Creamy chicken and sundried tomato lasagne

Ingredients:

Béchamel sauce:

• 8 cups (2L) full-cream milk
• ½ onion, sliced
• 4-6 bay leaves
• Handful peppercorns
• ½  cup (125ml) butter
• ½  cup (125ml) flour
• Salt and white pepper

• 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard
• ½ block (200g) mature cheddar, grated
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) chopped chives
• Generous glug oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Handful fresh thyme
• 8 skinless chicken breast fillets, cubed
• 2 Tbsp (30ml) paprika (regular or smoked)
• Salt and milled pepper
• ½ packet (200g) Swiss chard, shredded
• 1 tub (250ml) sour cream
• 1 packet (240g) sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
• 1 batch traditional béchamel sauce 
• 1 block (400g) mozzarella, grated
• 1 box (500g) lasagne sheets

Method

1. For sauce, heat milk, onion, bay leaves and peppercorns in a saucepan for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Cover and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes.
3. Strain out aromatics.
4. Heat butter in a separate saucepan until melted, remove from heat and vigorously whisk in flour until smooth.
5. Return to stove over a low heat and pour in ½ cup (125ml) infused milk, whisking continuously.
6. Add remaining milk in batches, allowing sauce to thicken before next addition. (This will take about 10 minutes.) Season. 
7. Divide sauce in two batches. 
8. Add mustard, cheddar and chives into half of the béchamel sauce and stir until smooth and melted through to make a cheese sauce.
9. Season and set aside, covering with clingfilm directly on the surface to avoid a “skin” from forming.
10. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, garlic and thyme for 5 minutes.
11. Toss chicken cubes in paprika and season.
12. Fry chicken (in the same pan, adding more oil if needed) for 6-8 minutes or until golden.
13. Add spinach and stir until wilted, then remove pan from heat.
14. Stir through sour cream and sundried tomatoes. Season and set aside. 
15. Grease a large rectangular oven dish and arrange 4-5 lasagne sheets on the bottom.
16. Top with ½ the chicken mixture and cover with ½ the béchamel sauce.
17. Arrange another 4-5 lasagne sheets on top, cover with ½ the cheese sauce and sprinkle with half the mozzarella.
18. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with mozzarella.
19. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until golden and cooked through.
20. Serve warm.