This white sauce Chicken Lasagna is so satisfying with layers of lasagna noodles and tender chicken in a creamy spinach sauce. Just like our Classic Lasagna, this white lasagna reheats really well, making it perfect for meal planning. Make it and you will get recipe requests.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Chicken Lasagna Recipe Video Tutorial:
Learn how to make the best cheesy, saucy Chicken Lasagna! You can cook fresh chicken for this casserole but it’s also a great way to use up leftover chicken (or even leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!).
P.S. If you love creative leftover chicken recipes, don’t miss our juicy Chicken Patties, the easiest Chicken Noodle Soup, and of course Chicken Fried Rice.
Ingredients for White Sauce Chicken Lasagna:
There are 4 main components to a creamy white chicken lasagna: lasagna noodles, a simple bechamel spinach sauce, and a ricotta cheese sauce. Don’t forget the chicken! You can cook your own Instant Pot Chicken or use a store-bought Rotisserie Chicken.
Pro Tip: We always cook an extra couple of noodles in case any of our lasagna noodles break while cooking.
Can I Use Canned Chicken?
We love canned chicken recipes like our easy Chicken Melts and Buffalo Chicken Dip since we always have it on hand in our pantry. Using canned chicken will work for chicken lasagna, just be sure it is well-drained.
How to Assemble Creamy Chicken Lasagna:
The process of assembling a chicken lasagna is simple. We found it’s easiest to spread the thicker ricotta sauce over the noodles and ladling the spinach sauce ensures the chicken layer is moist and juicy. For best results, follow this order.
- Spread 1/2 cup spinach sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole
- Add 3 noodles, 1/2 ricotta sauce, 1/2 shredded chicken, 1/3 of spinach sauce
- Add 3 noodles, 1/2 ricotta cheese, 1/2 shredded chicken, and 1/3 spinach sauce
- Remaining 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 sauce, and sprinkle on reserved 1 cup cheese.
Tips for Reheating Chicken Lasagna:
This white sauce lasagna reheats really well and leftovers are just as enjoyable as freshly baked lasagna. Here are some tips for reheating so the lasagna doesn’t dry out.
- Add Water – Since noodles will naturally soak up some liquid in the lasagna as it sits, it helps to sprinkle on a little bit of water before reheating in the oven or the microwave.
- Visual Cues – Heat until the edges bubble and the cheese is fully melted on top.
- 165˚ F Center – You should reach a safe internal temperature of 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer.
How Long Can Leftover Lasagna be Stored?
Chicken lasagna will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator if you were using freshly cooked chicken. You can also wrap tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months.
This lasagna is a meal in itself. All you need is a simple salad to go with it like our Classic Caesar Salad or fresh Beet Salad with Arugula.
Our Best Lasagna Recipes:
If you love lasagna as much as we do, these recipes are a must try and you’re sure to find some new favorites:
- Italian Lasagna – with a rich, beefy tomato sauce
- Lasagna Roll-Ups – so easy to serve these lasagna rolls
- Slow Cooker Lasagna – a make-ahead recipe
- Homemade Marinara – our favorite sauce for lasagna
Chicken Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Lasagna Ingredients:
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, or cooked from 2 lbs chicken breast
Spinach Cream Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups half and half, (or equal parts of heavy cream and milk)
- 5 oz fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Ricotta Cheese Sauce:
- 15 oz ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, 12 oz by weight, divided (reserve 1 cup for topping)
Instructions
Cook Noodles & Prep:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions then drain hot water and add cold water to the pot to stop the cooking process and prevent noodles from sticking together. Shred 4 cups of chicken.
Make the Belachamel (Spinach Sauce):
- Place a pot or large saucepan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and saute onions for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add 4 Tbsp butter and whisk in 1/3 cup flour. Continue whisking 3 minutes or until flour mixture is golden.
- Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups half and half, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and simmer 5 minutes until thickened to a light gravy consistency.
- Add minced garlic and chopped spinach, and stir to combine then remove from heat.
Make the Ricotta Cheese Sauce:
- In a large bowl, whisk together: ricotta, egg, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/4 cup parsley.
To Assemble Chicken Lasagna:
- Add a little bechamel sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish, add 3 noodles, Add 1/2 ricotta sauce, 1/2 shredded chicken then ladle 1/3 of spinach sauce over the chicken.
- Add 3 noodles, 1/2 ricotta cheese, 1/2 shredded chicken, and 1/3 spinach sauce
- Add 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 sauce, and sprinkle on reserved 1 cup cheese.
