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
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
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated, and divided
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions. When done, drain and set aside.
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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.
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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 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese. Use your hands if you need to in order to make sure it's mixed thoroughly.
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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 1/2 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).
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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.
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Just wanted to know what brand of whole wheat pasta you use? I haven’t met one I like yet.
We like the Delallo brand.
http://www.delallo.com/products/imported-organic-whole-wheat-no-boil-lasagna
I use the Great Value brand from WM. It tastes much better than the name brands and it has only whole durum wheat.
I am so excited about trying this recipe! I was just searching last week for a lasagna recipe that accommodates all of our food sensitivities (no tomatoes, no white pasta, etc. ) and this looks delicious. Thanks!
This looks delish!! I just did your unstuffed pasta one the other day and that one was a hit so maybe this one well join the rest of the top of the list ones that I have made off your site. Thanks for all the GREAT recipes, keep up the great work :)
The chart is a revelation! So easy to get confused when preparing something like this.
I agree! I always end up forgetting what my layering plan is!
This lasagna would be really good with some roasted butternut squash in it too. I make a white lasagna like this with the roasted squash and onions together, and the spinach too. It is amazing and even my 8 yr old will eat butternut that way.
Jovial is by far the best pasta out there if your going to consume wheat.
Could I use ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese?
I used ricotta and it worked great.
I am totally a shells girl, too. I haven’t tried it with cream cheese, though. I’ve always used cottage cheese blended up with egg. Yum!
I too love to cook my chicken in the crockpot when using it in recipes. I use rotel tomatoes when I need it spicy and just water when it need to be plain. Just wondering what to put with your chicken when you cook it in the crock pot? soup? water?
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Hi there. Have you seen this: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/? ~Amy
Trying this tonight, but I think I’ll use kale (maybe sautéed first) since that’s what I have on hand!
Kari- how did the kale work? that’s all I have too.. organic baby kale. I don’t want to go to the store just for spinach!
My co-op carries whole wheat shells. But lasagna is much less time consuming to make!
What kind of cream cheese do you use? I can’t seem to find a “real food” brand. Thank you!
I made this today for the first time and subbed goat cheese for the cream cheese and it was delicious.
Hi Colleen. Whole Foods and Earth Fare carry Nancy’s brand. It is a good choice but can be difficult to find in a conventional grocery store. ~Amy
I just had to come on here and comment about how delicious this meal is. I just made this tonight (with the Delallo no-boil lasagna) and even my picky first grader loved it! I added about 4 cloves of garlic instead of 2, had to use a little more flour to thicken my sauce, and used 1/2 tsp. of salt instead of 1 tsp. Other than that, I followed the directions exactly. SO, so yummy. And the smell alone is mouth-watering. THANK YOU! :)
Is this a small rectangular pan and not a 9 by 13?
I used a 9×13.
We used a 9×13 rectangular casserole dish. – Jason
I made this for Sunday dinner tonight. I did deviate a bit but loved the inspiration. I threw onion, garlic, parsley, basil, cooked chicken, frozen spinach and kale (I had previously chopped and had in the freezer) into the food processor, then folded in ricotta and shredded asiago. I ran low on the white sauce at the top layer, so I put some regular marinara on top. That said, I really preferred the red sauce flavor over the white and would probably use marinara when I make it the next time (thinking that would cut some calories over the béchamel anyway). My husband, 2 year old and I all loved it!
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband, three year old and myself all LOVED it! My three year old has always insisted she doesn’t like spinach so I made sure I told her she was eating spinach! Maybe I can get her to eat it in more foods now. This recipe is definitely going in the make again file!
Just did mine, but set up everything in the dish and will cook tomorrow.
I made this for dinner this evening and it was really good! Everyone enjoyed it!
I’m pretty excited to try this. I’ve never had lasagna with chicken, but since I’m trying to eat more leans meats and less beef (especially greasy ground beef) I’m for sure going to try this. It really looks tasty.
This sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I can’t find a lot of organic cheese in my area. Just the shredded horizon cheddar, a block of raw cheddar cheese and american cheese. Where is a good place to find organic cheeses???
Not sure where you are but try looking for a food co-op in your area http://www.coopdirectory.org/ or use http://www.localharvest.org to find a local supplier. Both sites have helped me find real food sources in my area (Upstate NY)
Also, look in stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Earth Fare. :)
I made this yesterday and loved it. My kids did not like it but that is no surprise as they are picky about new foods, but my husband and I loved it and it heated up great for lunch today. I will add more salt next time, but other than that, it was wonderful! Thanks for the great inspiration!!
Hi, sounds great….watching cholesterol – butter an whole fats a little worrisome…
Followed this recipe to a T and it was perfect!! So yummy! Keeper recipe for sure! Thank you so much!!!!
I am NOT the type to write reviews, but I had to let you know how much we enjoyed this recipe. So nice to have a healthy casserole that is actually yummy! The only change I made was using kale instead of spinach, because that is what I had on hand. My church has a casserole club, where once a month, we donate casseroles to a men’s shelter. I will be taking this this month. I feel so much better taking a non-processed meal. Would also be a good meal to take to someone who needs food – a new mom, etc. Thanks again, it was delicious.
We made a version of this for dinner this evening and LOVE it. I changed a few things about it to accommodate what I had on hand, but it came out phenomenal! I was out of Parmesan and have a really hard time finding whole wheat lasagna noodles, so instead I cooked some penne, and mixed all of the ingredients together to have a little more of a casserole effect. Then we topped it with the cheese. Since I was out of Parmesan I used mozzarella and then topped it with a mix of mozzarella and asiago. The only other thing I did different was add in sauteed mushrooms and onions and I think that sent it over the top! Thanks for the wonderful inspiration!
I have been avoiding wheat products and substituting gluten free for a while now. Where does this stand as far as “whole” foods are concerned?
Hello Judith. The Leakes have no sensitivities to gluten or wheat. They enjoy a variety of 100% whole grains and believe them to be an important part of their real food diets. The choice to avoid gluten and wheat products is up to individuals, as each decides what works best for them. ~Amy
I made this for dinner on Sunday and it is amazing! Thanks for sharing your recipes. I try to make a new one every week.
Just made this lasagne tonight, and everyone loved it!! My five year old daughter had 4 helpings! My nine month old little boy even tried a few bites and kept wanting more. Good for all ages :) Followed the recipe exactly and I wouldn’t change a thing.
I made this last night and the family loved it. I made a few changes, I didnt use breadcrumbs or nutmeg and I used bow tie pasta instead of lasagna noodles. This is a great recipe.
This was so yummy. My family really enjoyed it. Thanks!
Made this over the weekend. I forgot the breadcrumbs, but it was still delicious!! My 3YO even ate it. My garlic was really strong, so I should have only used one clove and next time I think i will use less milk. I may also add some toasted pine nuts or something for a little more texture. I think I have found my new go-to recipe when taking dinner to someone! Yummy!!!!
I made this only in roll up form, because my kids love lasagna that way. It was delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing about the sauce or filling.
I made this lasagna last night and it was amazing! Who knew real food could taste so good!
This was soooo good!
Fantastic meal! My whole family loved it. My 3 year old had two helpings for dinner and requested it for lunch the next day. This will be on the top of my recipe list!
I made this for dinner tonight… I’m still in the process of using up the reg pasta I have in the cupboard. I’m switching to whole wheat but I am dutch and too cheap to throw stuff away! Also, I didn’t have any spinach so I used asparagus. Anyways, this lasagna was a big hit! My super fussy 6 year old said it was “stupendous,” my 9 year old said it was “awesome,” and when I asked my 7 year old if she liked it, she said, “no questions, the answer is YES!”. And hubby liked it too. I personally thought the cream cheese was a little overpowering. I think next time I’ll do half cream cheese, half cottage cheese.
Made this today. Everyone ate it! It was great. I added a little nutmeg and parmesan to the sauce. Might increase the sauce more next time, but it was super!
Very good recipe. I’m always looking for good recipes that I can use leftover chicken. I might try it next time with bow tie pasta as someone else said they did. I will definitely make this again.
Do you suggest a 9×13″ pan for this or something smaller? Thanks!
Hi Kim. That size will work fine. ~Amy
Saw this recipe and wondered if kale could be subbed for spinach (my daughter can’t eat spinach)
Hi Meg. Sure, kale will work great. ~Amy
This was a huge hit with every member of my family! Thanks so much for your recipes, I love your site!
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.
Would i be able to use organic ground chicken in place of shredded or diced?
Hi Nina. Ground chicken should work, too. ~Amy
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!
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).
We just prepared this for dinner, and: Oh my goodness, what a success! The kids went back for seconds.
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!
What size rectangular pan? I don’t think it said. Apologies if it did…
Hi Ellen. A 9×13 will work or anything similar. ~Amy
Thanks, I’m making it right now and can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Could you use the no bake noodles and increase the cooking time? Or are they not available in whole-wheat?
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
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.
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!
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!!
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!,
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!!
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.
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!
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 !
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 :-)
Hi there. A 9×13 pan works well. ~Amy
Think I will make this for my sons birthday party (just family) coming up. What is something good to serve with it? Salad? Fruit?
Hi Shelby. Both! You could try one of these combos: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/08/06/make-perfect-salad/.
:)
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)
Hi Caroline. You could do it either way. I typically cook before freezing. :)
What could you use instead of milk? Kefir or almond milk?
Hi Jenny. I’ve used almond milk in most of Lisa’s recipe without a problem.
We are dairy free and aside from using a soy based cream cheese is there any other alternative?
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/. ;)
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!
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!!!
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?
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.
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.
Lisa uses organic ingredients, whenever possible, in all her recipes.
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 ;)