Table of Contents
Layers of tender pasta, seasoned chicken and ricotta, wilted spinach, and plenty of melted mozzarella make this White Chicken Lasagna a rich alternative to traditional tomato-based lasagna. Instead of marinara, the noodles are layered with a homemade garlic white sauce enriched with milk and chicken broth. Parmesan, ricotta, sour cream, and mozzarella add different levels of creaminess without turning the filling into one heavy cheese layer.
It’s a satisfying choice for a family dinner, potluck, or make-ahead meal, especially when you have cooked chicken waiting in the refrigerator. A brief broil gives the mozzarella a golden finish, while a 10-minute rest helps those creamy layers stay together when sliced.
Why This White Chicken Lasagna Works
The key to a good creamy chicken lasagna is balancing moisture. Too little sauce leaves the pasta dry; too much can cause the layers to slide apart. Here, flour thickens the milk and broth into a pourable white sauce that coats the noodles without becoming excessively heavy.
Spinach wilts directly into that sauce, so there’s no separate vegetable preparation. Meanwhile, cooked shredded chicken goes into the seasoned ricotta filling rather than the sauce. That keeps chicken distributed throughout the casserole while giving the layers some structure.
The combination of mozzarella and Parmesan matters, too. Mozzarella provides the stretchy, browned cheese topping people expect from lasagna, while Parmesan contributes a more concentrated savory flavor.
If creamy lasagna is your favorite variation, this creamy Alfredo lasagna soup turns similar comfort-food flavors into a cozy soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Lasagna noodles: Use 15 regular lasagna noodles rather than no-boil pasta. Cooking them just until al dente helps prevent overly soft noodles after baking.
Cooked chicken: Three cups of shredded chicken breast make this a substantial chicken lasagna casserole. Rotisserie chicken is a convenient option; simply remove the skin and bones before shredding.
Ricotta and sour cream: Ricotta gives the filling body, while sour cream makes it smoother and adds a subtle tang. Either whole-milk or part-skim ricotta works.
Milk and chicken broth: These form the liquid base for the white sauce. Whole milk provides creaminess without requiring heavy cream. Half-and-half can be substituted when you want an even richer result.
Spinach: Fresh baby spinach wilts quickly into the hot sauce. Because it cooks down considerably, three cups won’t overwhelm the lasagna.
Mozzarella and Parmesan: Mozzarella is used both inside and on top of the casserole. Parmesan seasons the chicken-ricotta mixture.
Garlic and dried herbs: Basil, oregano, and thyme give the homemade chicken lasagna familiar Italian-inspired flavors without relying on tomato sauce.
How to Make White Chicken Lasagna
Cook the lasagna noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and the noodles. Cook according to the package directions until al dente.
Drain and rinse the noodles under cool water, then lay them separately on foil. Keeping them flat and separated makes assembly much easier than trying to pull stuck noodles apart later.
Make the creamy spinach white sauce
Melt the butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t brown.
Sprinkle flour over the fat and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the milk while whisking, followed gradually by the chicken broth. Adding the liquids gradually is important because it helps produce a smooth sauce rather than floury lumps.
Season with 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer—not a hard boil—and cook for about 3 minutes, whisking occasionally. It should thicken while remaining easy to spread.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the baby spinach. The residual heat is enough to wilt it. If the sauce becomes too thick while you prepare the other components, whisk in a small splash of milk.
Mix the chicken and ricotta filling
Combine the ricotta, sour cream, egg, shredded chicken, remaining basil, oregano, thyme and salt, and the black pepper in a large bowl.
Fold in 1/2 cup mozzarella and all of the Parmesan. The finished mixture should be creamy enough to spread but substantial enough to remain in place between the noodles.
For a classic tomato-based version to serve alongside your collection of baked pasta dinners, see this homemade lasagna recipe with ricotta.
Assemble the lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread about 1/2 cup spinach white sauce over the bottom of a 13 × 9-inch baking dish.
Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce and spread half of the chicken-ricotta filling on top. Add 3 more noodles, followed by roughly one-third of the spinach sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.
Add another 3 noodles and spread the remaining chicken filling evenly across them.
For the fourth pasta layer, add 3 noodles, another portion of the remaining spinach sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella. Finish with the final 3 noodles, the remaining white sauce, and the remaining mozzarella. This gives you five pasta layers from the 15 noodles.
