New to Chicken Lasagna? Think – tender shredded chicken and golden mushrooms smothered in a cheesy, creamy Alfredo sauce, layered up into a big, cosy lasagna.
Try it once, and you’ll be converted for life!
Chicken Lasagna
White Chicken Lasagna is everything you know and love about classic Lasagna – except it’s made with tender shredded chicken and golden mushrooms smothered in a cheesy Alfredo sauce!
While it may be white instead of red, and made with chicken instead of beef, it has all the characteristics of what we love so much about Lasagna:
it’s just as cosy
just as cheesy
just as saucy
just as moreish
makes a BIG BATCH
freezes great
you know it’s going to be a guaranteed hit with everyone!
How to make Chicken Lasagna
Normally, I start with “what you need” but given the idea of a chicken lasagna might be new to some – and a white one at that (!) – I thought I’d start by showing you how it’s made so you can see there’s nothing tricky about it at all!
Here are the main components to making this dish:
Poached chicken / semi homemade stock – I like to cook the chicken by poaching it in milk + chicken broth. This serves 2 purposes: a) juicier chicken; and b) chicken juices leaches into broth to make a semi homemade broth (which equals tastier white sauce!)
Cheesy Alfredo Sauce – this is just a white sauce, made no differently than what we use for Mac and Cheese and similar dishes. It’s made with milk and thickened with flour. No cream. Plenty of richness from butter and cheese!
Golden, buttery, garlicky mushrooms – I like to add mushrooms in to add something different into the mixture, rather than having just all meat! Feel free to switch it up with other veggies – though I have to say, mushrooms are by far my favourite.
Shred chicken, mix, layer – once the above 3 components are ready, just mix it all up to make the creamy filling. Then layer up the lasagna, just as you do classic Beef Lasagna. Bake – and voila!
What you need for Chicken Lasagna
And here’s what you need to make this White Chicken Lasagna. Nothing unusual here!
Just a note on a couple of things:
Vegeta or other stock powder (aka granulated bouillon) – I use this instead of salt because it adds more flavour. Any kind of stock powder is fine here – chicken or vegetable (I like Vegeta which is a Vegetable stock powder);
Thyme is optional – it adds a subtle perfume to the homemade “broth”. Can also be substituted with a pinch of dried thyme;
Cheeses – I like using a full flavoured cheese to mix into the Alfredo Sauce, and mozzarella for the top for its melting qualities. But you can really use any melting cheese you want – as long as it’s a melting type of cheese; and
Lasagna Sheets – I like using fresh lasagna sheets that are sold in the refrigerator section. These do not require cooking before layering up and baking, and I think they yield the best result. The other two types of lasagna sheets that can be used are:
Dried lasagna sheets, require cooking – these sheets need to be cooked per the packet directions before assembling the lasagna; and
Dried, instant / no cook – these are dried lasagna sheets that can be layered up and used without pre cooking.
I do say above that the mushrooms can be switched out for another vegetable.
But I take that back.
The addition of golden, buttery, garlicky mushrooms totally makes this!! Don’t skip it!!*
* Though if you really need a substitute, I’d highly recommend golden roasted cubes of pumpkin (follow this recipe) or stir through a load of baby spinach.
More chicken version of classic dishes
As I was writing this Chicken Lasagna post, it dawned on me that this whole “chicken version of beef recipes” has become a bit of a habit around these parts!
For example, Chicken Nachos – equally tasty, perhaps even tastier, than classic Beef Nachos. Same for Chicken Tacos.
Chicken Stroganoff instead of Beef Stroganoff. Chicken Meatloaf instead of classic Meatloaf made with beef.
Err….
OK, I’m 100% sure I’ve done more chicken versions but I’m stuck right now for ideas so I’m just going to blow right past this!
So, today is the chicken version of everybody’s favourite beef Lasagna.
There’s no need to choose a favourite. There is a place in the world for both the classic Lasagna and this Chicken version, don’t you think?? Well, there’s certainly space in my life for both!! – Nagi x
Complete your meal
Simple, crisp garden salad with a Balsamic or Italian Dressing
For company, show off with this Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts
Carb blow out with a side of Garlic Bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread
Finish the meal with a cosy Apple Crumble or Strawberry Crumble
Watch how to make it
Forgot to add bay leaves in the video!
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White Chicken Lasagna
Ingredients
Chicken & semi-homemade stock:
- 1 kg/ 2lb chicken breast or boneless skinless thigh
- 4 cups (1L) milk , any fat %
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken broth / stock
- 2 bay leaves , dried
- 3 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 2 tsp Vegeta (or chicken stock powder/granulated bouillon, Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Mushrooms:
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter , separated
- 2 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 500g / 1lb mushrooms , quartered
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each
White sauce:
- 50g / 4tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3/4 cup (110g) flour , plain / all purpose
- 2 cups (200g) cheddar cheese , shredded (Note 2)
Lasagna:
- 375g (13 oz) lasagna sheets , fresh (or 250g/8oz dried) (Note 3)
- 2 cups (200g) mozzarella cheese , shredded
Instructions
Chicken:
- Place milk, broth and stock powder in a large saucepan. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat, add chicken, pepper, bay leaves and thyme.
- Place lid on, simmer gently on medium low for 15 minutes (do not boil, can make milk split).
- Remove chicken and shred. Cover pot and set poaching liquid aside.
Mushrooms:
- Heat half the oil and butter in a very large, deep skillet over high heat (or use large pot). Add half the mushrooms with half the garlic, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring leisurely, until golden. Transfer to bowl and repeat with remaining mushrooms.
White Sauce:
- Lower heat down to medium.
- Melt butter in skillet, then add garlic. Stir until golden.
