Creamy White Chicken Lasagna (Printable Version)
Creamy layered chicken lasagna with white sauce, spinach, mushrooms, and three melted cheeses.
# 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain, lay flat on parchment paper, and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms, sautéing for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and spinach, cooking for another 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
04 - Add shredded chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. Season with dried basil, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Toss everything together until well combined, then remove from heat 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 gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, then remove from heat.
06 - Spread a thin layer of white sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay down 3 noodles, then distribute half the chicken mixture evenly. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta, scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella, and drizzle 1/4 of the remaining sauce. Repeat with another layer of 3 noodles, the remaining chicken filling, another third of ricotta and mozzarella, and more sauce. Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and the rest of the Parmesan on top.
07 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the layers to set and makes serving easier.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The white sauce, kissed with nutmeg and Parmesan, tastes like something you would order at a restaurant and then think about for weeks afterward.
- It turns rotisserie chicken into a dinner that feels elaborate, but the whole thing comes together with basic pantry ingredients and a little patience.
02 -
- Do not rush the white sauce by cranking up the heat, because scorched milk will ruin the entire dish and there is no hiding that flavor once it happens.
- Letting the lasagna rest before cutting is the difference between neat layered squares and a soupy, chaotic scoop that still tastes wonderful but photographs like a crime scene.
03 -
- Salt your noodle cooking water generously, because those noodles are absorbing flavor that will carry through the entire baked dish.
- Dot the ricotta in small spoonfuls across each layer rather than spreading it flat, because those little pockets of cheese create the best texture when you bite into a finished slice.