Chicken Lasagna (Plus VIDEO)

Chicken Lasagna is an easy makeover of chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. The rich Alfredo sauce layered with lasagna noodles, mushrooms, spinach, and a three-cheese sauce is easy enough for an everyday meal but elegant enough for that special date night.

Contents… Easy Homemade Chicken Lasagna Recipe Ingredients Alternative Ingredients Tips and Tricks Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve with Chicken Lasagna? More Chicken Meals to Try How to Make Chicken Lasagna Watch How To Make It

I have a love affair with lasagna. It’s so versatile! As long as I have lasagna noodles and cheese, I can add just about anything.

It’s a great opportunity to clean out the fridge—leftover chicken, veggies, sauces, etc. There’s a way to layer them with cheese and noodles for a leftover makeover that will have your family licking their lips.

This particular chicken lasagna recipe has satisfying layers of chicken, mushrooms, spinach, lasagna noodles with the perfect bite, and a creamy Alfredo sauce that will have you drooling. If you haven’t tried it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing.

It is all you’ve ever loved about classic lasagna, except that it boasts tender shredded chicken and perfectly sauteed mushrooms covered in a creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauce!

I poached a chicken breast (see my How to Make Poached Chicken guide here) for this recipe. However, with the price of rotisserie chicken, it’s tempting to use that the next time.

The next time I smoke a turkey, I’m going to try it with leftovers. I can already taste it!

Easy Homemade Chicken Lasagna

Restaurant-style lasagna without the restaurant price tag is enough motivation for me to make this at home.

The fact that it’s super easy frees you up for more important things, like quality time with my hubby and son.

The rich Alfredo sauce in this dish is so satisfying and comforting after a long day at work. You can make this ahead, keep it in the fridge till that evening or the next day, then pop it in the oven and relax.

Recipe Ingredients

• Ricotta cheese is the star of the cheese sauce and provides a creamy sauce sure to sooth the soul.
• Egg is a binder in this chicken lasagna recipe. It keeps the cheese together, so it doesn’t run away from you at dinner time.
• Parsley adds flavor and a beautiful green color to offset so much white.😉
• Parmesan Cheese is the second cheese in this 3-cheese lasagna. Umami galore for a mouthwatering dinner.
• Salt is an essential flavor enhancer in everyone’s pantry.
• Nutmeg adds just a touch of the right taste in a Hollandaise or white sauce. You don’t really notice it unless it’s not there.
• Olive Oil or Butter is perfect for sauteing and adds an Italian flair.
• Mushrooms are another source of umami that makes this dish so satisfying and delicious.
• Thyme is a favorite of mine to match with chicken. The herby earthy flavor is hard to beat. No thyme? Check out my guide for Best Substitutes for Thyme here.
• Black Pepper adds spice without heat, and the shaker is always on my table.
• Onion adds the right amount of zing. It’s not overwhelming but adds a healthy taste to any savory dish.
• Minced Garlic is another spice that, like onion, adds just the right amount of kick.
• Italian Seasoning is one of my standby versatile herb mixes. It’s so easy to make it at home (see my homemade Italian Seasoning) that you’ll never use store-bought again.
• All-purpose Flour thickens the white sauce for a creamy mouthfeel that will take you to heaven and back.
• Chicken Broth adds flavor and bulk to the white sauce. Don’t worry; the flour will thicken it.
• Half-and-half makes everything better, right along with real butter. The richness adds a layer of flavor between the noodles, chicken, and cheese.
• Spinach makes this recipe healthy by adding greens. No need to feel guilty putting this dish on the table for your dear family. If you have frozen spinach, no problem. Thaw it and drain it well before using it in the recipe. Same for canned spinach; drain it well.
• Lasagna Noodles provide structure and substance. They turn this dish into the ultimate comfort food.
• Chicken Breast is the whitest of white meats and a good source of mild-flavored protein. If you have enough leftover baked chicken from the rotisserie, no need to fret. Leftover cooked chicken will work great.
• Mozzarella Cheese is my go-to for a cheesy stringy soul-satisfying pizza or lasagna. I’m so glad someone invented this one.

