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Whenever I hear “lasagna” I instantly think of a special meal! Furthermore, whenever I think of a white sauce pasta, I always associate it with a special, comforting meal.
Now what happens when you have a lasagna made with a white sauce? Your tastebuds and tummy are in for one of the greatest treats ever!
I love my classic Lasagna alla Bolognese for times when I want to indulge in that outstanding rich and meaty sauce with cheese and noodles! On the other hand, if I just want to enjoy tomato sauce and cheese, then my Vegetarian Four-Cheese Lasagna is so satisfying and it’s for all the cheese lovers out there!
These two lasagnas are indeed amazing, but for the longest time I’ve been wanting to make a white sauce lasagna. It was finally time to do it! I was part of an awesome collaboration on YouTube called #lasagnapalooza, so I had the opportunity to finally make the creamy white sauce lasagna I had dreamed of for so long! I have the video at the bottom of this post, so if you want to follow along, then please check it out! If you’re not already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and the bell button so you’ll receive all notifications for when my step by step video recipes go live to complement the video recipes!
If you’ve been salivating over a creamy, luscious, and satisfying white sauce lasagna, then cross this off your bucket list! This dish can be made as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! If you need some motivation to get cooking, then check out my 5 Tips To Make Cooking Fun! free motivational guide, and the Live to Cook one-month challenge to get you to plan out some delicious dishes! Sign up for my email newsletter to get these free goodies, and be sure to tag me on Instagram to share your amazing creations with me! Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love White Chicken Lasagna!
- Serves a crowd: I’ve made this White Chicken Lasagna for two, but you can scale it to serve your entire family or even a large dinner party. Scroll to the recipe card to scale all the ingredient quantities!
- Family-friendly: This recipe has all the goods that are loved by everyone! Even though there’s spinach, you don’t really taste it! It’s a good way to sneak in the veggies for the kids but there’s still that amazing creaminess and cheesiness of the lasagna!
- Large portion: You’ll see that the slices are quite generous, so this lasagna is awesome for folks with big appetites. I’m speaking from experience, so take my word for it!
- Budget-friendly: Although we have plenty of ingredients involved in this lasagna, ultimately for a generous and satisfying portion you’ll still pay less than what you’d get from a lasagna at a restaurant!
- Make-ahead friendly: I’ll give more details about how you can prep this White Chicken Lasagna in advance so that it’s assembled and ready to be baked for when it’s time for the special dinner!
- LOADED WITH CHEESE! Need I say more? It’s a chicken lasagna with white sauce, so if you’ve been craving lots of cheese, then this is the ultimate lasagna for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Layers Should a Lasagna Have?▼
There isn’t really any hard-set rule about how many layers a lasagna should have, however, chefs tend to agree that there should be at least a minimum of three layers. You can really do as many as you’d like if you’re daring enough to do so! Be careful though: The more layers your lasagna has, the more likely it is to collapse when you serve!
WHat’S the Difference between oven-ready Lasagna Noodles and Traditional Lasagna Noodles?▼
Oven-ready lasagna noodles don’t need you to par-boil them before adding them to your casserole - you just add them right away - refer to box instructions before using oven ready lasagna. This can save some time. I personally prefer the texture and flavour of traditional noodles so that’s what I will be using.
Does Spinach Need to Be Cooked before Putting in Lasagna?▼
Yes, we’ll be cooking our spinach before adding it to the lasagna. You need to do this because of the high water content of spinach. If you don’t cook it prior to adding it to the lasagna, all the water will be released in your lasagna. It will be ruined and you won’t be happy eating that sloppy mushy mess!
Why Is My white cheese chicken Lasagna Watery?▼
Most likely cause is you did not manage to squeeze out all of the water from the drained, cooked spinach. Use all of your might to squeeze as much water as possible and a watery lasagna should not be an issue.
How Do I know when the Lasagna with white sauce has finished baking?▼
I look for two signs to tell if my lasagna has finished baking: First, we want a crowned cheesy top that’s very lightly browned. Second, we want a bit of a crust on the edges of the lasagna. The lasagna will be baking at 400 F. This temperature allows the lasagna to be entirely warmed through, melt the cheese to get it nice and bubbly, and to create a crispy crust.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?▼
I’m using store-bought rotisserie chicken for this chicken lasagne recipe. When making this, I was so happy that I did! There were plenty of components to prepare, and cooking the chicken would have just added even more dishes and time in preparing the lasagna. Of course you don’t have to use rotisserie chicken! If you really want to cook your own chicken, you could add Grilled Chicken or Poached Chicken and then shred it. Furthermore, you could also use minced chicken if desired, and cook it before adding it to your lasagna. These options will give different textures and flavours to your lasagna, so feel free to experiment!
