Baked Potato Lasagna

I've never been a huge fan of lasagna.  Something about the texture and the ricotta cheese.  I hate ricotta cheese.   I've always really wanted to like it, and I try it every once in a while to see if maybe my taste buds have changed, but alas, they have not.  To make up for my distaste for traditional lasagna, I'm always on the lookout for different lasagna recipes, in hopes that I will like them, however most of them have ricotta cheese in them.  

A few months ago, I came across a recipe by Rachel Ray, called Spinach Artichoke Potato Lasagna.  Potatoes in a lasagna?  I adore potatoes, so I just had to try it.  It turned out to be delicious, however it had ricotta cheese in it.  Ever since then, my mind has been turning with ideas for a potato lasagna minus the ricotta.  And I finally got up the nerve to try it tonight!  I figured baked potatoes are one of my favorite foods, so why not make it in to a lasagna!  This was my trial run for this recipe, and it turned out to be pretty darn good!  The only thing was that both my husband and I felt that it was missing salt, which I admit, I forgot to put in, so I would urge you to do so.  I'm excited to experiment and see where else I can take this recipe and improve upon it, Veggie Baked Potato Lasagna, Chili Baked Potato Lasagna, Pulled Pork Baked Potato Lasagna.  The possibilities are endless!  Whatever you're in the mood for!

Warning though!  This recipe is not very healthy and it did take up quite a bit of dishes in my kitchen and required a good amount of multi-tasking.  If you prep the dish by shredding the chicken beforehand and crisping the bacon, it will save you some headache in the process!  Just keep that in mind when you try it!  But it's worth it!

Baked Potato Lasagna

2 chicken breasts, shredded (I threw mine in the CrockPot)

Half a package of bacon, cooked and crumbled

4-5 large baking potatoes, sliced lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick

4 tbls. butter

3 tbls. flour

1 quart of milk (I used lowfat, but a higher fat one might make the sauce more rich)

3/4 cup of sour cream

3-4 cups of shredded cheese (I used sharp, but any kind would work)

Salt 

Pepper 

Nutmeg

Chives

Preheat the oven to 400*.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and put the potato slices in to boil for about 5 minutes.  Drain.

Mix the shredded chicken with the sour cream, salt, pepper, and about 1/2 a cup of cheese.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a sauce pan, then whisk in the flour and let it cook for a minute.  Add the milk, salt pepper and nutmeg and let the sauce thicken until it coats a spoon (anywhere from 5-10 minutes).  

When the sauce is finished, pour half of it in to a greased casserole dish.  Top with a layer of potatoes, then the chicken mixture.  Top the chicken with another layer of potatoes, then with the crumbled bacon and 1 cup to a cup and a half of cheese.  Top with a final layer of potatoes and pour the remainder of the sauce over it.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden.  Let lasagna cool for 5-10 minutes, then finish off with chopped chives.

Enjoy!