White Chicken Béchamel Lasagna

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This chicken lasagna recipe is made with fall-apart tender chicken thighs, no-boil noodles, zucchini, and homemade béchamel sauce. It’s an easy and elegant dinner idea that gets rave reviews in my house!

I love easy dinners that feel fancy but don’t really require a lot of effort. Everyone is impressed, plates are cleaned, and bellies are filled. It’s really everything a busy mama could ask for.

This pasta recipe makes creamy lasagna filled with tender roasted chicken. Homemade béchamel sauce and thinly sliced strips of zucchini are layered with ricotta and shredded Italian cheese, making every bite a burst of flavor and texture. We’re also going to use no-boil noodles so that you don’t have to worry about cooking the lasagna noodles first. 🙌

If you love homemade lasagna as much as my family does, also check out this incredible beef lasagna (it is seriously so good) or this butternut squash béchamel lasagna!

Why You’ll Love this Chicken Lasagna Recipe

There are many things to love about this white chicken lasagna recipe, but here are the top ones:

• Easy. If you’re intimidated by the idea of making béchamel sauce from scratch, don’t be. It’s super easy! You’re basically just cooking flour, butter, and milk together for a few minutes. Then assemble your lasagna with roasted chicken, no-boil noodles, and cheesy goodness.
• Full of flavor. Every bite of this homemade lasagna is bursting with texture and flavor. Folks will clean their plates and ask for seconds.
• Filling. Fall-apart tender roasted chicken makes this lasagna extra filling and satisfying.
• Impressive. Thanks to the béchamel sauce everyone will be impressed by the “fancy” dinner you made for them. Shhh, don’t tell them how easy it was. Let them be wowed.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make béchamel chicken lasagna. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

For the roasted chicken:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs – You can use breast meat instead, just know that you will need to decrease your cook time by about 5 minutes (see instructions below).
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt – Sea salt also works, but don’t use table salt.
• Ground black pepper
• Fresh rosemary

For the béchamel:

• Salted butter
• All-purpose flour
• Whole milk – A neutral dairy-free milk substitute will work here, although you might want to use a bit more flour to help it thicken.
• Kosher salt – Sea salt also works, but not table salt.
• Ground black pepper
• Rosemary
• Shredded parmesan

To Assemble

• No-boil lasagna noodles
• Full-fat ricotta
• Zucchini – About 3 medium. I recommend using a mandolin or the slicing attachment of a food processor.
• Shredded Italian cheese blend – Trader Joe’s has a good one called Quattro Formaggi.

How to Make Roasted Chicken Bechamel Lasagna

Are you ready to make this showstopper chicken lasagna recipe? Here’s how to do it:

For the chicken

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prep the chicken. Arrange the chicken thighs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper. Massage the chicken with your hands to coat it evenly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the sprigs of rosemary with the chicken on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the juices run clear. If you are using breasts, decrease that cook time by 5 minutes.
• Cool. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before shredding.

At what temperature is chicken done?

I always recommend using an instant-read thermometer to make sure your chicken has finished cooking. Here are the temps you’re looking for:

• Chicken thighs – 170F
• Chicken breasts – 165F

For the béchamel (make this while the chicken is cooking)

• Melt the butter. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat on the stove. Melt the butter in the pot, stirring to ensure it doesn’t burn.
• Add flour. Turn the heat up just a tad and whisk in the flour. Continually whisk for ~2 minutes as the flour cooks.
• Add the milk. Add 1 cup of milk to the mixture and continue to whisk until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk 1 cup at a time, whisking all the while.
• Season. Season with salt, ground black pepper, and a sprig of rosemary. Stir to combine.
• Cook. Turn the heat back to low and cook for 20-30 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally
• Time to add cheese. Add the grated parmesan and stir until melted into the bechamel.
• Set aside. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Assemble the lasagna and bake

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add béchamel. Ladle 1/3 of the béchamel into a 9X13-inch casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom
• Top with noodles. Cover the bechamel in a single layer of no-bake lasagna noodles.
• Add the ricotta. Drop ½ of the ricotta cheese on top of the lasagna noodles and spread evenly with a rubber spatula
• Layer with chicken and zucchini. Top the ricotta with half of the shredded chicken and ½ of the sliced zucchini
• Add cheese. Cover with ½ of the grated Italian cheese blend
• Repeat. Add all those layers again and finish with the last of the béchamel.
• Bake covered. Cover the lasagna pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes
• Finish baking. Remove the foil from the pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Cool. Give the lasagna 15 minutes to cool before slicing and serving.

Tips for Success

• Don’t rush the béchamel. It might be tempting to use higher heat and try to warp-speed the béchamel step, but don’t do it. Béchamel needs to cook over low heat so that the flour doesn’t burn.
• Use rotisserie chicken. If you want to skip the step where you roast the chicken, you can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
• Let the lasagna cool. Give the lasagna at least 15 minutes to cool after it comes out of the oven. This additional time lets the noodles absorb any extra liquid and makes it easier to get a clean cut.

What Goes with White Chicken Lasagna?

I almost always serve lasagna with a simple salad on the side. I have an upcoming recipe for apple walnut salad that is a family fave! In addition to salad, something bread-y to wipe your plate clean is always a good idea. I recommend these easy buttermilk biscuits or these sweet potato biscuits in particular.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Let your white chicken lasagna cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly with saran wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, simply place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate and zap it until warmed through. I recommend cutting the slice in half so that the inside can warm evenly. In my microwave, a single slice usually reheats in about 1 min 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the size of the piece.

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