Description
This White Chicken Lasagna is a creamy, comforting twist on the classic Italian dish, featuring layers of tender lasagna noodles, a rich Alfredo sauce packed with shredded rotisserie chicken, spinach, and artichoke hearts, and a luscious ricotta filling. Baked to golden perfection and topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, this recipe serves 18 and makes for a perfect crowd-pleaser at family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Lasagna Noodles
- 15 classic lasagna noodles (NOT no-boil)
Cheese and Filling
- 1 pound shredded mozzarella (about 4 cups)
- 3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Alfredo Sauce
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (may substitute half with olive oil)
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups half and half
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- Additional whole milk (if needed to thin sauce)
Vegetables
- 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (chopped and patted very dry)
- 16 oz. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and patted very dry)
Instructions
- Soak Noodles: Place lasagna noodles in a long pan and pour hot tap water over them until submerged. Let soak for at least 30 minutes, occasionally agitating to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Ricotta Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, sour cream, eggs, chopped basil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until thoroughly combined and set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get ready for baking the lasagna.
- Make Alfredo Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and whisk in flour, cooking and stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in half and half, chicken broth, and all spices including onion powder, dried parsley, basil, oregano, salt, thyme, pepper, chicken bouillon, and red pepper flakes.
- Thicken Sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil while whisking constantly, then lower heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened but not overly thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in shredded chicken. Add additional milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Assemble Lasagna: Lightly grease a deep 9×13 inch baking pan. Spread 1 cup of Alfredo sauce on the bottom. Layer 4 noodles lengthwise plus part of a 5th to cover the bottom. Spread one-third of the ricotta filling evenly over the noodles, then top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Build Remaining Layers: Repeat layering with Alfredo sauce (one-third of the remaining sauce, about 2 cups), noodles, ricotta filling, and mozzarella cheese two more times to create three total layers. Finish with the remaining Alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the lasagna tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly throughout.
- Broil to Finish: Increase oven temperature to broil at 550°F. Broil the lasagna for about 3 minutes until the top is golden in spots. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before slicing to set the layers and enhance flavor.
Notes
- Soaking the noodles before assembling helps them become tender without boiling.
- Patting the spinach and artichokes very dry prevents excess moisture which can make lasagna watery.
- The Alfredo sauce can be thinned with additional milk if it becomes too thick during cooking.
- Broiling at the end gives the top a nice golden, bubbly finish—stay close to prevent burning.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavor, but you can also cook your own shredded chicken.
