Ease into fall with skillet lasagna

It only takes one whiff of anything cinnamon-scented or pumpkin pie-spiced to fool my brain into thinking fall has arrived, no matter what the meteorologists say. And once the switch has been turned on, I start thinking about bringing a little comfort back into my kitchen.

I deserve it, right? I’ve been slicing, dicing and chopping veggies all summer long to throw into salads and stir-fries. We’ve fired up the grill more times than I can count, swatting away mosquitoes with our oversized spatula in the process. I’m ready for a break, or at least a change.

And change is coming — this week it’s in the form of Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Skillet Lasagna.

Traditional lasagna can be a labor-intensive experience with pots, pans and bowls flying everywhere. One for the sauce, one or two for the filling, another to boil the noodles and a big pan to bake it all in. It can seem a little daunting. Didn’t I just say I deserve a break?

Still, when the hunger hits for a creamy, cheesy pasta dish, something must be done, and I think this skillet version is the answer I’ve been looking for.

While there’s still some effort to putting together this lasagna, it’s less work than you’d expect and it’s definitely doable on a weeknight.

The mushrooms and spinach are sautéed in a large skillet and transferred to a bowl with a generous amount of shredded cooked chicken. The ultra creamy sauce is made in the same skillet before broken lasagna noodles and the mushroom-chicken filling are added back in to cook in the sauce.

A handful of Fontina cheese is scattered over the top before a call has to be made on how you like your lasagna. Brown-topped with a few crunchy edges of pasta? That needs an assist from the oven, and just a couple of minutes under the broiler will do the trick. If you don’t want to turn on the oven (because the forecast might call for another round of heat and humidity), just cover the skillet and let it cook a few minutes more until the cheese is melted.

Either way, you’ll be treated with a pasta dish that knows how to usher in autumn and satisfy all your comfort food cravings.

Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Skillet Lasagna

Serves 4 to 6.

Looking to ease into fall with a little sure-to-please comfort food? This creamy lasagna, packed with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms and spinach, is the perfect choice for dinner on a weeknight or any night. From Meredith Deeds.

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms

1¼ teaspoon salt

5 cup baby spinach

2½ cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

8 oz. regular lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces

1 cup shredded Fontina cheese

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer ½ cup of mushrooms to a small bowl. Set aside. Add the spinach the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until wilted. Transfer the mushrooms and spinach to another bowl with the chicken. Stir to combine. Do not clean skillet.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, nutmeg, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add milk and 1 cup water. Stir to dissolve flour, increase heat to medium, and cook until gently bubbling. Add about one third of noodles, followed by half of the mushroom-chicken mixture. Repeat with another third of the noodles and the remaining mushroom-chicken mixture. Top with remaining noodles, pressing down to make sure all the noodles are covered in sauce. Cover with a lid or foil and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, or until noodles are tender when poked with a sharp knife. Remove from heat and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, followed by the reserved mushrooms.

For a browned top, heat broiler. Broil until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Or, if you don’t need the top browned, you can just cover the pan and cook over low for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.