Creamy White Chicken Lasagna (Printable)
Creamy layered pasta with tender chicken, spinach, and three cheeses in 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)
→ Others
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and lay flat on a clean surface to prevent sticking.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and mushrooms for 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and spinach; cook another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
04 - Add shredded chicken to the skillet, season with basil, thyme, pepper, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
05 - In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–6 minutes until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
06 - Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 3 noodles, then half the chicken mixture, 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers, finishing with a final layer of noodles, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
07 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
08 - Cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving to allow layers to set.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The white sauce is velvety and forgiving, nothing like the stress of a bubbling red sauce splattering your stove.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, maybe even better, which makes it the rare lasagna that works for lunch the whole week.
02 -
- Do not rush the béchamel by cranking the heat because scorched milk tastes bitter and there is no fixing it once it happens.
- Press down gently on each noodle layer with your palm to remove air pockets that cause the lasagna to collapse when you serve it.
03 -
- Grate a little extra Parmesan directly onto each serving plate right before eating because the warm cheese melts on contact and tastes completely different than the baked layer.
- If your béchamel looks lumpy, hit it with an immersion blender for ten seconds and it will turn perfectly smooth without starting over.