White Chicken Lasagna with Pesto
This white chicken lasagna with pesto and spinach is surprisingly easy to make, and I'll walk you through every step. Tender chicken, fresh spinach, gooey mozzarella, and a creamy béchamel sauce are layered together with a touch of pesto for a simple but delicious twist on classic lasagna.
Servings: 10
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk warmed
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 4 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- ½ cup basil pesto
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley or basil for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Make the bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth. Bring to a light simmer and cook until thickened, about 8-12 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in ¾ cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Spread 1 cup of bechamel sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on top, then layer with 1/2 cup bechamel, 1/3 of the chicken, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/3 of the spinach.
- Repeat with another layer of 3 noodles, ½ cup bechamel, 1/3 of the chicken, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/3 of the spinach.
- For the third layer, repeat the same process and drizzle on the ½ cup pesto.
- For the final layer, add 3 noodles, then spread with bechamel and finish with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. (Note: Insert 6-10 toothpicks evenly across the top, sticking out about ½-1 inch out of the lasagna before covering with foil. This prevents melted cheese from sticking to the foil. )
- Remove foil and bake another 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. If desired, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes for a golden top. Keep watch so it doesn’t burn.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Top with fresh chopped herbs for a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- If your chicken is unseasoned, or lightly seasoned, feel free to add some flavor by drizzling with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, some salt, pepper, garlic powder or herb seasonings. Stir to incorporate.
- Don’t brown the butter and flour (the roux). Cook it only for 1-2 minutes just to remove raw flour taste.
- Whisk constantly while slowly adding the warmed milk to the bechamel sauce to avoid lumps.
- There is no need to cook the spinach first. It will wilt beautifully while baking.
- You may need more/less lasagna noodles depending on the size of your baking dish. Either layer or cut the noodles to fit the dish.
- Keep the noodles in cold water to prevent them from sticking and keeping them fresh. Drain excess water before layering.
- Use the toothpick method to prevent the melted cheese from sticking to the foil while baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1584IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 690mg | Iron: 2mg