Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

By Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home • January 6, 2013

4.8 from 20 reviews

A delicious, cozy recipe for Rosemary Chicken Lasagna with mushrooms and spinach in a creamy Béchamel Sauce. A hearty meal perfect for special gatherings or Sunday supper. Vegetarian-adaptable. Video!

A delicious, cozy recipe for Chicken Lasagna with mushrooms, spinach and rosemary in a creamy Béchamel Sauce. A hearty meal perfect for special gatherings or Sunday supper. Vegetarian-adaptable.

Walk around feeling like a leaf. Know you could tumble any second. Then decide what to do with your time.
Naomi Shihab Nye

I love Sundays…cozy, relaxing, and practically begging for comfort food. Here is one of my favorite recipes on cold chilly days like these-perfect for curling up on the couch with a good book or movie – Chicken lasagna! A staple in our catering business, this lasagna recipe was one of the most popular recipes during the colder months.

Instead of a traditional red sauce, this version is made with a creamy béchamel sauce infused with a hint of nutmeg. Layered with tender chicken breast, wilted spinach and savory mushrooms, it can easily be made vegetarian by adding more mushrooms and leaving out the chicken.

Why You’ll Love Chicken Lasagna!

Delicious Flavor: This creamy rosemary Chicken Lasagna is bursting with delicious flavors. The combination of tender chicken breast, earthy mushrooms, wilted spinach, and aromatic rosemary creates a rich and savory taste that will leave your taste buds craving more. The creamy béchamel sauce with a hint of nutmeg elevates the dish.
Versatile: This recipe is versatile and can be easily adapted to suit various dietary preferences. If you’re a vegetarian, you can simply omit the chicken and increase the amount of mushrooms for a flavorful vegetarian adaptation. You can also use plant-based milk, vegan ricotta and vegan cheese to make it dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
Perfect Comfort Food: Chicken Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food, especially on cold, chilly days. The layers of lasagna noodles, chicken, mushrooms, and creamy sauce provide a hearty and satisfying meal perfect for special gatherings. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out!

Chicken Lasagna Ingredients

Chicken breast: Boneless and skinless chicken breast adds savory protein to the lasagna. This can be left out to create a vegetarian version- just double or triple the mushrooms. A quick hack here is to use leftover rotisserie chicken!
Mushrooms add an earthy, meaty, umami flavor to the lasagna. Play with different varieties ( wild or tame) mushrooms; button, cremini, portobello mushrooms, shitake, oyster, morels, or chanterelles!
Onion and Garlic: add a sweet, pungent, savory flavor to the lasagna, giving depth
Rosemary: the signature herb here, imparting a delightful aroma. Feel free to sub-fresh sage or thyme.
Spinach: We love adding nutrient-rich leafy greens to the lasagna. Feel free to use other wilting greens.
Milk: To create the bechamel sauce, we use milk (not cream) to keep it on the lighter side- but keep in mind, plant-based milks like soy milk or almond milk work great too!
Cheeses: Mozzarella adds the melty element we all love in lasagna while parmesan cheese or pecorino romano adds the flavor! Ricotta cheese is used between the layers for a luscious creaminess. Feel free to use vegan cheeses- like our vegan ricotta.
Spices: nutmeg adds a subtle hint of exotic sweetness and complexity to the lasagna and white pepper– a milder alternative to black pepper, provides a unique flavor. Feel free to use black pepper!
Lasagna noodles: If you can track down fresh lasagna noodles, use these for the best texture. Par-boil dry lasagna noodles if using. For a fun, light twist, we’ve even made this with eggroll wrappers! (see notes)
Lemon zest: adds an unexpected brightness to the dish, enhancing the overall taste experience.

Chicken Lasagna Instructions

There are three components to Chicken lasagna- the savory chicken filling, the ricotta mixture and the creamy white sauce, called Bechamel Sauce. All or any of these can be made ahead! You can make the chicken lasagna in stages, cutting down the workload on the day of your gathering.

Step one: Make the filling. In an extra large skillet saute chicken breast, mushrooms, onion and garlic with rosemary and chopped spinach. You could easily use leftover rotisserie chicken.

The filling is very adaptable as you will see from the recipe. I personally like adding mushrooms and spinach to the chicken. You could leave these out. Or, you could just as easily leave out the chicken and make this completely vegetarian by adding more mushrooms ( or other veggies) and spinach.

Step two: Make the Béchamel Sauce. In a medium pot, melt unsalted butter (or use olive oil) over med-low heat. Add all-purpose 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 it unattended, stirring constantly until thickened. Add salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Stir until incorporated, set aside.

Step 3: Make the ricotta mixture. Whisk ricotta cheese with an egg, lemon zest, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step four: Assemble the Lasagna! Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread enough bechamel sauce to coat the bottom. Add the first layer of lasagna noodles, then top with half of the ricotta cheese mixture.

Add half of the chicken/mushroom/spinach filling. Top with mozzarella cheese, pecorino cheese and drizzle with bechamel sauce.

assembling the chicken lasagna- second layer.

Repeat this one more time. Add noodles, remaining ricotta, remaining filling, mozzarella cheese, pecorino cheese, and a little bechamel sauce.

Top with the third and final layer of lasagna noodles. Pour the remaining bechamel sauce over the top. Add the remaining mozzarella and pecorino cheese. Sprinkle with a little more rosemary and place a layer of parchment paper over the lasagna, then cover tightly with foil, keeping the foil from touching the lasagna.

You can assemble it up to this point and refrigerate for 3 days, then bake (letting it come to room temp before baking) on the day of serving.

Step 4: Bake the Lasagna. Place in a 400 F oven, covered with parchment and 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.

Serving Suggestions

We love serving hearty main dishes like this creamy Chicken Lasagna with lighter, leafy green salads. Here are some that would pair well!

Storing Chicken Lasagna

Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or can be put in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Chicken Lasagna FAQS

Can I make chicken lasagna ahead of time? Yes, you can make chicken lasagna ahead of time. You can prepare the filling, béchamel sauce, and ricotta mixture in advance and assemble the lasagna when you’re ready to bake it. You can also assemble the entire lasagna and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before baking.
Can I freeze chicken lasagna? Yes, you can freeze chicken lasagna, either baked or unbaked. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking it according to the recipe instructions.
Can I use a different type of cheese in chicken lasagna? Absolutely! While mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta are commonly used in chicken lasagna, you can experiment with other types of cheese as well. Some options include cheddar, provolone, fontina, or even a blend of cheeses. Feel free to get creative and use your favorite cheeses.
Can I make chicken lasagna vegetarian? Yes, you can easily adapt the chicken lasagna recipe to make it vegetarian. Simply omit the chicken and double or triple mushrooms or add other vegetables! To make this vegan, use vegan cheese and plant-based milk! Our vegan ricotta is good too!
Can I substitute the lasagna noodles with something else? Yes, you can get creative with the noodles in chicken lasagna. If you’re looking for a lighter twist, you can use egg roll wrappers instead of traditional lasagna noodles. Or get gluten-free lasagna noodles.