There’s no need to compress the layers. A light hand keeps the filling where it belongs and allows the sauce to surround the pasta naturally as everything heats.
Bake until bubbling and golden
Lightly coat the underside of a sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the baking dish and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese is completely melted. For extra color, switch to broil for 2–3 minutes, watching continuously. Cheese can go from golden to burned quickly under a broiler.
Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This isn’t merely for cooling: the rest gives the hot filling and sauce time to settle, which produces neater servings.
Tips for the Best Creamy Chicken Lasagna
Keep the sauce pourable. A white sauce continues to thicken as it cools. If yours becomes very thick before assembly, loosen it with a splash of milk. It should spread readily over the noodles.
Don’t overcook the pasta. The noodles cook again for nearly an hour in the oven, so al dente pasta is preferable at the boiling stage.
Spread ingredients to the edges. This prevents dry corners and helps every slice contain sauce, chicken, and cheese.
Use properly drained chicken. If you’re using packaged or leftover cooked chicken, avoid adding excess liquid to the ricotta mixture.
Rest before cutting. Ten minutes makes a noticeable difference. Cutting this cheesy chicken lasagna immediately after it comes out of the oven can cause the filling to flow out of the layers.
What to Serve with White Chicken Lasagna
Because this is a rich, creamy casserole, simple sides work particularly well. A crisp green salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette provides contrast, while roasted broccoli, asparagus, or green beans add vegetables without another creamy component.
Garlic bread is a natural option when you want a full comfort-food dinner. For a lighter meal, skip the additional bread and pair each slice with salad and roasted vegetables.
Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
To prepare the lasagna ahead, assemble it in the baking dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Since a refrigerated casserole starts colder than a freshly assembled one, it may require additional oven time. The center should be thoroughly heated before serving.
For leftovers, refrigerate the lasagna promptly in covered containers. USDA guidance recommends using most cooked leftovers within 3–4 days and reheating leftovers to 165°F; see the USDA guidance for safely handling leftovers for additional food-safety information.
Individual portions reheat especially well. Cover them to prevent the exposed pasta from drying out, then heat until hot throughout.
White chicken lasagna can also be frozen in tightly wrapped portions. Thawing overnight in the refrigerator before reheating generally gives the most even result and makes individual servings convenient for meal prep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is one of the easiest shortcuts for this white chicken lasagna recipe. Remove the skin and bones, shred the meat, and measure 3 cups. Keep its existing seasoning in mind when adding salt.
Is this the same as chicken Alfredo lasagna?
It has similar creamy, cheesy characteristics, but the homemade sauce isn’t technically a traditional Alfredo sauce. It is a flour-thickened white sauce made with milk, chicken broth, butter, garlic, and herbs. If you’re searching for chicken Alfredo lasagna, however, this has a similarly rich white-lasagna profile.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Fresh spinach is preferable for the recipe as written because it wilts directly into the sauce. Frozen spinach can introduce extra water. If substituting it, thaw it completely and squeeze out as much moisture as possible before adding it.
Why is my white chicken lasagna watery?
Excess moisture can come from a sauce that wasn’t thickened enough, wet spinach or chicken, or slicing the casserole immediately. Simmer the white sauce until it lightly thickens and give the finished lasagna its full 10-minute rest.
Can I substitute cottage cheese for ricotta?
Cottage cheese can work, although the texture and flavor will differ from ricotta. Drain excess liquid first if the cottage cheese is particularly wet so you don’t add unnecessary moisture to the casserole.
White Chicken Lasagna with Spinach and Creamy White Sauce
Creamy white chicken lasagna layered with ricotta, spinach white sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and tender shredded chicken.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 58 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
15 regular lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried basil, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
3 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley or basil, optional
Instructions
1. Cook noodles until al dente; drain and separate.
2. Cook garlic in butter and oil, then whisk in flour, milk, broth, herbs, and salt.
3. Simmer until slightly thickened; remove from heat and stir in spinach.
4. Mix ricotta, sour cream, egg, chicken, remaining seasonings, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan.
5. Layer sauce, noodles, chicken filling, spinach sauce, and remaining mozzarella in a 13 × 9-inch dish.
6. Cover and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake 15 minutes, then broil 2–3 minutes.
8. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Keep the white sauce pourable with a splash of milk if needed.
Rotisserie chicken works well.
Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly and use within 3–4 days.