White Chicken Lasagna (Printable)
Creamy chicken and cheese layered between tender pasta with a rich white béchamel sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or poached)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy & Cheese
06 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 4 cups whole milk
10 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
→ Pasta
12 - 12 lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
→ Spices & Seasonings
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
→ Other
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and lay them flat on a clean surface to prevent sticking.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, sautéing for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and chopped spinach, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
04 - Add the shredded chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. Season with dried basil, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Toss to combine evenly, then remove from heat and set aside.
05 - In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg, then remove from heat.
06 - Spread a thin layer of the white sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce. Layer half of the chicken and vegetable mixture over the noodles, followed by one-third of the ricotta, one-third of the mozzarella, and one-quarter of the remaining sauce. Repeat with another layer of 3 noodles, the remaining chicken mixture, another third of the ricotta, another third of the mozzarella, and another quarter of the sauce. Finish with a final layer of the remaining noodles, the rest of the sauce, the remaining ricotta and mozzarella, and top with the remaining Parmesan.
07 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
08 - Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the layers to set before slicing into portions and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The white sauce is velvety and indulgent without needing a single drop of cream, just good whole milk and patience with your whisk.
- Rotisserie chicken does all the heavy lifting, so you get layers of rich flavor without spending hours prepping protein.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, maybe even better, which makes it perfect for feeding yourself all week like royalty.
02 -
- The first time I made this I sliced into it immediately and the whole thing slid apart like a landslide, those 10 minutes of resting are not optional they are the difference between a beautiful slice and a soup.
- Whisking the milk into the roux slowly is everything, if you dump it in all at once you will be fighting lumps for the next ten minutes and probably losing.
03 -
- Tent the foil slightly so it does not touch the cheese on top, otherwise you will peel off a layer of beautiful mozzarella when you remove it and that is genuinely heartbreaking.
- Grating a little extra Parmesan directly over each served slice right before eating adds a salty punch that wakes up every layer on the plate.