Description
This creamy White Chicken Lasagna combines tender rotisserie chicken, a luscious ricotta and mozzarella cheese blend, and a savory spinach-infused white sauce. Layers of tender lasagna noodles are smothered in a rich creamy sauce, then baked to golden, bubbly perfection. Perfect for a comforting family dinner or entertaining guests, this recipe delivers depth of flavor with Italian seasoning and fresh spinach for a delicious twist on classic lasagna.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 15 oz. whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Chicken and Pasta
- 1 rotisserie chicken (about 3 cups cooked chicken)
- ½ Tbsp salt, for the pasta water
- 9 lasagna noodles
White Sauce
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
Topping
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, egg, and freshly cracked black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the skin from the rotisserie chicken and use two forks to shred the cooked meat into bite-sized pieces, setting it aside for layering.
- Boil Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of salt, then carefully add the lasagna noodles. Cook until tender or al dente, then drain using a colander, and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for about 4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Make White Sauce: Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook for a few minutes until it turns slightly light brown. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Season and Enrich Sauce: Add Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, heavy cream, and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Add Spinach: Stir the chopped baby spinach into the white sauce and cook just until the spinach wilts and is evenly distributed.
- Assemble Lasagna: In a 9×13-inch casserole dish, spread about 1 cup of the white sauce on the bottom. Lay three lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by one-third of the shredded chicken. Repeat these layers two more times, finishing with the remaining sauce on top.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top layer of sauce.
- Bake: Place the assembled lasagna in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Broil for Color: Switch the oven to broil and cook the lasagna for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the cheese just begins to brown. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, optionally top with chopped parsley, slice into nine or twelve pieces, and serve warm. Enjoy your rich and creamy white chicken lasagna!
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and added flavor, but leftover cooked chicken works well too.
- Make sure to stir the white sauce continuously when adding broth to avoid lumps.
- Boil lasagna noodles just until tender to avoid overcooking during baking.
- Broiling at the end gives the cheese a golden, slightly crisp top—watch carefully to prevent burning.
- You can add fresh herbs like parsley or basil as garnish for extra freshness.
- This recipe can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking to deepen flavors.
