WHITE LASAGNA

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 560g (1.25 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • salt & black pepper, to season

For the Béchamel Sauce

  • 4 cups (960ml) whole milk

  • 4 cups (960ml) chicken broth

  • ¼ cup (30g) flour

  • 1 cup (100g) parmesan cheese

  • 1 tsp (2g) nutmeg

For the Filling

  • 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil

  • 2 cups (300g) onions

  • 12 cloves (36g) garlic

  • 454g (1 lb) mushrooms

  • 2 tsp (12g) salt

  • 2 tsp (2g) dried oregano

  • 2 tsp (2g) dried basil

  • ½ tsp (1g) red pepper flakes

  • 1 cup (100g) parmesan cheese

  • 2 cups (200g) gruyere cheese

  • spinach, as much as you like

For Assembly

  • lasagna sheets, no-boil type

  • chives, for garnish

Method

  1. Start with the Chicken – Season boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add them to a pot with water, salt, and scallion, then cook until tender and easy to shred. Once done, shred the chicken and set aside.

  2. Make the Béchamel Base – In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (30g) of flour with ¼ cup (60ml) of the chicken broth until smooth. Set aside for later.

  3. Cook the Vegetables – In a large pan, heat 3 tbsp (45ml) of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, and garlic, and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden. Add spinach, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook everything down until the spinach is wilted.

  4. Combine with Chicken – Add the shredded chicken into the pan with the vegetables and stir until evenly combined.

  5. Build the Béchamel Sauce – In a pot, combine the remaining chicken broth (about 3¾ cups / 900ml), milk (4 cups / 960ml), nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer while whisking. Slowly pour in the flour-and-broth mixture, whisking continuously until it thickens.

  6. Finish the Sauce – Stir in 1 cup (100g) of parmesan cheese** until smooth and creamy. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily.

  7. Assemble the Lasagna (9x13 Baking Dish) – In your 9x13-inch (23x33cm) baking dish, layer in this exact order:
    Béchamel → Lasagna Sheets → Filling → Cheese → Lasagna Sheets → Béchamel → Filling → Cheese → Lasagna Sheets → Béchamel → Filling → Cheese.

  8. Bake & Broil – Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Then uncover and broil on high for 2–3 minutes, until the top is bubbling and golden brown.

  9. Garnish & Serve – Let it rest briefly before slicing, then top with fresh chives and serve.

Additional Notes

Add a little bit more filling to be able to get equal layers in this 9x13 dish.

The béchamel sauce needs care. Take your time — simmer gently before adding the chicken broth and flour thickener, then continue simmering until thickened, about 6 minutes. I haven’t made this recipe since, but I’m sure with patience (and without overflowing), you can achieve what I failed to do.

Would highly recommend only using oven-ready, no-boil lasagna noodles, but of course, feel free to boil or even make your own from scratch.

I only used gruyere and parmesan cheese — you can use whatever cheese you want. However… would it still be a white lasagna if you used a different color cheese? 🤔

When broiling, pay close attention. The time limit is just a guideline — you don’t want to burn the lasagna. Keep an eye on it during the final broil; it doesn’t hurt to check every 30 seconds to 1 minute.