Vertical Chicken & Vegetable Lasagna with Feta, Walnuts & Cranberry Honey Glaze

An eye-catching “standing-up” lasagna where tender chicken, sweet roasted veg ribbons, salty feta, crunchy walnuts, and a tangy-sweet cranberry honey glaze come together in every slice.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, thinly sliced (about 500 g)
• 2 cups (300 g) butternut squash, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 500 g (1.1 lb) ground chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (pantry staple)
• 2 tsp dried oregano (pantry staple)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (pantry staple)
• 2 cups (480 g) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes (pantry staple)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (pantry staple)
• 1/2 cup water (to loosen sauce)
• 200 g feta, crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (pantry staple)
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional, pantry staple)
• Extra olive oil, for the baking dish

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Heat oven & prep the dish

  Preheat oven to **200°C / 390°F (180°C fan)**. Lightly oil a **9x13 in (23x33 cm)** baking dish.

• 2

  Step 2: Season the vegetables

  Put the sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, and zucchini slices in a large bowl. Add **2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper**. Toss well so everything is lightly coated (this helps the edges roast and prevents dry spots).

• 3

  Step 3: Cook the chicken tomato sauce

  Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over **medium-high heat**. Add ground chicken and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink and starting to brown, **6–8 minutes**.

• 4

  Step 4: Make the cranberry honey glaze

  In a small saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl), combine **honey + dried cranberries + lemon juice/vinegar** with **2 tbsp water**. Warm gently **1–2 minutes** until the cranberries plump slightly and the glaze looks syrupy. Set aside.

• 5

  Step 5: Build the vertical “standing” lasagna

  This is like packing a tight row of veggie “cards” on their edges:

• 6

  Step 6: Top & cover

  Spoon remaining chicken sauce over the top, letting it drip down into the crevices. Sprinkle with **remaining feta**, then **walnuts**.

• 7

  Step 7: Bake (covered, then uncovered)

  Cover tightly with foil. Bake **35 minutes** (this steams the dense veg so it cooks through).

• 8

  Step 8: Glaze & rest

  Drizzle the warm **cranberry honey glaze** over the top. Rest **10–15 minutes** before slicing (it will hold together much better).

• 9

  Step 9: Serve

  Cut into thick slices, making sure each piece keeps those vertical veggie ribbons. Spoon any sauce from the dish over each serving.

Tips

• **Slice thickness matters:** Aim for **2–3 mm** slices. Too thick = hard to get tender before the top browns. A mandoline is ideal (watch your fingers).
• **Packing = structure:** The tighter you pack the upright stacks, the cleaner your slices will be. Don’t be shy about wedging in extra veg slices.
• **Chicken options:** Ground turkey works the same. If you only have chicken breast, finely chop it and cook like mince (it’ll be slightly less juicy).
• **Walnuts:** Toasting is optional, but if you have time, toast in a dry pan **2–3 minutes** until fragrant for bigger flavor.
• **Make-ahead:** Assemble up to **24 hours ahead**, cover and refrigerate. Bake as written, adding **5–10 minutes** to the covered bake time.
• **Serving ideas:** Great with a simple green salad (olive oil + vinegar + salt/pepper) to balance the sweetness and richness.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)