Spicy Vodka Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups — ie your new September hyperfixation. I know lasagna can sound like a project, but this roll-up version is way easier — and honestly, more fun. Think vodka sauce meets ricotta chicken, all wrapped in cozy pasta perfection.

for the sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
6oz can tomato paste
28oz can whole tomatoes
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup vodka
⅓ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

for the assembly + filling:

1 16oz container whole milk ricotta
¼ cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (you can use rotisserie chicken here)
1 (8.8 oz) package *fresh* lasagna sheets (6 sheets; cut each in half lengthwise to make 12)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Make the sauce: in a large pot, melt the butter on medium heat then add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and sauté for 8 minutes until the onion has softened, but not browned. If the onions are getting browned, lower the heat to medium-low where needed. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add the canned tomatoes and stir to combine, scraping up any brown bits as you go. Cover with a lid and simmer on medium low heat for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce into a blender. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds then transfer back to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and vodka and cover with a lid. Bring to a light simmer at medium low heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Season to taste and set aside.
Make the filling: add the whole milk ricotta, heavy cream, garlic, basil, salt, ½ cup shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup grated parmesan to a large mixing bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
Assemble: To the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish, add ½ cup of spicy vodka sauce and spread evenly with a spoon. To assemble the lasagna roll ups, add about 1 ½ tablespoons of the ricotta filling to each of the 12 rolls spreading end to end then sprinkle with 1/3 cup chicken and roll them up, tucking in any stray pieces as you go. Line them up 3 rolls per row, 4 columns total. Cover the lasagna roll ups with the remaining spicy vodka sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

*Make-Ahead: You can assemble this dish up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake, covered, at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10–25 minutes, until heated through and bubbly.

Spicy Vodka Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups