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Home » Recipes

White Chicken Lasagna

This dish was inspired by my Great-Great Aunt Olive’s "Stuffed Shells" recipe. I never met her, but I used to make her stuffed shells all the time. Then when we switched to whole foods I quickly learned that it’s nearly impossible to find whole-wheat jumbo pasta shells for some reason. So here is her recipe, re-invented into an even quicker and easier lasagna version. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does, and here’s a tip…make this dish in advance and either freeze or refrigerate the casserole prior to the baking step for an easy dinner!

White #Chicken Lasagna from 100 Days of #RealFood

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White #Chicken Lasagna from 100 Days of #RealFood

White Chicken Lasagna

So here is her recipe, re-invented into an even quicker and easier lasagna version. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does, and here's a tip...
21 Reviews / 4.8 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Baking Time: 22 minutes mins
Total Time: 32 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Egg Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

The Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
  • 3 cups milk

The Filling (and Noodles)

  • 8 oz whole-wheat lasagna
  • 2 cups chicken (cooked, and diced or shredded)
  • 4 cups spinach (sliced)
  • 6 ounces cream cheese (softened and cut into 1" chunks)
  • ½ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pepper (to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • ½ cup parsley (chopped)
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese (grated, and divided)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions. When done, drain and set aside.
  • In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter for the sauce. Whisk in the flour and as soon as it browns (about 1 to 2 minutes) whisk in the milk. Bring the milk to a very light boil and whisk occasionally until it thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While your noodles and sauce are cooking go ahead and work on the filling. In a large bowl mix together the chicken, spinach, cream cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, parsley and ½ cup of the parmesan cheese. Use your hands if you need to in order to make sure it's mixed thoroughly.
  • In a rectangular casserole dish layer the ingredients in this order sauce, noodles, sauce, chicken mixture, noodles, sauce, chicken mixture, noodles, and then sauce. Any noodles on the top that don't get covered in sauce could get crispy so be careful about even coverage. Top the whole thing off with the other ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Since I sometimes get confused about the order to layer lasagna ingredients I made you a little chart for this recipe (see the notes section).
  • Bake at 400 degrees until brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes. If your casserole was cold when you started (either from the fridge or defrosted completely from the freezer) then you'll need to increase the baking time.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
How to Assemble Lasagna from 100 Days of #RealFood
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
White Chicken Lasagna
Amount Per Serving
Calories 787 Calories from Fat 405
% Daily Value*
Fat 45g69%
Saturated Fat 25g156%
Cholesterol 138mg46%
Sodium 1402mg61%
Potassium 714mg20%
Carbohydrates 70g23%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 4915IU98%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 598mg60%
Iron 5.1mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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11.6K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Sarah B says

    September 18, 2022 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious. All three of my kids ate it. I used a stand mixer and paddle to shred the chicken and create the filling. Next time I will double the garlic and add a little more salt and pepper. .

    Reply
  2. Mary says

    September 02, 2022 at 10:54 am

    What could I substitute for spinach? Thinking broccoli? But open to other suggestions.

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      September 07, 2022 at 9:45 am

      You could use kale as a direct substitute. If you use broccoli, you'll probably want to chop it up as small as possible. - Nicole

      Reply
  3. SARA says

    February 18, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    Is it 4 cups of fresh spinach (not frozen)?

    Reply
  4. LL says

    September 18, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Not enough sauce

    Reply
  5. Jamie says

    February 09, 2019 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    I love your recipes I use several of them in my regular rotation! But this lasagna is definitely my families favorite! Super delicious! Thanks for the recipe ;)

    Reply
  6. Lisa says

    November 28, 2017 at 8:31 am

    This looks like a great recipe for using left-over Thanksgiving turkey but I'm wondering why you suggest using only organic ingredients at the end of the article.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      December 04, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Lisa uses organic ingredients, whenever possible, in all her recipes.

