Description
This delicious Chicken Lasagna Bake combines tender boiled lasagna noodles layered with a creamy, savory white sauce infused with spinach, ricotta, and multiple cheeses. Diced cooked chicken adds protein, while layers of mozzarella and jack cheese create a gooey, bubbly topping when baked to perfection in the oven. Ready in under an hour, it’s a comforting crowd-pleaser perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Lasagna and Cheese Layers
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 4 cups shredded jack cheese, divided into ½ cup, ½ cup, and three 1-cup portions
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, sliced
White Sauce
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 4½ cups whole milk
Other Ingredients
- 4 to 5 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon dried or fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Cook Noodles: Boil the lasagna noodles in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the Roux: In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour, black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is browned and bubbly, forming a roux.
- Add Milk and Thicken Sauce: Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce comes to a gentle boil and thickens significantly, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Incorporate Cream Cheese and Jack Cheese: Stir in the sliced cream cheese and ½ cup shredded jack cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Add Spinach: Fold the baby spinach leaves into the white sauce until evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Prepare Ricotta Mixture: In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, parsley, and ½ cup shredded jack cheese. Mix until smooth and uniform.
- Assemble Layer 1: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the white sauce to cover the bottom. Arrange three lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce.
- Layer Ricotta and Chicken: Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, then distribute half of the cooked chicken on top. Spoon one-third of the white sauce over the chicken and ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup jack cheese.
- Layer 2: Add another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture followed by the remaining chicken. Top with 1 cup each of mozzarella and jack cheese.
- Final Layer: Add the last three noodles as the final layer. Cover with the remaining white sauce and sprinkle the remaining portions of mozzarella and jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese topping is melted and lightly browned.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and optionally garnish with additional parsley before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Boiling noodles until al dente prevents overcooking during baking.
- The white sauce (béchamel) can be whisked constantly to avoid lumps and ensure smoothness.
- If fresh spinach is used, it will wilt perfectly into the warm sauce without extra cooking.
- Using a combination of jack, mozzarella, and cream cheese creates layers of creamy texture and flavor.
- Leftover baked lasagna can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
