This easy White Chicken Lasagna is loaded with layers of tender lasagna noodles, chunks of rotisserie chicken, savory mushrooms, earthy spinach, a homemade creamy white sauce and cheese! It’s freezer-friendly, homey and delicious with all the vibes of a classic lasagna but made with white sauce, chicken, and vegetables instead.
Table of Contents
Lasagna is quite possibly the ultimate comfort food! With layer upon layer of savory meat, delicious cheese, and yummy pasta with those divine ruffled edges (my favorite part), it’s also filled with healthy veggies and flavorful seasoning!
We love our Classic Beef Lasagna with traditional red sauce, but this time I wanted to try something a little bit different. I have gone with a cheesy, creamy chicken lasagna recipe with a white sauce instead of the traditional red, and it is sooooooo good!
This is the best chicken lasagna recipe I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried a few! When I first published this recipe I used lean ground chicken and minced mushrooms, but over the years I have simplified and made things easier by using a cooked rotisserie chicken instead.
If you prefer a more traditional lasagna texture that you’d get with browned beef and pork, you can see the original version in the notes below the recipe card.
I love that this white chicken lasagna recipe can be made ahead and frozen to take to a friend or just have on hand for those busy days. Simply pop it in the oven for a couple of hours, throw together a quick salad, and you’re good to go!
If you love this creamy white chicken lasagna, be sure to also check out our Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells, Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs, and One Pot Lasagna Soup!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Customize this dish with other herbs, or different amounts of them to suit your preferences.
- Made with simple ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- Ready in just about an hour it’s perfect for a filling weeknight meal for the whole family!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butter and Oil – Salted butter and olive oil are best to bring out the flavors of this dish.
- Vegetables – Onion, Crimini Mushrooms, and Garlic bring warm, earthy, and pungent flavors to make this lasagna mouthwateringly delicious!
- Leaves – Baby spinach leaves and fresh parsley add color, as well as a flavorful freshness and added nutrients.
- Flour – All Purpose Flour will work well to thicken the bechamel sauce.
- Broth – Low-sodium chicken broth is best so that you can control the salt levels of your dish better.
- Milk – Whole milk will give you the creamiest sauce, but any kind of milk will work well.
- Seasonings – We will use a combination of basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper for this flavorful dish.
- Cheese – Three kinds of cheese make this lasagna irresistible! Use ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan for the best flavor.
- Lasagna – Use whole traditional lasagna noodles that you have to cook first for best results. I prefer the old-fashioned lasagna noodles rather than the no-boil ones, but I have a secret method that makes things way easier than boiling them in a pot on the stove.
- Chicken – I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe just to keep things easy, but you can use fresh chicken breasts cooked in the oven, Instant Pot, air fryer, or stovetop instead.
How to Make White Chicken Lasagna
- Soak noodles. Rather than boil the lasagna noodles like I used to do, I have found that if you just let them soak in very hot water, either from the tap, microwave, or stove, they will soften enough and will finish cooking while the lasagna bakes. I do this in the same baking dish that I will assemble the lasagna in later while making the sauce and prepping the chicken. It’s so much easier than cooking them in a pot full of water and can be done with regular lasagna noodles, not just the no-boil ones!
If you prefer the more traditional approach of boiling the noodles, you can prep them according to the package directions, then draining and laying them in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with a little cooking spray. Either approach works so use whichever method you like best.
- Make the Sauce. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion and garlic and cook together until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened and released some of their liquid. Sprinkle the flour over the softened onions and mushrooms, then stir to combine, cooking for another 1-2 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid.
- Add broth and thicken. Whisk in the chicken broth and milk, stirring until the sauce simmers and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and fennel seed.
- Wilt spinach. Add the spinach to the sauce (you may have to do this in handfuls) and stir until wilted. Sprinkle some of the shredded Parmesan cheese over the sauce and stir to combine. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
- Assemble. Assemble the lasagna by spreading a thing layer of the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange four of the softened lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
- Continue building layers. Spread half of the ricotta cheese onto the lasagna noodles, then evenly sprinkle half of the cooked and chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken on top in another even layer.
