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This white chicken lasagna is the creamiest, cheesiest lasagna I make. Layers of rotisserie chicken, garlicky spinach cream sauce, and three cheeses bake up rich, saucy, and golden on top.
This is my go-to for Sunday night dinners with my extended family. I can put it together ahead of time, it feeds the whole group, and everyone actually eats it, even the pickiest one at the table.
What sets this one apart is the sauce. Instead of a plain white sauce, I build a rich spinach cream sauce with a roux, chicken broth, heavy cream, and parmesan. That sauce, plus tender rotisserie chicken, is what makes this one worth making.
If you love this creamy, cheesy style, my chicken alfredo lasagna rollups are the same flavors rolled into single servings. My creamy Tuscan chicken scratches a similar itch on a busy weeknight without the layering.
TESTED FAVORITE
Why Every Square Stays Creamy and Holds Together
I have made this enough times to know exactly why it works. The sauce stays creamy all the way through baking instead of turning thin, so it slices into clean squares that hold their layers instead of sliding onto the plate. It bakes up rich and full, and it is the only way I make it now.
What You’ll Need
- Rotisserie chicken: I use the shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It is already tender and seasoned, so it layers in soft and flavorful with no extra cooking, and it saves you a whole step. Pull both the white and dark meat for the best flavor.
- Chicken broth and heavy cream: These two build the body of the sauce together. The broth keeps it from feeling heavy, and the cream makes it smooth and rich. Using both is what gives you an alfredo-style sauce instead of a thin white one.
- Whole milk ricotta: Use whole milk ricotta, not part-skim. The extra fat keeps the cheese layer creamy instead of dry and grainy after it bakes.
- Whole milk mozzarella: Shred it yourself from a block of whole milk mozzarella. Pre-shredded and low-moisture cheese melt differently, and the block melts into softer, creamier layers with a better top.
- Baby spinach: Fresh baby spinach wilts right into the warm sauce and almost disappears into it. It adds color and a little green with no bitterness, and picky eaters rarely notice it is there.
- Parmesan: Stirred into the sauce off the heat, parmesan adds the salty, nutty backbone that makes the whole thing taste like more than cream.
How to Make White Chicken Lasagna
The full measurements and times are in the recipe card below. Here is the quick walk-through so you know what each step should look like.
Step 1: Cook the Noodles and Shred the Chicken. Boil the noodles to al dente and shred the rotisserie chicken while they cook.
Step 2: Make the Sauce. Soften the onion and garlic in butter, whisk in the flour, then add the broth and cream and simmer until it thickens.
Step 3: Stir in the Parmesan and Spinach. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan and the spinach until it wilts in.
Step 4: Mix the Ricotta Layer. Stir the ricotta together with the egg, mozzarella, salt, and pepper.
Step 5: Layer the Noodles. Spread a little sauce in the bottom of the dish, then lay down a layer of noodles.
Step 6: Spread the Ricotta. Spread half the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.
Step 7: Add the Chicken and Sauce. Sprinkle over the chicken, then spoon over some of the spinach cream sauce. Repeat the noodle, ricotta, chicken, and sauce layers once more, then finish with a final layer of noodles and the last of the sauce.
Step 8: Top with Mozzarella. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly over the top.
Step 9: Bake and Rest. Bake until bubbly and golden. Let it rest 15 to 20 minutes so the layers set before you slice.
What to Serve With It
I keep the sides simple since the lasagna is rich on its own. A warm cheesy pull apart garlic bread and a crisp Olive Garden salad are all it really needs, though roasted vegetables round it out for a bigger spread.
If you want more dinners in this style, all my easy pasta recipes live in one spot.
How to Store the Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It reheats well in the microwave or a warm oven.
I do not recommend freezing this one. The cream sauce does not freeze and thaw well, and you lose the smooth texture that makes it worth making.
More Lasagna Recipes to Try
White Chicken Lasagna
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 9 lasagna noodles cooked al dente, salt for water and 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking if needed
- 3½ cups shredded chicken from a 3-pound store bought rotisserie chicken
Spinach cream sauce
- 6 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups chicken broth
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach roughly chopped
Ricotta cheese mixture
- 15 ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 4 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese divided 2 ½ cups in the mixture and 1 ½ cups on the top from a 16-ounce block
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain then return to the pot and set aside. Add olive oil to the boiling water along with the salt if desired, or drizzle over the noodles to prevent sticking after draining.9 lasagna noodles
- Using your hands, or two forks, shred the white and dark meat from a rotisserie chicken and set aside.3½ cups shredded chicken
Spinach cream sauce
- In a 3-quart sauce pan over medium heat, add the salted butter, onion, garlic, garlic powder, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.6 tablespoons salted butter, ¾ cup yellow onion, 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely minced, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Whisk in the all-purpose flour until fully absorbed by the butter. While whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth and heavy cream until fully incorporated and no lumps of flour remain. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Be sure to whisk the sauce often to ensure it does not clump or burn.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1¼ cups chicken broth, 1¼ cups heavy cream
- Remove the sauce from the heat, stir in the parmesan cheese until fully incorporated. Add the baby spinach stirring until fully incorporated and the spinach has wilted completely into the sauce. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing the ricotta cheese mixture.1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach
Ricotta cheese mixture
- Stir together in a large bowl the ricotta cheese, egg, 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.15 ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, 2.5 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Assembling the white chicken lasagna
- To the bottom of a deep sided 9×13 baking dish, evenly spread ½-¾ cup of the spinach cream sauce then place three of the cooked lasagna noodles evenly into the bottom of the dish.
- Top the noodles with half the reserved ricotta cheese mixture being sure to carefully spread out into an even layer.
- Sprinkle half the shredded chicken evenly over the ricotta cheese layer then spoon a third of the remaining spinach cream sauce over the chicken.
- Place down three more lasagna noodles, the remaining ricotta cheese mixture and the remaining shredded chicken. Top with another third of the sauce, followed by the remaining three noodles and the final third of the sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top then bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden on the top.1.5 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- Remove the white chicken lasagna from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to allow the sauce to cool slightly and set before slicing and serving. Garnish with a light sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley if desired before serving.Chopped fresh parsley
Jenn’s Notes
- Whisk the sauce constantly as it thickens so the flour does not clump or scorch.
- Shred your own whole milk mozzarella. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it from melting as smoothly.
- Let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before slicing so the layers set and cut clean.