Alternative Ingredients

• Ricotta Cheese can be substituted with small curd cottage cheese. You’ll have a little more texture, but it will still be delicious.
• The Egg acts as a thickener in this recipe. You can leave it out, but I would add a tablespoon of all-purpose flour to the ricotta cheese mix if you do.
• Mushrooms can be left out if you don’t like them or don’t have any. If you want eggplant, you can also peel and cut the same amount of eggplant in mushroom-slice-sized pieces and saute them in butter until tender.
• All-purpose Flour can easily be subbed with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Chicken Broth can be substituted with water, but it won’t have as much flavor.
• Half-and-half gives this dish a rich, creamy feel. You can use half heavy cream and half milk, or 1 ½ cup heavy cream and ½ water.
• Spinach is a wonderful veggie, but if you don’t have it, you don’t have it. I like to steam a little broccoli and chop it up in its place.
• Lasagna Noodles can be replaced with gluten-free noodles or baked eggplant strips. I like to peel and slice eggplant lengthwise, brush the slices with olive oil, and bake them until tender. You don’t use raw because the juices from the eggplant will make the lasagna soggy. Zucchini will work, too.
• Mozzarella is gooey and so tempting. But so is Gruyere, mild cheddar, and a good Jack. Feel free to play around with good melting cheeses.

Tips and Tricks

Let it rest 10 minutes after pulling it out of the oven. That will give the cheeses time to firm up and not be so runny.

Crispy fried bacon bits go really well on top, right before you top it with the mozzarella.

Serving and Storage Instructions

I love making a huge batch of this scrumptious stuff and freezing half of it. It lasts in the freezer for up to three months.

If you use freshly cooked chicken, it will last three or four days in the fridge. Honestly, though, it’s always gone before I have to worry about that.

FAQs

What to Serve with Chicken Lasagna?

What’s Italian food without garlic bread and a Greek salad? Oh, wait, Greek salad isn’t Italian. Don’t let that stop you! They go fantastic together.

More Chicken Meals to Try

• Smoked Beer Can Chicken – The flavor goes more than skin deep. And you can save the leftovers for chicken lasagna.
• Jamaican-Style Jerk Chicken – This well-seasoned grilled chicken with a spicy Jamaican marinade has a perfect balance of heat and sweetness.
• Jollof Rice & Chicken – The famous one-pot meal that was invented in West Africa bursts with flavors from the rich tomato sauce and spicy Scotch bonnet peppers. Couple that with rice, and you have a chicken dinner sure to please.
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken – I love how my Instant Pot makes such juicy chicken. Additionally, this perfectly seasoned recipe with creole seasoning and tomatoes works very well in chicken lasagna, too.
• Chicken Enchiladas – Instant Pot shredded chicken and homemade enchilada sauce slathered on flour or corn tortillas are quick and super easy.

How to Make Chicken Lasagna

The Ricotta Cheese Layer

• Mix the ingredients – Combine ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. (Photo 1)

Cook the Mushrooms

• Heat the butter – Add butter and oil to the pan; heat over medium-high heat.
• Saute the mushrooms – Place mushrooms in a large skillet, followed by thyme and salt. Sauté until water has evaporated about 6-7 minutes–season with pepper. Remove from the skillet and set aside. (Photos 2 & 3)

Make the Roux

• The seasoning – In the same skillet, add onions, garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning. And sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. (Photo 4)

• Combine the butter and flour in the skillet and stir until the butter melts and the flour has been absorbed. (Photo 5 & 6)
• Pour in chicken broth and half & half, a little at a time, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps in the mixture until all the liquid has been incorporated. (Photos 7-9)

• Thicken the sauce – As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring it until it thickens slightly. (Photos 10 & 11)
• Add the spinach, cook for about 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Turn off heat and set aside. (Photo 12)

Chicken Lasagna Assembly

• The spinach mixture – To assemble, spread about ½ cup spinach mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish, enough to cover the bottom. (Photo 13)

• The other layers – Then place 3-4 noodles lengthwise on top of the sauce. Spread with the ricotta cheese mixture, mushrooms, chicken, and spinach sauce. (Photos 14-20)
• Repeat one more time. To finish, place the last layer of lasagna noodles and top with the remaining spinach sauce.

• Cover it – Spray a foil sheet with nonstick spray; this will help prevent the lasagna from sticking to the foil paper. (Photo 21)
• Transfer to oven – Tightly cover the lasagna with foil paper. Place lasagna on a baking tray – this will help when transporting the lasagna to and from the oven.

Ready for the Oven

• Bake in a preheated oven for about 50 minutes, then carefully remove the foil paper, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. (Photos 22-24)
• Bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is golden brown.
• Cool it down – Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Watch How To Make It

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