- Add sauce and cheese. Spoon about ⅓ of the sauce mixture over the chicken layer, then sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers. Add another layer of noodles, ricotta cheese, chicken, sauce, and cheese.
- Finish. Finish the lasagna by arranging a final layer of noodles on top. Spread the remaining sauce on top of the noodles and sprinkle with the last of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly, finishing under the broiler just to add a little color to the top, but be careful not to burn the cheese. Let the lasagna stand for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Recipe FAQ’s
Lasagna is one of those dishes that can be loaded with almost any vegetable and still taste incredibly cheesy, creamy, and delicious! Try some chopped bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, and even broccoli are all great in lasagna. Just make sure they are chopped finely enough so that your lasagna isn’t too lumpy.
This is a great recipe to last for a couple of meals throughout the week! Allow it to cool completely, and then store this classic lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven as before, covered with foil, or in the microwave.
It’s also freezer-friendly! Store the baked and cooled lasagna in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake it in the oven as before, covered with foil.
Tips for Success
- Use real, freshly grated mozzarella cheese rather than the pre-shredded stuff that doesn’t melt well.
- Add roasted peppers or artichoke hearts along with the spinach for even MORE veggies!
Make Ahead Lasagna
Assemble the lasagna and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Store it in the refrigerator for 1 day before baking it with 15 minutes of added cooking time. Alternatively, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before freezing it for up to 1 month. Simply defrost in the refrigerator overnight before baking it, or bake it from frozen with aluminum foil on top for 2 hours.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use canned chicken for this recipe if you have it to hand.
- You could use 1 package of frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach. Just defrost it and squeeze out as much water as you can before using it in this white lasagna recipe.
- Use lean ground turkey if you prefer – or make turkey mince from leftover turkey from the holidays.
- If you use oven-ready lasagna, assemble the dish as specified without having to boil lasagna noodles first!
What to Serve with White Chicken Lasagna
Lasagna is a filling dish on its own, but if you’re wanting to round it out into a meal for the whole family, or want to make it go a bit further, there are loads of side dishes that go great with lasagna.
We always love bread with our meals, so this Homemade French Bread or my Grilled Garlic Bread are ideal choices.
Extra veggies on the side are always a win too, we like this Oven Roasted Asparagus and my Oven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Parmesan, and Lemon.
Alternatively, salads are a great way of adding more color and nutrients onto the table and can be quicker options too! Try this Classic Caesar Salad or my delicious Olive Garden Salad with Dressing (Copycat).
Serve with these yummy Raspberry Peach Italian Cream Sodas too for a full Italian feast!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- One Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Cajun Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
White Chicken Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed
- 8 ounces baby spinach
Assembly
- 12 whole lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 3-4 cups cooked chicken, about 2 pounds shredded or cubed (we like to use a rotisserie chicken)
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
- 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- Parsley chopped for sprinkling on top, optional
Instructions
- Place lasagna noodles in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with very hot water and let soak while preparing the sauce. Alternatively, you can prepare the noodles by boiling them according to the package directions.12 whole lasagna noodles,
Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt butter with the oil over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion and garlic and cook together until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened and released some of their liquid. Sprinkle the flour over the softened onions and mushrooms, then stir to combine, cooking for another 1-2 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid.2 Tablespoons salted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion,, 2 cloves garlic,, 16 ounces crimini mushrooms,, 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Whisk chicken broth and milk into the vegetables, stirring until the sauce simmers and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and fennel seed.2 cups chicken broth, 1 ½ cups milk, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon fennel seed
- Add the spinach to the sauce (you may have to do this in handfuls) and stir until wilted. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese over the sauce and stir to combine. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.8 ounces baby spinach, 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese,
Assembly
- Drain lasagna noodles and set aside.
- Spread a few spoonfuls of the sauce on the bottom of a large 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange four of the softened lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread ½ of the ricotta cheese over the noodles, then sprinkle with ½ of the chopped rotisserie chicken.15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3-4 cups cooked chicken,
- Spoon about ⅓ of the mushroom and spinach sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.4 cups mozzarella cheese,
- Repeat layers by arranging four more of the lasagna noodles on top of the cheese, followed by the remaining ricotta cheese, remaining chicken, and ⅓ of the sauce and cheeses.