      Reply
  7. Heather says

    January 24, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    Made this tonight. Had trouble getting the sauce to thicken.
    We liked it, but we found it really rich and heavy. Wondering if the way to balance that is to add an acid like lemon juice somewhere. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:07 am

      Hi. I use arrowroot powder for thickening. Not sure about adding the acid. You could cut back a bit on the cream cheese and Parm if you find it too rich.

      Reply
  8. Rhonda says

    May 12, 2015 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    I have made several recipes from your book and the website, and everything has been very good. But, OMG, this is the BEST!!!!! I used ground turkey because that is what I had on hand, so I upped the spice a little. This will be regular in my rotation!!!

    Reply
  9. Candice says

    April 19, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    I was skeptical about this recipe, but gave it a try and WE LOVED IT! Great flavor without being too heavy like the white chicken lasagna recipe we found on AllRecipes.

    We used the no boil/oven ready noodles, which require a little more liquid so I also doubled the sauce and it turned out great!

    Reply
  10. Dee Handa says

    April 03, 2015 at 10:01 pm

    We are dairy free and aside from using a soy based cream cheese is there any other alternative?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      April 16, 2015 at 8:47 am

      Hi there. You can find nut milk cream cheeses now at health food oriented groceries or you can make your own: http://www.thecleandish.com/homemade-nut-milk-cashew-cream-cheese-vegan/. ;)

      Reply
  11. Jenny says

    February 13, 2015 at 10:18 am

    What could you use instead of milk? Kefir or almond milk?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      February 17, 2015 at 3:52 pm

      Hi Jenny. I've used almond milk in most of Lisa's recipe without a problem.

      Reply
  12. Caroline S. says

    December 10, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Do you cook this before freezing? Or do you freeze it then bake it? (looking to take this to a friend who is having surgery)

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      December 11, 2014 at 10:03 am

      Hi Caroline. You could do it either way. I typically cook before freezing. :)

      Reply
  13. Shelby D says

    December 07, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    Think I will make this for my sons birthday party (just family) coming up. What is something good to serve with it? Salad? Fruit?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      December 08, 2014 at 12:29 pm

      Hi Shelby. Both! You could try one of these combos: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/08/06/make-perfect-salad/.
      :)

      Reply
  14. Emily W says

    November 05, 2014 at 6:16 pm

    I must be a goof, but I'm going to ask anyway. What size pan do you use? I didn't scroll through all the comments so sorry if you already answered :-)

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      November 07, 2014 at 9:50 am

      Hi there. A 9x13 pan works well. ~Amy

      Reply
  15. Eileen says

    November 01, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! What a wonderful taste combination! I made one addition...seasoning and sautéed mushrooms added to the sauce. This was a HUGE hit with my husband, I'll be making this again. Thank you so much !

    Reply
  16. Patricia says

    October 27, 2014 at 11:28 am

    I've just rediscovered your site after we went gluten-free for several months and found that our family is okay with wheat after all. I made this for dinner tonight and we loved it! Cream cheese is not available where I live (and way too expensive to import) so I subbed homemade ricotta (no egg added). I tasted the chicken mixture and it was AMAZING! I think it would make a yummy filling for a lunch wrap too. Thanks so much for posting such great recipes. The whole wheat biscuit recipe is a new staple in our home since last night--my 17 month old daughter loves them too!

    Reply
  17. CHELSEY says

    October 20, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    5 stars
    I LOVE THIS RECIPE- DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITES FROM YOUR SITE. WHAT I AM WONDERING IS HOW I WOULD TWEAK THE RECIPE, OR IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, TO USE THE 'NO-BOIL/OVEN READY' LASAGNA NOODLES. TARGET CARRIES SOME AMAZING WHOLE WHEAT NOODLES UNDER THEIR SIMPLY BALANCED BRAND AND I WOULD LOVE TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO THIS RECIPE. PLUS, IT WOULD SAVE SOME TIME :) LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND AWESOME HELP IN GETTING US ALL TO LEAD HEALTHIER LIVES!!

