Maple Chipotle BBQ Chicken Lasagna!

Alrighty, you’ve asked and now you shall receive. Here’s the recipe for the BBQ Chicken Lasagna!

Maple Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, minced
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
2 Chipotles packed in Adobo, rinsed and seeded*
½ cup Ketchup
½ cup Maple Syrup
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 tsp Ground Allspice
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Stir in chipotles, ketchup, syrup, broth, vinegar and allspice. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly.
Strain sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

BBQ Chicken Lasagna

6 Chicken Thighs, with skin*
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
6 Lasagna Noodles, cooked al dente
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
2 Eggs
2 Cup Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
Maple Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Coat chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 F. Remove and allow chicken to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.
In a bowl combine Ricotta, eggs and 1 cup of the cheese. Set aside.
Once the chicken is cool, remove and discard skin. Shred the chicken meat off the bone, and add meat to BBQ sauce.
Lay 3 cooked lasagna noodles on the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover with ½ of the cheese mixture. Next, add ½ of the BBQ sauce mixture, followed by ½ of the remaining cheese. Repeat this procedure to complete lasagna assembly.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Practically everyone I have cooked this for has fallen in love with the non-traditional twist on lasagna. Kudos to my bro: this idea stemmed from a BBQ shredded pork lasagna he made for me one night a few years ago!

Tips:
*Chipotles are smoke dried jalapeno peppers. You can find canned chipotles in adobo sauce in some grocery ethnic sections. If you can’t find any, substitute 1 tsp chipotle powder, which can be found in the spice aisle. It still has that smoky flavor of chipotles that really makes this sauce.
*Yes, by all means, substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts. However, keep in mind that you will want to poach them instead of roasting them to preserve moisture.
*Feel free to pump up this recipe however you want! Add some fresh roasted corn, or wilted spinach. Let me know it you have any other ideas!