Throwback Thursday, Chicken & Spinach White Lasagna
This is a great make ahead dinner,
you can make it up to 2 days before baking
and then all you have to do is pop it in the oven
This White Lasagna,
made with chicken, spinach and a white cheese sauce
is Swoonworthy!
Simple ingredients, lasagna noodles, chicken, ricotta cheese,
chicken broth, milk, onion, spinach, butter,
cheese and seasonings
You can eliminate one time consuming step
by using no boil Lasagna noodles
These are so great to use when you prepare your dish ahead of time
because they will automatically start softening
while your dish is in the refrigerator
I like them also because they are thin,
so your casserole is not loaded with thick heavy pasta sheets.
Brown the chicken in a skillet
while you’re making the white sauce
The white cheese sauce is easy,
after melting the butter you toss in the onion and garlic
Cook a few minutes, stirring until onions are soft
and then add the flour
Stir in the flour and then add the milk and broth
Bring that mixture to a boil and cook and stir for one minute
Toss in the cheese and seasonings,
stir and remove from heat
In no time the cheese melts
and you have a lovely white cheesy sauce
Mix the ricotta cheese with the spinach and Parmesan
Start the assembly by putting about 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom
of your prepared dish
I used a deep 9″ square casserole
Break noodles to fill in the gaps so you have a full even layer
Top the noodle layer with 1/2 of the shredded chicken
and 1/2 of the spinach ricotta mix
Then top with 1/4 of the sauce and repeat
Top this final layer with another layer of noodles
Then top it with the remaining 1/4 cup of sauce
Sprinkle with Fontina and 1/3 cup of Parmesan
At this point you can cover it and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, until hot and bubbly
Chicken & Spinach White Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, {1 stick}
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk I used 2%
- 2 cups chicken broth vegetable broth can be used
- 1 cup chopped or grated Fontina cheese
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 package frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 3 cups cooked chicken I used about 9 chicken tenders
- 9-12 lasagna noodles I used no boil
- Additional grated white cheeses for topping I used Swiss and Parmesan
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 x 13 or deep 9”square baking dish with cooking oil spray.
- Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan. Saute the onion and garlic until onion is soft and translucent.
- Whisk in the flour and then add milk and chicken broth.
- Add seasonings, bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the Fontina and Parmesan, stir to melt cheese and set sauce aside.
- In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Mix until combined.
- Spread 1/4 of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with 3-4 lasagna noodles, arranging in a flat layer.
- Top with 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the ricotta spinach mix, then top with another 1/4 of the sauce. Repeat.
- Top the second layer with another layer of lasagna noodles and the rest of the sauce.
- Sprinkle with a little more cheese on top. At this point the dish can be refrigerated overnight, covered with foil.
- Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, until bubbly and golden. If dish has been refrigerated adjust cooking time, it might need a little longer.
This recipe originally posted in 2013,
so I apologize for the quality of the photos…
but the recipe is so good I wanted to re-share it with you
You could also substitute jarred Alfredo sauce
for the white sauce to save another prep step
Enjoy!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado/ Love Your Creativity
What’s for Dinner/ Between Naps on the Porch
All About Home/ Common Ground & Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Oh My Heartsie Girl / Turn About Tuesday
Centerpiece Wednesday / Creative Crafts
Full Plate Thursday/ Creatively Crafty/ Thursday Favorite Things
Happiness is Homemade/ Friday with Friends / Share the Wealth
Comments
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Jenna, we love pasta and the chicken and spinach white lasagne looks delicious. It is so convenient to be able to prepare ahead of time and refrigerate and bake up to two days later.
Happy Thursday, I know you have been enjoying the sunny weather!
Thank you Pam and yes, I am loving this sunny and warmer weather!
So yummy and a wonderful departure from traditional lasagna Jenna! Happy Thursday ♥
Thank you Mary 🙂
A classic, and done so well. I remember making a similar dish when my kids were little.
Thank you Dorothy, I love to make dinner ahead of time so all I have to do is pop it in the oven!
Jenna, I agree this dish looks swoon worthy. I love something that can be made ahead of time. Next time Caroline is home, I’m making this. She loves pasta! Wishing you a most happy day!
Thank you Shannon, I love knowing dinner is ready in the fridge and all I have to do is put it in the oven!
This look so delicious. We love lasagna and this recipe must be great with chicken and white sauce. Thanks for sharing Jenna.
Thanks Linda, it’s a nice change from traditional lasagna!
This looks delicious and a nice change to the regular meat and red-sawce. Swoonworth is a wonderful description!
Thank Jeanie!
That looks delicious! Pinned.
Thanks Joanne!
This sounds great. Italian restaurants in New Mexico add green chile, and it is delicious that way too.
Yes, that would be a great addition!
Sounds good, kind of like a white lasagna:@)
Exactly!
This looks so delicious Jenna.Yum to all the cheese……….Pinning this!
Thanks Emily, it’s a great make ahead meal!
Oh Jenna, this does indeed look swoonworthy! I think I would make this exactly as you’ve done – it looks delicious! And so great that it can be made ahead of time. Pinned for sure!
Thank you Kim, I hope you enjoy!
This looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Enjoy the rest of your week.
Thank you Helen!
That looks so good. I wonder if I could get the family to try it. Maybe my husband, but that’s probably a non-starter with the kiddos. My stepdaughter might try it though. I’ll try to slip it to them lol! Thanks for sharing on Crafty Creators!
XOXO,
Niki ~ Life as a LEO Wife
Thank you Niki, it’s a nice change from traditional lasagna!