This is a ground chicken lasagna built with two sauces — a tomato-based chicken ragù with carrot and celery, and a béchamel — layered between pasta sheets and finished with cheddar. It feeds a crowd from one pan, and most of the ingredients are things you likely already have or can swap out without a special trip to the store.
About the ingredients
- Ground chicken: Leaner than beef, so it can dry out fast. Don’t skip the oil when browning, and don’t overcook it before the sauce goes in.
- White wine: Used to deglaze the pan. Swap in chicken stock if you don’t have wine open — you’ll still lift the fond and add depth.
- Cheddar: Not traditional for lasagna, but it melts well and adds sharpness. Mozzarella or a mix of whatever hard cheese you have works fine.
- Carrot and celery: These are the flavor base of the ragù. Frozen diced mirepoix is a perfectly good shortcut here — skip the fresh if that’s what you have.
- Béchamel: Made from butter, flour, and milk. Whole milk gives the best texture, but 2% works. Don’t use skim — the sauce will be thin and won’t hold between layers.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter most here. First, cook the ragù long enough that the liquid reduces and the sauce is thick — a watery meat sauce will make the pasta layers slide and the whole dish will be loose when you cut it. Second, make sure the béchamel is lump-free before it goes in; whisk the flour into the butter fully before adding milk, and add the milk gradually. Those two steps are what separate a lasagna that holds its shape from one that collapses on the plate.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not resting the lasagna after baking: Cut into it straight from the oven and the layers slide apart. Let it sit 10–15 minutes — it firms up and slices cleanly.
- Undercooking the ground chicken: Ground poultry must reach 165°F (74°C) internally. If you’re not using a thermometer, make sure there’s no pink anywhere in the meat before you start layering.
- Overloading the layers: Too much filling between sheets and the pasta won’t cook through evenly. Keep each layer reasonably thin — you’ll get better texture throughout.
- Dry top layer: If the top pasta sheet isn’t fully covered by béchamel or sauce, it dries out and goes hard in the oven. Make sure the final layer of béchamel reaches the edges.
- Using no-boil noodles without adjusting liquid: If you substitute no-boil lasagna sheets, add a splash of extra stock or water to the ragù — they absorb more moisture during baking and can leave the dish dry. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
Leftovers and meal prep
Leftover lasagna keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the top to stop the pasta drying out, or cover with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes. For freezing, cut into portions before freezing — it thaws and reheats faster than a whole pan. Frozen portions keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The ragù alone also freezes well if you want to make a double batch and save half for a future assembly.
Simple Classic Chicken Lasagna
Ingredients
9 sheets lasagna sheets
1 cup cheddar cheese - grated (100 grams)
FOR THE CHICKEN SAUCE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups white onion - medium-size, finely chopped
1 cup carrot - medium-size, finely chopped
2 sticks celery - finely chopped (You can use broccoli if you cannot find celery)
5 cloves garlic - crushed or finely chopped
½ pound ground chicken (minced chicken)
1 medium tomato - finely chopped
2 cups passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed) - (about 4-5 tomatoes)- 1 teaspoon dry oregano - (you can use any herb of your choice like basil, thyme etc.) You will find all the herbs in any supermarket.
1 pinch salt - for seasoning
1 pinch ground black pepper - for seasoning
½ cup white wine - garlic
5 pieces basil - chopped (use dry if you cannot find fresh)
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE:
½ stick butter - (50 grams)
½ cup all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - (40 grams)
2 ½ cups milk - (500 milliliters) The sauce needs to have a creamy texture, so add milk accordingly.- 1 pinch salt - to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- To make the chicken sauce. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add chopped garlic and onions and saute for 2 minutes. Now add chopped carrots, basil leaves, celery and cook on a low medium till they are soft. Stir occasionally so that the veggies do not burn.
- Add ground chicken and cook for about 30 minutes till the chicken is cooked. Now add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and white wine. Let this simmer on a low flame until all the flavors are combined well (this might take up to an hour).
- Season the sauce with oregano, salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer until chicken is cooked and most of the water has evaporated (the sauce needs to be creamy and thick).
- To make the white sauce. In a saucepan, melt butter. Once butter melts, add flour and stir continuously, making sure it does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Now add milk and whisk so that there are no lumps.
- Season white sauce with salt and pepper and cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes. Stir often. Your white sauce should have a creamy and thick texture.
- Next, assemble the Classic Chicken Lasagna (Let us make 2 layers of everything).
- Preheat the oven to 175°C or 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Immerse lasagna noodles in warm water till they are soft.
- In a baking dish, spread half of the chicken sauce evenly. Now pour half of the white sauce over the chicken and place pasta sheets to cover the mixture. Sprinkle some shredded cheese and repeat the same process once again.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake lasagna for 40-45 minutes. When you see from the sides that sauce is simmering and cheese on top has turned golden brown, your Classic Chicken Lasagna is ready to be served. Take it out from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes before you serve it.
- Divide the lasagna into equal parts and make sure each serving gets equal amounts of pasta, sauce and cheese.
- Serve your Classic Chicken Lasagna with the wine of your choice. If you do not wish to use wine, you can substitute the wine with some chicken stock. It tastes just as good.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken instead of ground chicken?
Ground chicken is what the recipe is built around, but shredded cooked chicken can work in a pinch. Skip the browning step and add the shredded chicken directly when you would normally add the wine and tomatoes, since it just needs to heat through and absorb the sauce.
Can I assemble this lasagna the night before and bake it the next day?
Yes — assemble fully, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate overnight. Add about 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it’s going in cold, and check that the center is hot through before removing the foil for the final browning.
What can I use if I don’t have enough milk for the béchamel?
Unsweetened oat milk or a mix of half milk and half chicken stock both work as a substitute. The stock version will be a slightly thinner, less creamy sauce, but it still binds the layers and tastes good.
My ragù looks too thin — what do I do?
Keep cooking it uncovered on medium heat until the liquid reduces and the sauce coats a spoon. A thin ragù is the most common reason a finished lasagna is watery, so it’s worth the extra 10 minutes on the stove before you start layering.
Can I freeze the whole unbaked lasagna?
Yes, but assemble it in a freezer-safe dish and wrap it tightly in two layers of foil. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C) covered for about 1 hour, then uncover for the last 15–20 minutes — internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) throughout before serving.
What to cook next
- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Creamy Beef Spinach Pasta
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