Can I substitute the chicken?▼
Yes! Feel free to swap out the chicken for turkey, pork or beef! If you want to make this lasagna vegetarian, then you don’t have to add any meat or poultry. If vegetarian-izing this lasagna, then I recommend adding more mushrooms so you get the same heartiness as if you were including the chicken.
Can I Add Other Veggies to My Lasagna?▼
Sure! I wanted to let the creamy white sauce shine here, and I liked the spinach and mushrooms for the added body and texture. Personally I didn’t want to overload the lasagna, but if you want additional vegetables, then definitely feel free to throw them in there! Great vegetable options include zucchini, peppers, or broccoli.
Tips for the Most Delicious White Chicken Lasagna!
- Cook extra lasagna noodles. You’re better off having too many noodles on hand than not enough! If you’ve got extra noodles, you can save them for later and make another lasagna! To store extra cooked lasagna noodles, I would store them in a large container filled with water.
- While making the garlic-bechamel, make sure to stir in the cheese when the pan is off the heat to prevent the cheese from splitting.
- Make sure to squeeze hard to get any excess water out of the spinach before adding to the chicken-ricotta mixture.
- If you really enjoy sauce like I do, serve extra sauce on the side during lunch/dinner. You could even scoop some up with your extra lasagna noodles if you have any!
- Start the assembly of the lasagna with a layer of sauce at the bottom. This will help ensure the bottom layer stays moist.
- If you prefer a cheesy crust without any brown spots, cover the top of the casserole with a lid or foil.
Ingredients for Creamy White Chicken Lasagna
Let’s review all the ingredients we’ll need to assemble this amazing Creamy White Sauce Chicken Lasagna! We have a lot going on here, but no worries, I’ll break down everything so you can be organized and prepared to make the best white sauce lasagna! The white sauce will be inspired by my Béchamel White Sauce, so if you want more details on how to make the perfect béchamel sauce, then check out the full recipe! Because of all the components we have going on here, I’ll be going through the instructions quickly in this recipe.
Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD for all ingredients and their quantities, along with the full instructions! You can save the recipe for later and adjust the recipe based on how much lasagna you want to make - whether you want to make this for two or for a big family gathering! All ingredients will automatically be calculated for you so you don’t have to scratch your head with ratios!
For the Béchamel Sauce
- Butter: Used to cook the milk and flour.
- All purpose flour: Cook out the flour with butter and milk to make the roux of the sauce.
- Milk: I recommend you use cold milk to avoid having any lumps in your sauce.
- Ground nutmeg: You don’t have to add it, but I recommend it to add a really wonderful aroma to your sauce!
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
For the Lasagna
- Chicken: I’m using rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Feel free to use any leftover cooked chicken you have in the fridge, it’s an awesome way to use leftovers!
- Lasagna noodles: Either use the no-boil or the dried lasagna noodles. I’m using the latter because I find them a “safer” choice!
- Mozzarella cheese: I’m using a block of part-skimmed mozzarella, and I’ll be shredding it.
- Ricotta cheese: You can use traditional ricotta or “extra smooth” ricotta, as I used here. It doesn’t make a difference, the extra smooth was the only option available at my grocery store! Update: About a year and a half after making this recipe and re-trying it, yes, you CAN substitute with cottage cheese if you would like!
- Egg: Used to bind our mixture.
- Swiss cheese: Adds some extra creaminess to our cheesy mix!
- Cheddar cheese: I wanted to throw in cheddar cheese to add in some sharpness that will contrast the creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Swiss cheeses.
- Parmesan cheese: Use the best quality Parmesan possible, and please get the block and grate it yourself! Freshly grated Parmesan always beats the powdered stuff - so much fresher and tastier! Parmesan adds a nice saltiness.
How to Make White Sauce Chicken Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Bring the water in a large pot to a rolling boil and season with salt. Cook the lasagna sheets in batches, 5-6 sheets at a time.
As the lasagna cooks, place one sheet at a time over paper towels and cover with a damp paper towel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
For the Chicken Cheese Filling
Add the ricotta, egg and chicken in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Then add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
In the meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl. Once the spinach has cooked, transfer the spinach to the ice water to blanch it.
Drain the spinach and gather the spinach in a ball. Squeeze out all of the water by pressing hard.
Add the ricotta, egg and chicken in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients, spinach, and half of the cheese (1/2 cup swiss cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup cheddar).
For the Mushrooms
In a saute pan, heat 1 tsp butter and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook down the mushrooms until most of the moisture has been released. Set aside.
For the Béchamel Sauce
Heat a pan on medium heat and add butter and minced garlic.
