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I love Sundays…cozy, relaxing, and practically begging for comfort food. Here is one of my favorite recipes on cold snowy days like these…perfect for curling up on the couch with a good book or movie. Rosemary Chicken Lasagna!
This version is made with a creamy béchamel sauce and mushrooms (optional) and a fun little trick of using egg roll wrappers instead of pasta for a lighter version.
How to make Rosemary Chicken Lasagna
In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in milk one cup at a time. Add rosemary and bring to a gentle simmer, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Stir until incorporated, set aside.
Next comes half of the filling.
For the top layer, spread with the remaining béchamel, sprinkle with Parmesan and more rosemary.
Step 4: Bake the Lasagna.
Place in a 400 F oven, covered with foil, until heated through and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and let bake uncovered until beautiful and golden, about 10 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy with a healthy leafy green salad – like this Classic Caesar Salad or this Kale Caesar Salad!
More Lasagna recipes you may like!
Rosemary Chicken Lasagna
- Prep Time: 55 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: main, lasagna, chicken
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: italian
Description
Rosemary Chicken Lasagna with creamy Béchamel Sauce …and a little tip on how to make this lighter and faster when pressed for time! #chickenlasagna #whitelasagna
Ingredients
Lasagna Filling:
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small bite sized, 1/2 inch pieces ( or replace some with mushrooms)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional- or replace with 8 oz more chicken)
- 1/2 onion- diced
- 6 cloves garlic -chopped
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh rosemary- chopped ( or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1–2 cups packed, chopped fresh spinach ( optional)
Bechamel Sauce Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter ( or olive oil)
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 cups whole milk ( or use half and half and water)
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- Truffle oil– optional but amazing
Lasagna ingredients:
- No-boil lasagna noodles, fresh pasta sheets, or use egg roll wrappers for an extra light version!
- 12 oz fresh or grated mozzarella, divided -saving 4 oz for béchamel
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta
- 3/4 cup Parmesan, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Truffle oil– optional but amazing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Make the Filling: ( see notes for vegetarian) Cut chicken into 1/2 inch, bite size pieces and season with 1 teaspoon salt and cracked pepper to taste. Saute in a skillet, on medium heat, with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until golden brown, and cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan and add a little more oil. Add mushrooms and onion and saute until tender, on med heat, about 7 min. Add garlic and rosemary, and saute 2 more minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and lower heat to med low, and saute until mushrooms release their liquid. Add chopped spinach, stir until wilted and add this to the chicken. Set aside.
- Make Bechamel Sauce: In a small pot, melt butter on med low heat. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes on med heat until flour is golden. Whisk in milk one cup at a time. Add rosemary and bring to a gentle simmer, do not leave unattended, stirring constantly. Add 4 oz. mozzarella and stir until melted and thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Stir until incorporated, set aside.
- Assemble Lasagna. Use fresh pasta sheets if possible. If not available, substitute large egg roll wrappers or dry lasagna noodles. Butter or grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour ¾ cups bechamel sauce in the bottom and spread out. Lay down one layer of pasta (or two layers of egg roll wrappers). Using a teaspoon, place teaspoon sized dollops of ricotta, using up about half the container. Spread out the 1/2 of the chicken mushroom filling, drizzle 1/2 C bechemal, sprinkle 1/4 C Parmesan, and 4 oz of the fresh mozzarella and half of the lemon zest. Repeat, adding another single layer of pasta, or a layer of egg roll wrappers, lightly pressing down. Add dollops of ricotta, the remainder of the chicken mushroom filling, 1/2 C bechamel, the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 C Parmesan and remaining lemon zest. At this point, you could drizzle with a little truffle oil ( it’s delicious). Top with the last layer of pasta ( or egg roll wrappers) pour the remainder of the bechamel, spreading evenly. Add the final 1/4 C of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little rosemary.
- Bake covered tightly with foil in a 400F oven for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden, about 15 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven 10-15 minutes before cutting, so it sets up.
- Enjoy!
Notes
An easy way to do this is to make the filling ahead ( and refrigerate), that way, on the day of, you could make simply make the bechemal sauce and assemble. You can also make the whole lasagna ahead.
You can make this vegetarian by subbing mushrooms for the chicken. You will need 1 ½ -2 pounds total. You could also sub other sautéed veggies into the mix, or more spinach. Saute the mushrooms and onion, and when tender, add the garlic and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Add chopped spinach and wilt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 496
- Sugar: 6.9 g
- Sodium: 1060.4 mg
- Fat: 20.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.8 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 48.1 g
- Cholesterol: 124.9 mg
Keywords: chicken lasagna, chicken lasagna recipe, white lasagna, lasagna recipes with chicken, rosemary chicken lasagna,mushroom lasagna
Dear Sylvia,
This is my second year making this lasagna in the week after Christmas. I will try chicken thighs this year for more flavor. My simple question (since I rarely make lasagna and this makes a large amount) is what is the best way to reheat for subsequent dinners – after baking I cut it into serving sizes and freeze it.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes and your emphasis on vegetarian options.
