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Classic red-sauced lasagna is… well, classic, but when you’re looking for something a little more unique but just as cheesy and comforting and delicious, this White Chicken Lasagna is the recipe to turn to. Instead of the usual marinara, it’s made up of an oh-so-creamy, garlicky white sauce that’s studded with spinach and layers upon layers of cheesy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. And trust me – it’s divine. It’s one of those dinners that the whole family devours every time, without fail.
Lasagna is all about layers and this one is no different. Here, the layers include noodles (of course), a creamy spinach sauce, a cheesy ricotta mixture, chicken, and a final layer of cheese for the top. And they all go together perfectly.
This is an ideal use for leftover rotisserie chicken but well worth the effort of making some fresh shredded chicken if you happen to be craving something creamy and garlicky. The spinach sauce is a cinch to make with a flavor reminiscent of alfredo – you just cook down some onions before whisking flour into them and stirring in chicken broth and heavy cream. Once that has thickened, you stir in spinach and garlic and you’re ready to get to layering. The end result is a lasagna that’s not at all traditional but definitely delicious, and full of creamy, cheesy, garlicky comfort.
White Chicken Lasagna
Yield(s): Serves 9
20m prep time
45m cook time
Allergens: Milk
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
For the spinach sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
For the ricotta sauce:
- 15 oz ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- While noodles cook, make the spinach sauce:
- In a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onions and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in butter. Once melted, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until golden, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add chicken broth, followed by heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and let simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in garlic and chopped spinach and remove from heat.
- Next, make the ricotta sauce:
- In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, parsley, parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the mozzarella.
- Spoon some of the spinach sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Line with 3 noodles. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta sauce, 1/2 of the shredded chicken, then top with 1/3 of the spinach sauce.
- Add 3 more noodles, then the remaining ricotta sauce, remaining chicken, and another 1/3 of the spinach sauce.
- Add remaining 3 noodles, remaining spinach sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover dish with foil, using toothpicks to keep foil from resting on cheese if needed, and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and broil 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden brown.
- Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Natasha's Kitchen.
