cup chopped basil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle on oregano, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven, shred with two forks and set aside. Crank the heat to 425° for later use.

Fill a large pot with water and a heaping teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add lasagna noodles. Boil the noodles for about 10 minutes (or recommended time on the package) just until al dente, stirring often so they don’t stick together. Before draining, reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water to later add to the sauce. Drain and let cool so they are easier to handle.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan on medium heat, add the butter and flour and whisk together until a nice golden roux forms, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and half and half. Turn the heat to medium-low and add in the red chili flakes, nutmeg, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, whisking every once in a while. Stir in the parmesan. Remove a ¼ cup of the sauce and place in a bowl (to mix with the chicken – explanation below). Add a ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water (more if desired) to the sauce remaining in the sauté pan and whisk until all incorporated. Keep the heat on low while we start preparing the lasagna rolls.

Lay each lasagna noodle out flat, add a heaping tablespoon of ricotta to each noodle and spread evenly over the whole noodle. In the bowl that has the ¼ cup of creamy sauce, add the chicken and the cherries. Mix until everything is lightly coated with the sauce. Evenly divide the chicken and cherry mixture onto each noodle and spread over the ricotta. Gently roll each noodle up being careful not to roll too tightly so the ingredients don’t ooze out the sides. Place the noodle rolls seam-side down in shallow baking dish. Pour the sauce from the sauté pan over everything in the baking dish and add the Swiss cheese on top. Bake everything in the 425° oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starts turning a nice, light toasty colour. Remove from the oven and serve with fresh basil and toasted almonds sprinkled on top. It’s hard to resist but be careful, it’s hot!