Once the butter melts, mix in the flour and whisk for 2-3 mins until the rawness of the flour is cooked out. The roux will begin to smell nutty, which is a good indicator.
Pour in your milk, little bit at a time while whisking to work out any lumps. Once all your milk is mixed in, wait until your sauce starts to come up to a simmer.
As soon as the sauce comes to a simmer, it will begin to thicken. Once the béchamel is thick enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon take the pan off the heat.
Add the grated parmesan or grana padano and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
The Correct Order to Layer the Lasagna
Start with a thin layer of the bechamel sauce at the bottom. Then layer the lasagna noodles, overlapping as you fill the surface area of the casserole. Trim any excess from the corner (anything that doesn’t fit).
Then add 4-6 Tbsp of the chicken-ricotta mixture and 1-2 Tbsp of mushrooms. Spread using the back of a spoon. Then repeat with another layer of the bechamel sauce, lasagna and then more chicken-ricotta mixture.
Repeat until you have at least 3 layers.
Finish the top layer with lasagna, bechamel and the remaining mozzarella, swiss and cheddar.
How Long to Bake the Lasagna For▼
Place the casserole on the middle rack and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top layer is lightly browned.
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
Slice and serve your slice!
Serving Suggestions
You can certainly enjoy this Creamy White Sauce Chicken Lasagna on its own or with some garlic bread! However, a nice salad can be great with this lasagna. You may also want some appetizers before serving if this is for a family dinner! Here are some ideas for what goes good with white sauce chicken lasagna:
- Super Easy Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
- Best Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
- Juicy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Can I make Creamy White Sauce Chicken lasagna ahead of time?▼
Yes you can! Ideally, I wouldn’t cook the lasagna in advance because it won’t be as delicious reheated. If you need to prepare the lasagna for your dinner party, then to save some stress you can follow all the assembly steps and then bake it when it’s dinner time. You can leave your layered, prepped lasagna in the refrigerator for about two days, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Ideally, I would prepare it one day in advance.
Another idea is to prepare all the components of the lasagna in advance, with the exception of the béchamel sauce. Béchamel sauce is best prepared fresh! However, you can cook your chicken (if you are), mushrooms, and spinach in advance as well as make your ricotta filling. To be honest with you, I wish I had done this because those components took a lot of time, and thank goodness I have a dish washer because this was quite messy!
Storing Cooked Lasagna
If you do have leftover lasagna, then either leave it in the casserole and cover the casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or transfer the leftovers in an airtight container. You can store the leftover cooked Creamy Chicken Lasagna in the fridge for up to two days. I wouldn’t keep it for longer because your béchamel sauce and chicken filling will get soggy, and the taste won’t be as good as if served fresh!
Can I freeze Creamy White Chicken Lasagna?▼
Unlike my other lasagna recipes, I wouldn’t freeze this Creamy White Chicken Lasagna. This is because white sauces don’t freeze well. When you defrost a white sauce, it will become liquidy and lose the nice creaminess and thickness. I would just recommend that you plan accordingly!
HOWEVER if you do have extra filling and noodles, then what you can do is use the filling in lasagna rolls, which ARE freezer-friendly! That’s what I did and they made for a really convenient and quick dinner!
Reheating Creamy Chicken Lasagna
If you want the quickest and easiest method to reheat your lasagna, then I recommend you use an air fryer! I recommend you heat the lasagna at 375 F. Transfer the lasagna into the basket and cover it with lightly greased aluminum foil. The greased foil will ensure that the cheese doesn’t get too brown. Insert a knife in the centre of the lasagna and gauge if the lasagna is ready by seeing if the knife is hot. I recommend that you do this check every 4-5 minutes.
If you don’t have an air fryer and want to reheat your Creamy White Chicken Lasagna in the oven or toaster oven, preheat it at 350 F. Cover the casserole with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until warmed through. Insert a knife in the centre of the lasagna to check if it has entirely warmed through.
How Can I Make an Individual White Chicken Lasagna?
I love individual lasagnas because every inch of deliciousness is yours, and you don’t have to cut slices and perhaps steal someone else’s portion! The problem with many lasagna recipes is that they’re meant to serve a family of four or more! I understand that that can be frustrating, because why shouldn’t you treat yourself to a night in? I always say that it’s a good time for good food, so if you’re alone you shouldn’t be missing out!
To make an individual lasagna, have an individual-sized casserole on hand (I love this one by Staub!) and repeat the same steps for assembling the full-sized lasagna. I’ve made individual lasagnas with this recipe and one casserole will hold one quarter of the entire recipe, so simply add a quarter of the filling, the bechamel sauce, the mushrooms, and noodles in each. Then bake at 400F until the sauce is bubbly along the centre and the cheese is a light golden brown.
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