White Chicken Lasagna (Printer-Friendly)
Creamy baked pasta layers with tender chicken, spinach, and melted cheese in a rich white 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 Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and lay flat on a clean surface to prevent sticking.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet 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 with the vegetables. Season with dried basil, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
05 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually pour in milk while whisking constantly until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–6 minutes until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, then remove from heat.
06 - Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 3 noodles, half the chicken mixture, one-third of the ricotta, one-third of the mozzarella, and one-quarter of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers once more. Finish with a final layer of noodles topped with the remaining sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Allow the lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The white sauce is velvety and rich without being heavy, and it comes together in about ten minutes with ingredients you probably already have.
- Rotisserie chicken means you skip the hardest part and still get a meal that tastes like you spent all Sunday cooking.
02 -
- Skipping the rest time after baking will turn your beautiful lasagna into a puddle on the serving plate every single time.
- Adding the milk too fast to the butter and flour mixture creates lumps that are nearly impossible to fix, so pour slowly and whisk like you mean it.
03 -
- Dry the ricotta by pressing it between paper towels for five minutes if it seems watery, because excess moisture is the enemy of clean lasagna slices.
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg in the white sauce is the secret that makes people ask what makes this taste so different from regular lasagna.