White Chicken Lasagna

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 Lasgana

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hr 15 mins

Total: 1 hr 30 mins

Mains

Western

4.96 from 45 votes

Servings8 - 10 people

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Recipe video above. Tender shredded chicken and golden, garlicky mushrooms smothered in a cheesy Alfredo sauce, layered up with lasagna sheets. It's a WHITE chicken lasagna - and it's amazing!

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:

1. Vegeta -this is a brand of vegetable stock powder that adds salt to a dish but has more flavour than plain salt. Sold in blue can in the herb & spice section of everyday supermarkets.

Alternatives - Any vegetable or chicken stock powder (also known as granulated bouillon, same thing) is fine to use here, OR use 2 x bouillon/stock cubes, crumbled.

2. Cheese - any melting cheese with flavour fine here. Monterey Jack, Emmental, Swiss, Colby, other cheese of choice.

* Tasty cheese - works fine and flavour is great but sauce is not quite as smooth as other cheeses. But not something ordinary folk would pick up, only fussy people like me. 🙂 I will use if I have nothing else but wouldn't choose for this recipe at the shops!

3. 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.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 558cal (28%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 48g (96%)Fat: 32g (49%)Saturated Fat: 17g (106%)Cholesterol: 159mg (53%)Sodium: 1267mg (55%)Potassium: 1031mg (29%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1004IU (20%)Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)Calcium: 512mg (51%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Keywords: Chicken Lasagna, Lasagna

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