- Cover and Bake: Arrange 10-12 toothpicks over the top to keep the foil from touching the cheese then cover with a large sheet of foil. Bake on the center rack in a preheated oven at 375˚F for 45 minutes then uncover and broil 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese. Rest at least 10 minutes uncovered before slicing.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I made this Chicken Lasagna along with your Easy Lasagna, Garlic Bread, and Caesar Salad for a gathering. I prepared both lasagnas the night before, which made entertaining so easy the next day.
For this recipe, I added sliced provolone and a generous sprinkle of freshly shredded Parmesan on top of the final mozzarella layer — it was WONDERFUL! The flavors were rich and creamy without being heavy, and the texture was perfect.
The whole meal was a huge success. Everyone tried both lasagnas and the votes were split 50/50 on which one was the favorite — always a good sign! 😊
Thank you for another fantastic recipe. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Debra! Thabk you for sharing that with us. So glad to hear it was enjoyed!
I followed the recipe and used premade rotisserie chicken and the lasagna came out as described here in the recipe guide. It needed more salt, way less parsley, and seasoned chicken in my opinion.
Hi Tayyy, there is only 1/4 cup of parsley here for the entire casserole. Did you possibly swap the parsley and spinach? Also, it helps to use just the leaves and discard the stems. It should be enhancing the flavor but shouldn’t stand out as feeling like too much.
This is a must make meal. My family raved about this amazing lasagna. I used oven ready noodles and it worked out great.
I’m happy to hear it worked well with over ready noodles. Heather! Thank you for sharing that with me.
can i use no book noodles to make this recipe
Hi Vinnie, I haven’t tested oven ready noodles but some of my viewers have and had good results.
This came out so good, I’m going to make two pans. How would I go about doing that in a single oven?
I would bake both pans at the same temperature (375°F), there’s no need to increase it. You can rotate and swap pans halfway through baking for even cooking. You might have to add 5–10 extra minutes, just check for doneness after the normal baking time.
Great! I’ll let you know how it comes out!
I hope yo love it, Bob!
It came out great! One thing I did notice…the one in our Polish pottery casserole dish stayed hotter longer than the one in our pan. But both were delicious!
I’m so glad it came out great, Bob!
Hi Natasha,
Can I freeze this lasagna, then when I want to eat it, defrost & bake?
Hi Shushila, Yes, you can freeze and bake it from frozen at the same temperature. You don’t need to thaw it. It will just take longer to bake. You’ll know it’s done when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165˚F
Trying this for a crowd in a 13x18x3 aluminum dish. Should I double or triple the recipe?
Hello! You can double the recipe. A 13×18×3 pan is about 1.5–2× a standard 9×13. Doubling will do and serve it to 12–18 people as a main dish.
Do you use fresh parsley and shredded parmesan?
Hi Emily! Yes, I use fresh parsley and grated (not pre-shredded) parmesan cheese. You can also check the photo of the ingredients in the recipe.
HELLO, I HAVEN’T MADE THIS RECIPE BUT WAS WONDERING YOUR FEELINGS ON SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH THIS DISH
Hi Sheree, I image vegetables like Broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, and zucchini would work. I haven’t tested it to be able to provide instructions, I’m sorry. But I looked through the comments and a few of my readers wrote in stating they work. I hope you love that addition!
Excellent recipe! I reviewed several different recipes and read everybody’s comments on all of them and your recipe just made the most sense. It also had the best reviews! Lol. The only thing I did differently was just to make a lot more of it! I was making it in a very large lasagna pan and an extra 13 x 9“ pan as I was having it for a party. Otherwise, I followed the directions as written. Please definitely shred the chicken as it really does cling to the sauce. I probably put a smidge more cheese and sauce on it then you did… But really a great recipe. I ended up not needing my 13 x 9“ dish… So I froze it. I’m going to cook it today as I have family coming in. Thanks for posting!
Making this tonight and was thinking of adding roasted red peppers..your thoughts on this?
Hi Bobbi-Jo! Sure, that can work. It will change the flavor profile a little bit.
Can this be assembled, frozen and then baked after thawing?
Hi Kathy, Yes, you can freeze and bake it from frozen at the same temperature. You don’t need to thaw it. It will just take longer to bake. You’ll know it’s done when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165˚F
This is the best white lasagna I’ve ever eaten! I didn’t have ricotta cheese, so I replaced it with one block of cream cheese and one round of Boursin, with a little milk to thin it out. I also never pre-cook the lasagna noodles. My entire family loved this meal.
So glad to hear it was a hit with the family!