- Finish the lasagna by arranging the last four lasagna noodles on top. Cover the noodles with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the last of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly, finishing under the broiler just to add a little color to the top, but be careful not to burn the cheese. Let the lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.Parsley chopped for sprinkling on top,
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Lasagna can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Just add 15 minutes to the baking time, and cover with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes of baking.
- Freezer Meal Prep: Wrap and freeze the unbaked lasagna with aluminum foil. When ready to bake, you can bake from frozen for about 2 hours until heated through, keeping it covered with aluminum foil for the first 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven as before, covered with foil, or in the microwave.
- Freezing Leftovers: Store the baked and cooled lasagna in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake it in the oven as before, covered with foil.
- Substitutions: You could use 1 package of frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach. Just defrost and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Original Version: This recipe was modified in 2023 to reflect how we most often make it these days. The original version was almost the same, except we browned 1 pound of ground chicken with the mushrooms, which were minced instead of sliced and not included in the sauce as they are here. Also, the spinach was cooked separately until wilted, rather than being added to the sauce as it is now. The flavors and amounts all remain the same – I just updated the method to make it easier and more approachable using a rotisserie chicken.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in April, 2018. The photos and content were updated in February, 2023.
This looks and sounds great! Only substituting shredded cooked chicken (we don’t like ground chicken). Can’t wait to try it.
You can never go wrong with lasagna of any flavour. This is the perfect way to feed a crowd. I just know I would have no leftovers…so I would have to make a double batch to enjoy again in the week.
I love this lighter version of lasagna and the addition of mushrooms is a wonderful one! Definitely adding umami and lots of depth of flavor. Cannot wait to make it! Pinned and on my menu for next week.
What a great change up. I love this idea, especially the creamy sauce part. It looks easy enough for a beginner cook, bonus. What I enjoy most about recipes like this is the hands on nature, it’s meditative.
I’ve never tried a white lasagna, but I love this idea! Mushrooms and spinach sound delicious. And how clever to freeze it ahead of time- I need to meal prep more often.
I love mixing together mushroom and beef in an effort to blend and extend! I’d love a lasagna with a delicious white sauce so I’ll need to give this a go. We had a red sauced lasagna recently so this would be a nice change.
Oh damn. This looks and sounds incredible. I hate to admit it, but I’ve yet to make a white lasagna AND THEY LOOK SO GOOD. I don’t know what the heck I’m waiting for. We have out of town family visiting twice this month, so I’m definitely going to use this for inspiration for dinner some night.
This recipe is definitely a keeper. You can’t go wrong with lasagna — everyone adores lasagna — but this recipe with chicken sounds and looks amazing. I am pinning to make later and I don’t want to lose the recipe.
I LOVE this twist on the original, simply delicious! We love chopping mushrooms up and using them in dishes where we would usually eat more meat. It started off trying to hide them from the kids, but now they request them 🙂
Why is it called white chicken (esp. if ur using ground chicken)? Makes no sense…
Lol, sorry! It’s meant to distinguish the lasagna, not the chicken. Since most lasagna’s are red from the red sauce, this is a white lasagna made with a white sauce. But I see where the confusion lies!
I love the sound of this lasagna without red sauce! Sometimes, I really just want something creamy and comforting and this lasagna absolutely fits the bill! I love that you have cremini mushrooms in the filling. They have such a wonderful, earthy flavor and it must pair so well with the chicken, spinach, and cheeses. Total comfort food!
Oh boy..this sounds devine , except I’m going to use shredded chicken breast… Can’t wait to try this!
This recipe sounds wonderful and I would LOVE to make it for my family soon, however, one important missing element to the recipe that prevents me from trying it is the oven temp. After looking over the recipe a couple of different times I didn’t see an oven temp anywhere.
Monica, I am so glad you pointed that out! I don’t know how I missed that crucial info! Oven temp is a little less strict with something like a lasagna since it’s mostly about heating it through and melting cheese, unlike baking with there are more scientific reasons for a specific temperature, but I find that 350 is great for this lasagna because it gets the lasagna how all the way through to the middle and melts all the cheese without burning it on top. Thanks for letting me know about that omission!