- Add flour. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Gradually pour in 2 cups of reserved poaching liquid while stirring constantly, it should turn into a thick paste.
- Mix in another cup of liquid, then add remaining liquid and stir well to dissolve. Use whisk if necessary to make lump free.
- Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens – you should be able to draw a path across a spoon (see video).
- Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted. Taste and add more salt & peppers, if needed.
- REMOVE 2 1/2 cups (625ml) of sauce (save for topping). Then stir in chicken and mushrooms into remaining sauce.
Assemble & Bake:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Smear some sauce on the base of a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13" baking dish. Cover base with lasagna sheets.
- Top with half chicken mixture, then lasagna sheets, remaining chicken mixture then more lasagna sheets.
- Pour over reserved White Sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover loosely with foil or use upside down baking tray (ensure it's not touching cheese).
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, bake further 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Stand 10 minutes, garnish with parsley if desired then cut to serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Dried lasagna sheets, require cooking – these sheets need to be cooked per the packet directions before assembling the lasagna; and
- Dried, instant / no cook – these are dried lasagna sheets that can be layered up and used without pre cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I love this dog so damn much. ☺️
Love being able to scale the recipes Nagi. This is a BIG plus for me! Thanks so much.
Omg I never you could do this… thanks for the heads up…. though looks like we’ll be eating this chicken lasagne from the freezer for a while 😂
Does this make ahead well? I was wanting to put it together and bake it tomorrow.
Hi DeeAnn, yes you can definitely do that! Enjoy! N x
The milk split 😭 how do I fix it? Do I need to wash the chicken???
Hi Angela, it will be fine – when you make the sauce and thicken it you won’t even notice as it will come back together! N x
Ooops….I washed the chicken and tossed the broth 😞…the family loved it anyway!! okie…good to know if it happens next time 😉 Thanks for replying btw!
Delicious! I might make it without the mushrooms next time and maybe add spinach instead since I am pretty much the only one that likes mushrooms.
Made this tonight for dinner, the family just loved it
Wahoo! You nailed it Anne-Marie! N x
Thanks to your step by step recipe x
I love your recipes.I feel like a professional Chef when I make your dishes.
I cant find any chicken broth powder vegeta or the last thing u wrote is it okay to make it without that?
Hi Nagi, I am hoping to make the Chicken lasagna for kids and wonder what vegetable is best to replace mushroom?
Thanks
Sherien
Hi Sherien, I love the flavour that mushroom brings to this dish – there isn’t really a vegetable that can replace this flavour but you could add some zucchini, eggplant, squash if the kids will eat that instead! N x
My partner and I SERIOUSLY loved this recipe. The time you put into it is worth it. I added spinach in when cooking the mushrooms and we preferred this over a standard lasagne. Great job as always!
Hi Nagi, could you add bacon to this recipe? Many thanks
Hi Chez – most definitely! N x
Hi Nagi, Great fan of yours. Pork char siu and fried rice are absolute winners with family. Made chicken lasagna as well and was delish. Just one detail. when I brown the mushrooms they release water whereas yours seems to be perfect. Could you please share the secret.
Hi Anup – high heat and oil/butter will get that golden colour! N x
Such a fantastic recipe, thank you so much! I followed it exactly except I added a leak as per another comment and it came out amazing with such fantastic flavour.
Sounds great Rathi! N x
Hi Nagi! Made this for dinner last nite and it was superb, the taste was out of this world. Couldn’t find refrigerated lasagna sheets you used, but used the one you have to precook, so it was soupy when I tried to cut it but the taste was GREAT! My husband loved it as well! Thank you for sharing your recipes. I absolutely adore Dozer too!
Hi MaryAnn, if you use the dried lasagne sheets – there’s to need to pre cook. Simply assemble with the dried sheets and the pasta will cook as the lasagne bakes 🙂 (this will fix your soupy situation as the pasta absorbs excess liquid) N x
First time I made this, everyone was over the moon. While we were discussing how good it was, my daughter said that next time I make it, I should put pickled artichokes in. Everyone agreed that would be a wonderful addition. So last night I made this again and put the artichokes in (two small jars, drained and chopped) and WOW! It was awesome, too! Thanks for the recipe…we LOVE it!
Sounds fab Elizabeth, I’d definitely be up for that!!! N x
This is a great recipe that everybody in my household likes, including 2 toddlers. So, this will be a keeper for sure. Thank you, Nagi, for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Lufi! N x
I was halfway through preparing this–had poached the chicken, cooked the mushrooms, grated all the cheese–when I discovered that I didn’t have any lasagna noodles in my cupboard. How did that happen??? I thought about going out, but I’m being diligent about staying home and only doing one grocery shop a week, so that wasn’t going to happen. In the end I thought, well, why not try it with rice instead. So I layered it all up with rice, baked it, and holy wow. So yummy! The perfect comfort food.
Thank you!
Woah, great idea Kern, I’m so glad it still worked out – I may have to try this!! N x
Made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit. Absolutely delicious. I added a leek while I was cooking the mushrooms that’s the only change I made.
Will defiantly be making this again. Thank you so much 🙂
Which refrigerated area of the store do you find those fresh lasagna sheets?
Sounds great! But I wish you would be consistent in listing ingredient amounts, either all metric first or all metric second.
Hi Dee – I’m sorry to hear you don’t find the way I write recipes convenient for how you cook. Regretfully, the way I write measurements is how I cook and so it will always be written that way. I measure meat and most vegetables by weight. I do liquids and dry goods by cups. As do most people where I live (in Australia). I provide the alternative measurement to help my readers. – Nagi
Great recipe I will make it again. It would be a good chicken pot pie mixture
Hi there can I just half the whole recipe to make for 4 people?
I’ve halved the recipe twice now and worked great both times. Doing it again tonight!