White Chicken Lasagna (Printer-friendly)
Creamy layered chicken and cheese lasagna with spinach, mushrooms, and a rich white sauce.
# What You 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 It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse gently, 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 with the vegetables. Season with dried basil, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Toss to combine evenly 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 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, 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 topped with remaining sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and all remaining Parmesan.
07 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
09 - Allow the lasagna to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing into portions. This resting period helps the layers set for cleaner cuts.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The white bchamel sauce is silkier and more forgiving than any red sauce you have babysat for hours.
- Rotisserie chicken does the heavy lifting so you never feel like you spent all day cooking.
02 -
- Adding cold milk all at once to your roux will create lumps that no amount of whisking can fix so pour it in slowly and steadily.
- The lasagna actually tastes better the next day because the layers have time to settle and the flavors meld overnight in the fridge.
03 -
- Tear the no boil noodles slightly to fit odd gaps in the pan because a perfect looking lasagna is not worth the stress of exact measurements.
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg in the white sauce is the quiet ingredient that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.