Happy New Year!
Mary
Happy New year Mary! I would thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a 350 oven. Or you could microwave, but I personally prefer baking. 🙂
I am planning to make this recipe on the weekend.
I wonder if preparing the chicken using your shredded chicken recipe would work with this recipe or would it result in competing flavours? We love the shredded chicken recipe.
I think the shredding technique is fine here, but maybe would lighten up on the spices?
This is amazing! Might even be adding it to my Yule menu. I made the bechamel using almond milk and it turned out wonderfully.
Great to hear Michie!
This is didn’t knock my socks off like I was hoping. It wasn’t BAD, but for the work put in I was hoping for more bang for my buck.
★★★
Thanks for the feedback- I need to redo this recipe. Did you use eggroll noodles by chance? Any suggestions or specific feedback- or ways you think it could be improved? Thanks any feedback is appreciated!
This sounds incredible. On the dry lasagna noodles do they cook while your are baking the lasagna or do you precook them???
★★★★★
Yes, if you use “no-boil”, dry lasagna noodles, they will cook as the lasagna bakes.
Thank you. Definitely gonna try this!!
I’m curious if you think this will freeze well? If so, should I freeze it after cooking or before? Thanks!
Hi Tiffany- I think it would freeze fine! I would freeze after baking.
It freezes very well! I had some left over, so I cut it into portions before freezing. It was very enjoyable.
Amazing just as is! Opted out of spinach but said yes to the truffle oil and omg! Definitely elevates this dish. I’ll be making it again today for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Awesome Barb!
Hi Sylvia,
I love your recipes!
I’m hoping to do this with deboned chicken thighs. Would that need longer time in the oven?
Many thanks!
Hi Mary, You cook the chicken first before assembling the lasagna. So baking time would be the same. 🙂
I made this recently. When doing so, I was thinking that’s a lot of cheese! However, when it all bakes together, with the addition of the rosemary two ways, it is sheer delight in your mouth! And with the use of the egg roll wrappers, it also lightens up the dish in a most wonderful way! Fantastic recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Cary!
Hi Sylvia,
Planning on making this recipe tonight- just want to double check- if using regular lasagna noodles not fresh you do NOT cook the noodles before right?
You do not have to cook first. 🙂
Do you have to use the no-cook noodles or are regular noodles fine?
You can use either. 🙂
My husband and I love your recipes! Several months ago we stumbled upon your 40 Mouthwatering vegan recipes….and have made many. And loved all of them, we’re not even vegan. But these days we’ve been craving all of your delicious vegetarian based meals. We haven’t given up meat completely, but only cook it maybe once a week. Don’t even miss it.
This lasagna was AMAZING. The only thing that didn’t turn out for me is that it had a lot of liquid left over. I made the vegetarian version with 2lbs of mushrooms. I’m thinking I should’ve drained the filling? Also used cottage cheese instead of ricotta and maybe should drain that too? I really, really love this dish and want to figure out what I did wrong. Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Marissa! Yes, I wonder if liquid from the mushrooms made this watery. They do release a lot of liquid – but instead of draining, continue cooking the mushrooms,to “cook off” the liquid rather than draining it which will keep the flavor in there. 🙂 I don’t think cottage cheese would make it watery?
Hi Sylvia, could I make this recipe one day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator before baking?
Yes, I think that would be fine!
Outstanding, and rather easy to make. I will be making this again for my family on Christmas Day
★★★★★
Oh awesome! Great to hear and thanks so much for the comment, very appreciated!
So good! I ended up making one with chicken and one vegetarian for a dinner party I had and everyone had great things to say. Will definitely be making again.
★★★★★
Delicious. Will make again.
★★★★★
Yes! Awesome!
This sounds sooo good. Do you think this would work with the tofu ricotta, to make it dairy-free?
Absolutely, but you would have to make the béchamel vegan as well- which is totally doable using olive oil and soy or nut milk. Leave out the mozzarella or use vegan cheese!
Just divine!
★★★★★
The eggroll wrappers as the “pasta” layers is genius!! My family loved this recipe. I added some lemon juice to the chicken and fresh parsley to the ricotta. Thanks a bunch!
★★★★★
thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Sylvia!
How do you suggest I make the bechamel gluten free? Any tips? Thanks!!!
Feel fre to use a gluten-free flour or blend!