Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Alfredo

Easy and creamy lightened-up chicken and broccoli pesto lasagna with healthy white Alfredo sauce.

Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna Alfredo

This creamy chicken and broccoli lasagna Alfredo is comfort food made lighter. It’s layered with rotisserie chicken, a homemade ricotta white sauce, and a broccoli pesto (hidden veggies!) for a cozy, high-protein dinner without the heaviness. No heavy cream, no jarred sauce — just pure comfort!

5 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1

Serving servings

Ingredients

Broccoli Pesto:

1 ½ cups fresh broccoli florets, just the tops not the stem
1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Alfredo White Sauce:

2 tablespoon butter, unsalted so you can control saltiness
2 tablespoon flour, (all-purpose, whole wheat, white whole wheat, or GF)
3 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced
15 ounces container of fresh ricotta, (skim or whole milk)
1 ½ cups milk, (skim, whole, 2%, or dairy-free)
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Chicken Lasagna:

2 ½ cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken, you can also use shredded baked chicken
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, low fat or regular
1 ½ cup broccoli pesto, recipe above
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles, gluten-free if needed

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

Make the Pesto:

Add all pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking, then set aside. You can also use regular homemade basil pesto if you want!

Make the Healthy Alfredo White Sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until golden.
Slowly pour in the milk, then add the broth and ricotta cheese. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Stir in dried basil, salt, and pepper.
Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat for 5–8 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning as needed.

Assemble the Lasagna:

Spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Add 3 noodles, then layer with more sauce, a few spoonfuls of broccoli pesto, shredded chicken, parmesan, and mozzarella.
Repeat the layers 2 more times, finishing with noodles, sauce, and cheese on top. Make sure the top layer of noodles is completely covered in sauce and cheese.

Bake:

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then carefully cover with foil and bake another 10 - 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. That's how you get crispy edges and cheese!

Let it Rest:

Let the lasagna rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing so the layers hold together. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-Free: Easily make this chicken and broccoli lasagna gluten-free by substituting the lasagna noodles with brown rice or gluten-free lasagna noodles.

Ricotta: I recommend using cottage cheese as a substitute for ricotta.

Shredded Mozzarella: Substitute with shredded swiss, cheddar, provolone, gouda, or fontina.

Pesto: If you don’t have broccoli to make your own pesto, you can also use 1 + ½ cups of your favorite store-bought pesto instead. I love Trader Joe’s Kale, Cashew & Basil pesto.

Freezing Baked Lasagna: Simply prepare and bake your chicken broccoli lasagna as directed below and let it cool completely for 1 hour. Then, freeze the entire pan after wrapping it in 2 layers of foil or cut it into slices and store them in individual, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, reheat the entire pan (cover the top with one layer of foil) at 350°F for 30 – 45 minutes or until heated through. You can reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave.

Freezing Unbaked Lasagna: You can also freeze lasagna before baking it! Just assemble the lasagna as directed below, then wrap the dish with two layers of plastic wrap and two layers of aluminum foil. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, thaw the lasagna at room temperature for 1 – 2 hours, then bake according to the instructions below.

Storing: Store leftovers in the original baking dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheating: For best results, reheat chicken and broccoli lasagna in the oven at 350°F for 20 – 30 minutes. If you are reheating one slice, you can heat it in the microwave or in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Italian

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