Good catch, Liszzie!
Thanks for bringing that to her attention.
Looks great but wow the sodium-56%! What is making is so high??
I’m not sure but I would guess it’s from the cheese and the salt?
Wow, this was so delicious! I made exactly as according to recipe and it was absolutely perfect! The only thing I have to say is, I’m a very experienced cook, and this took me about 2.5 hours from start to eating it! 30 minutes prep is completely impossible! But oh so worth it!
Hi, thank you for the recipe! I didn’t have ricotta cheese so I substituted sour cream and I used a Perdue shredded chicken with olive oil and rosemary 9oz bag bcuz it was on sale lol.. I didnt have mozzarella so I used a little swiss and topped with a bit of mild cheddar cheese bcuz I love different cheeses in some of my dishes. I halfed the recipe and am excited to taste it! God bless you and I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
I’m glad you liked it!
I chopped up asparagus and sauteed with the mushrooms 🙂
That sounds like a delicious alteration!
Fantastic recipe! I agree that the red sauce recipies are a little heavy so this is a nice variation. I didn’t have cremini mushrooms so I used baby bellas and it worked fine. I guessed on the mozzarella instead of measuring and wished I had paid more attention. Could have used more so I am sure the recipe is right. Next time I am going to add the suggested roasted peppers but this recipe is excellent as it is. Thank you.
This was fantastic! I layered in sauteed zucchini as well. Thanks!
Every Saturday I make a family style dinner and invite friends over. Recently we found out one of our friends had acid reflux, so I looked for lasagna and came up with your recipe.
It www a huge hit, I did omit the mushrooms as one friend is allergic to them.
It was definitely worth the time though, thanks for the great recipe!
I love to give most recipes my own twist. I have butternut squash from the garden, and think it would be a tasty addition. Either sliced or cubed, and then roasted or sauteed, and layered with the other ingredients. A few sliced and sauteed apples sound pretty good too. I make my butternut soup with apples and chicken broth; similar ingredients! Can’t wait to experiment.
I LOVE those ideas! They sound so good! I may have to try it myself next time I make this!
Made this last weekend and it was even better than I expected (and I had high expectations). I followed this recipe almost exactly as posted, just added a bit more garlic to the sauce and added some to the chicken/mushroom mixture. Like all lasagnas, it takes a long time from start to finish but the effort is definitely worthwhile.
I will definitely make it again and thanks so much for posting this recipe. Only change I would make would be to increase the amount of chicken/mushrooms mixture as I found it a bit lacking in proportion to the other ingredients (just a personal opinion).
Turned out delicious. My teenage boys loved it! I ended up using ground turkey and shredded mozzarella because that’s what was available at my local grocery store.
Where are direction for the “Ricotta mixture?”
Sorry – that was a typo. I just dollop the ricotta on straight from the container.
chicken spinach lasagna Curious why cook lasagna noodles after boiling for how long and temperature
Unnless you use the no-cook noodles, you have to cook the noodles first to soften them, then cook the entire lasagna to heat it through and allow all of the flavors to combine.
hello just a bout to make this. Can I use the no cook lasagna noodles?
I’ve never tried using no cook lasagna noodles, but I don’t see why not.
Hi. Has anyone used a flour other than all purpose flour? If not, which flour do you think would be a good substitute in this recipe? My boyfriend prefers to stay away from the all purpose flour.
My workmates love it. I definitely cook this recipe again. It is not sweet, so light and so healthy. Thank you for this!
I made it and it turned out great but I used a creamy alredo suace instead of using the flour. Also used roasted bellpeppers n onions it. Had a great flavor
I followed the recipe instructions and this lasagna turned out very delicious. The only thing is red pepper flakes and fennel seeds are included in the ingredients, but not in the recipe instructions. Not sure where they were supposed to go (in the sauce or cooked with the chicken and mushrooms)? It may have been even better if those were included.
I must have missed that! They go in the sauce and I’ve updated the instructions to reflect that.
I made this recipe but added sauteed peppers and squash. It was delicious!
