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White Chicken Lasagna
Enjoy this rich and creamy white chicken alfredo with tender chicken, a flavorful white sauce, and lots of gooey cheese.
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Excite your tastebuds with this creamy white chicken lasagna. Delicious layers of lasagna noodles, tender chicken, and a rich garlicky sauce combine to make an incredible lasagna the whole family will enjoy. With lots of flavor and lots of gooey cheese, this dish is flavorful, satisfying, and irresistible!
White Chicken Lasagna Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 4 tablespoons of salted butter
- 4 tablespoons of flour
- ¾ teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- 4½ cups of whole milk
- 8-ounce block of cream cheese, sliced
- 4 cups of shredded jack cheese, divided into ½ cup, ½ cup, and three 1-cup portions
- 4 to 5 cups of baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup of ricotta
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon of parsley (dried or fresh)
- 2 cups of diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Substitutions and Additions
CHICKEN: You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breasts in this easy white sauce chicken lasagna.
How to Make This White Chicken Lasagna Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
PRO TIP: Grease a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish in preparation for Step Eight.
STEP TWO: In a large pot, boil the lasagna noodles in salted water until they reach al dente (follow the package directions to cook). Drain and set aside.
STEP THREE: In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is browned and bubbly.
STEP FOUR: Whisk the mixture while slowly pouring in milk until smooth and combined. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture reaches a low boil and begins to thicken (6 to 8 minutes).
STEP FIVE: Add the cream cheese and ½ cup shredded jack cheese to the white sauce. Continue to cool until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thoroughly combined, then remove the pan from the heat.
PRO TIP: Remove the cream cheese from the fridge when you begin to cook. It will soften and mix into the sauce easier.
STEP SIX: Stir the spinach leaves into the sauce and set it aside.
PRO TIP: If you are adding more vegetables, stir them in with the spinach. They’ll cook in the sauce and continue to cook in the oven.
STEP SEVEN: In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and another ½ cup of jack cheese.
STEP EIGHT: In a greased 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish, spoon a bit of the creamy spinach sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Place three lasagna noodles side by side into the pan.
Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and top with half of the chicken. Spoon ⅓ of the white sauce mixture over the chicken and ricotta and top with 1 cup each of mozzarella and jack cheese.
STEP NINE: Place another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining chicken, and another cup of both mozzarella and jack cheese.
STEP TEN: Top with the remaining noodles, the remaining lasagna white sauce, and the remaining cheeses.
STEP ELEVEN: Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling up and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
STEP TWELVE: Remove from the oven and garnish with more parsley, if desired.
How To Serve
This satisfying white chicken lasagna is delicious on its own, or you can serve it with garlic bread and a salad. However you choose to enjoy it, this dish is delicious and hearty.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store this white chicken spinach lasagna covered in foil or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: This isn’t a good contender for the freezer because of the creamy sauce in this chicken alfredo lasagna.
REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS: Reheat individual portions of this lasagna in the microwave until warmed through..
Rich and creamy, this lasagna is incredibly satisfying! It’s a delicious combination of lasagna and chicken alfredo for a dish that’s flavorful and filling.
FAQ:
Q? Can I freeze white chicken lasagna?
A: Due to the creamy sauce, this recipe doesn’t freeze well. We recommend making a fresh batch whenever you’re craving it.
Q? Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
A: This recipe is so easy to make vegetarian! You can simply skip the chicken, or replace it with a meat-free alternative. Regardless, this dish will be incredibly delicious!
Q? What vegetables can I add to this recipe?
A: In addition to spinach, there are lots of tasty veggies you can add to this recipe like mushrooms, broccoli, and corn.
White Chicken Lasagna
Enjoy this rich and creamy white chicken alfredo with tender chicken, a flavorful white sauce, and lots of gooey cheese.
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 4½ cups whole milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese sliced
- 4 cups jack cheese shredded and divided into ½ cup, ½ cup, and three 1-cup portions
- 4-5 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon parsley dried or fresh
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook the lasagna noodles in salted water until they reach al dente (follow the package instructions to cook). Drain and set aside.
- In a 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the melted butter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is browned and bubbly.
- Whisk the mixture while slowly pouring in milk until smooth and combined. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture reaches a low boil and begins to thicken (6 to 8 minutes).
- Add cream cheese and ½ cup shredded jack cheese to the white sauce. Stir, still cooking over medium heat, until cheese is melted and sauce is thoroughly combined. Remove from the heat.
- Stir the spinach leaves into the white sauce and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and another ½ cup of jack cheese.
- In a greased 9×13-inch glass baking dish, spoon a bit of the sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Place three lasagna noodles side by side into the pan.
- Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and top with ½ of the chicken. Spoon ⅓ of the sauce over the chicken and ricotta and top with 1 cup each of mozzarella and jack cheese.
- Place another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining chicken, and another cup of both mozzarella and jack cheese.
- Top with the remaining noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining cheese.
- Bake lasagna for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling up and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with more parsley, if desired.
Notes
You could add onions and garlic to the roux instead of the powders, but using the garlic and onion powder is quick when you have so many components to prepare before getting the lasagna into the oven. Sauté the onion (1 cup diced small) and garlic (2 to 3 cloves, minced) in the butter before adding the flour, salt, and pepper. Omit the garlic powder and onion powder if using fresh ingredients.
It’s important to make a roux (cooking the flour and butter together) in order to add flavor and thicken the milk to make the white sauce. It also gives the cheeses a base to melt into instead of becoming stringy and gloppy.
The spinach will wilt from the heat of the cream sauce – there’s no need to continue cooking it. Overcooked spinach can develop a chalky taste. 4 to 5 cups of spinach may seem like a lot, but it wilts down into quite a small amount.
Add a little bit of parmesan cheese on top for extra cheesiness.
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