White Chicken Lasagna (Print version)
Creamy baked pasta layers with tender chicken, spinach, and melted three-cheese white sauce.
# What goes in:
→ 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
# Cooking 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. Drain thoroughly 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 an additional 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 to combine 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 the sauce thickens. 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 over the sauce, followed by half the chicken mixture, 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat the layers once more, finishing with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella, and all 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 brown and the edges are bubbly.
08 - Allow the lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing into portions and serving. This resting time helps the layers set for cleaner cuts.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The white sauce, once you nail it, tastes like something you would pay restaurant prices for but it comes together with pantry staples and patience.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully, which means lunch the next day feels like a second act of generosity toward yourself.
02 -
- Adding the milk too fast to the roux will create lumps that no amount of whisking can fix, so pour it in a slow stream with your whisk moving the entire time.
- Skipping the rest period turns a beautiful lasagna into a soupy mess on the plate and patience here actually matters more than any other step.
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan from a wedge because the pre-shredded kind is coated in cellulose that makes the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg in the white sauce is what separates a homemade lasagna from something that tastes like it came from a box.