Creamy White Chicken Lasagna (Printable)
Layers of chicken, spinach, and three cheeses in a creamy white sauce baked golden and bubbly.
# 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
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse lightly, and lay flat on parchment paper 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 for 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 - In a medium saucepan, melt butter 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 for 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
06 - Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of the prepared 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 once more. Finish with a final layer of noodles, remaining sauce, remaining ricotta, remaining mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan on top.
07 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbly.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into portions. This allows the layers to set for cleaner cuts.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The white béchamel sauce is velvety and comforting in a way that tomato sauce simply cannot replicate on cold evenings.
- Using rotisserie chicken means you get all the payoff of a complex lasagna with half the effort of starting from scratch.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time after baking because cutting too early will cause the layers to slide apart into a messy, soupy pile that still tastes good but never looks the way you want it to.
- Adding the milk too quickly to the butter and flour mixture will create lumps that are nearly impossible to smooth out, so pour it in a thin steady stream while whisking aggressively.
03 -
- Cook the flour and butter for the full minute before adding milk because undercooked roux is the number one reason white sauce tastes flat and floury instead of rich and silky.
- Grate your own Parmesan from a wedge rather than using the pre-grated kind in the green can because the real thing melts smoothly and delivers a depth of flavor that packaged cheese simply cannot match.