    Reply
    • Liz says

      January 20, 2015 at 7:25 pm

      I used the no boil noodles and it worked fine, moisture is the issue since you have to cook it at 400 for 35-40 minutes. I just covered with foil until last 5 minutes and then lightly broiled. Although I did as someone else suggested and added a layer of mashed butternut, which was very good and helped the dish not to dry out.

      Reply
  18. Nicole Reynolds says

    October 09, 2014 at 3:22 am

    I made this tonight and my whole family loved it, including my 4 and 2 year old. I did use ricotta and an egg instead of the cream cheese and breadcrumbs because I had some ricotta I needed to use. I also added a little mashed butternut squash that I had in the fridge into the chicken mixture. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for all of your great recipes!,

    Reply
  19. Meghan Murman says

    August 30, 2014 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night. It was so delicious. My husband loved it too. I sent the recipe to a friend to try. My cookbook was shipped on Thursday. I can't wait to get it!!

    Reply
  20. Kelley says

    August 26, 2014 at 7:30 pm

    Made this tonight and my daughters (4 & 6) loved it. A really fabulous recipe and I love that it uses fresh spinach and not frozen as many white lasagnas do. I will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  21. Lisa says

    June 28, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    My husband was very skeptical when I told him that I was making a new lasagna recipe. Especially when he heard about the spinach. But now he has asked me to make this "every week! " I wish I had increased the sauce though.

    Reply
  22. cheryl says

    June 23, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    Could you use the no bake noodles and increase the cooking time? Or are they not available in whole-wheat?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      June 25, 2014 at 6:02 pm

      Hi Cheryl. We've not used the no bake noodles but I think they will work fine if you can find a whole wheat version. ~Amt

      Reply
  23. Ellenk says

    June 22, 2014 at 10:14 am

    What size rectangular pan? I don't think it said. Apologies if it did...

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      June 25, 2014 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Ellen. A 9x13 will work or anything similar. ~Amy

      Reply
      • Ellenk says

        June 28, 2014 at 6:35 pm

        Thanks, I'm making it right now and can't wait to see how it turns out!

  24. Carol says

    June 21, 2014 at 10:23 pm

    I made this today and it was so good!!! Next time I think I'll make a little more sauce because by the top layer I felt like I was stretched pretty thin. But so good! Two thumbs up!

    Reply
  25. Andrea says

    June 11, 2014 at 5:58 pm

    We just prepared this for dinner, and: Oh my goodness, what a success! The kids went back for seconds.

    Reply
  26. KATIE says

    April 15, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    Does anyone have a suggestion to make this without the cream cheese? Dairy sensitivity and that's the only ingredient I'm stuck on for a substitution. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Felicia says

      June 21, 2014 at 2:35 pm

      4 stars
      Try boiling some cauliflower in broth. Strain and reserve the broth. Puree the cauliflower till smooth and add the broth to get it as thick as you like. It makes a great "white sauce" and freezes really well. I've tried using pureed tofu but have found that it doesn't quite hold up well too being cooked for a very long time like in lasagna or casseroles but works great as a substitute in pasta salads, smoothies and dips).

      Reply
  27. Nina says

    April 12, 2014 at 9:05 pm

    Would i be able to use organic ground chicken in place of shredded or diced?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      April 15, 2014 at 4:24 pm

      Hi Nina. Ground chicken should work, too. ~Amy

      Reply
  28. Anne says

    March 26, 2014 at 9:05 pm

    Made this tonight and loved it!!! Has anyone made it vegetarian (such as substituting mushrooms for meat)? I'd love to make and freeze for a friend who's having a baby soon but she's a vegetarian.

    Reply
  29. Laura K says

    March 25, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    This was a huge hit with every member of my family! Thanks so much for your recipes, I love your site!

    Reply
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