Spinach, ricotta and chicken lasagne – Leah Itsines Healthy Meals for Busy People.

When life is busy, eating well can often feel like one more thing to squeeze into an already packed day. In Healthy Meals for Busy People, bestselling author and food creative Leah Itsines makes it easier with more than 100 achievable recipes created for real households and demanding schedules.
Featuring express dinners, one-pot meals, batch-cooking ideas and clever recipes that can be transformed throughout the week, the book is designed to save time and money without pushing healthy eating to the bottom of the list. This recipe is a taste of Leah’s practical approach to keeping yourself and the family well fed, even when life is running at full speed.

SERVES 6
PREP TIME 30 minutes
COOK TIME 1 hour

Lasagne is one of those dishes that everyone loves. This is great to make when feeding a lot of people. It reheats so well too – perfect for leftovers.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) English
spinach, washed and roughly
chopped
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups (300 g) shredded
barbecue chicken
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (20 g) melted
butter
4 cups (1 kg) napoletana sauce
(store-bought or made from
scratch, see page 103)
8-12 lasagne sheets
1 cup (100 g) grated parmesan
cheese
1½ cups (190 g) grated
mozzarella cheese

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan forced.

2.    Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 6–8 minutes or until translucent.

3.    Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes or until golden in colour and fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

4.    Add the spinach, ricotta, egg, chicken and mustard to the onion mixture. Stir well to combine thoroughly.

5.    Season with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and mix to combine

6.     Brush the bottom of a large baking dish with the melted butter. Add a ladle of napoletana sauce, spreading it to cover the bottom of the dish.

7.     Follow this with a layer of the spinach and ricotta mixture, then a lasagne sheet. Add another ladle of napoletana sauce and a handful of parmesan cheese.

8.    Continue to alternate layers of napoletana sauce, spinach and ricotta mixture, parmesan and lasagne until all used up. Finish with the mozzarella cheese.

9.    Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover then cook for a further 10–15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden on top. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before slicing so it is able to set.

Storing instructions

Slice into individual portions and place in airtight containers for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Leahʼs notes

Fresh or dried lasagne sheets both work well in this recipe – use whatever you have at home.

Images and text from Healthy Meals for BUSY People by Leah Itsines, photography by Cath Muscat except where otherwise credited. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
Photography © Cath Muscat 2026, except for the cover and pages 7, 11, 15, 56, 62, 74, 110–111, 122–123, 209 and 215 © Rob Palmer 2026.