By The recipe Sunday was chicken Alfredo lasagna, the white-sauce version of the lasagna I have been making for two years. The Alfredo sauce is the same five-step roux-bechamel-mornay technique — butter, flour, milk, cream, parmesan — that has been the kitchen’s reliable foundation since 2017. The lasagna substitutes shredded chicken and steamed broccoli for the ground beef and tomato sauce of a regular lasagna.
The math: lasagna noodles $1.49, two cooked chicken thighs $1.49 worth, a head of broccoli $0.99, butter, flour, milk, heavy cream $1.49, parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta. Total: about $9.40 for a 9-by-13 pan that fed three of us for three meals.
The technique is the Alfredo sauce as the binder. Make a thicker-than-usual bechamel, finish with parmesan and a touch of cream. Layer with par-cooked noodles, chicken, broccoli, ricotta in pockets, mozzarella throughout. Bake covered then uncovered.
Cody had four squares.
The recipe is below. The trick is the thick Alfredo sauce.
Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 20 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Make the chicken filling. In a large bowl, stir together the shredded chicken, Alfredo sauce, drained diced tomatoes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until evenly combined.
- Mix the ricotta layer. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Stir until smooth.
- Layer the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of the chicken Alfredo mixture across the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 noodles over the top. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then half the remaining chicken Alfredo mixture. Repeat layers: 3 noodles, remaining ricotta, remaining chicken Alfredo. Finish with the last 3 noodles.
- Top and cover. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
- Bake uncovered. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges.
- Rest and serve. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 430 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 720mg