I would say that the only changes I would make would be to add another half teaspoon of salt to the sauce as well as another garlic clove, plus I would layer in fresh basil while making the lasagna. Also, I don’t know that the crushed red pepper was necessary; it gave it a little spice that didn’t seem to feel at home in this dish. I’d either omit it next time or reduce to 1/4 teaspoon. But make no mistake, this is a delicious recipe.
I’m so excited to try this for Christmas Eve dinner! I love the idea of a good make ahead recipe so that I don’t miss a minute of our family activites! We’re not big on the consistency of ricotta cheese so I was wondering if cottage cheese can be substituted without changing the overall taste?
Have you ever tried a combination of cottage cheese and sour cream? It’s what I use in our baked spaghetti casserole and my husband (who hates both ricotta and cottage cheese) loves it.
Do not forget the chicken broth! My fiancé forgot it and it was still good but lacking in flavor! Lol. Still really good though! Can’t wait to make it again!
LOVE this recipe!! I use gluten free lasagne sheets which can’t be pre cooked, so I just cover the lasagne in alfoil for 45mins and then 15mins uncovered to brown the cheese!! Yummmm
Just curious, do you add any salt to the chicken and mushrooms when cooking? Or to the veggies (if I decide to add more veggies like red peppers or squash). Is the white sauce and cheese enough to season it?
Thanks 🙂
I felt like this recipe was plenty salty without any additional salt, although if I added some anywhere it would be with the chicken and mushrooms to season them.
This was absolutely delicious! My husband even liked it and he doesn’t like lasagna.
This recipe is fabulous! One of my favorite meals ever! I’m making it again this week but I am going to add artichoke hearts.
We used rotisserie chicken breast cubed and it was delicious!
I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting!
I made this using almond milk (extra creamy unsweetened) and almond flour, also I cannot eat spinach so substituted baby kale. Ground up extra fennel seed and did add some Italian seasoning and garlic to the chicken mushroom mixture. I have to use the Gluten free no bake lasagna noodles so I made 1 1/2 times the sauce to accompany the gf noodles. Turned out amazingly tasty!
I’m making this for my neighbors/good friends. Adding Jared drained artichoke and a little roasted red pepper. I’m going to make some extra sauce in case it is a little dry. Can’t wait to make this!
I made this as directed, with everything except the fennel. I served this white lasagna, for those who don’t eat beef, along with House of Nashes classic red lasagna. Both were delicious & a hit. 2 lasagnas fed a group of 12 adults & provided leftovers. I made ahead of time, following Amy’s suggestion to soak the noodles, not fully cook them. Then I froze the lasagna. The flavor was perfect-not bland, like some white pasta/lasagna can be.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christy!
Hello, when do I add the spinach and mushrooms?? It’s in the ingredient list and assembly, but not in the instructions. Looks delicious, thanks!!
Thank you so much for pointing that out! I included that in the step-by-step photos in the body of the post itself and then somehow left it out of the recipe card. But it’s fixed now! The mushrooms go in right after the onions and sauteed down a bit, then the spinach goes in after whisking in the chicken broth and thickening the sauce a bit.
I’m about to try this recipe. 2 tablespoons of olive oil is listed in the ingredients list, but not anywhere that I can find in the instructions. I’m hoping it’s added together with the butter when sauteing the onion, garlic and mushrooms?
Yes, it goes in with the butter. Thanks for pointing that out! I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect that.
Question: I am not a fan of fennel seed. Is there a substitute I can make for the fennel?
Mary C.
You can just omit the fennel seed and it will be just fine!
This was easy and delicious! I will make it again BUT…
Only gave 4 stars because soaking the noodles without stirring them around was a sticky mess that I could not salvage. Luckily, I had other options in the pantry and pivoted to stuffed shells after having to throw out the unusable pasta sheets.
Always looking for great nightshade-free recipes and this fit the bill!
If you could please post the recipe at the beginning it would save a lot of scrolling and searching.
Thanks
I have a “jump to recipe” button at the top of every post to help with that exact thing if you prefer to skip the tips and step-by-step pictures. If you click it, it will automatically take you straight to the recipe card every time. I hope that helps!
Delicious and I plan to make again but the crushed red pepper made it way too spicy ( and I generally like some heat). I’d either eliminate or do 1/4 teaspoon of red and black pepper.