Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna

Chicken and broccoli lasagna is a delicious spin on one of the most famous Italian dishes. It is creamy, delicious, and so easy to make.  

Jump to:

• 🥦Chicken broccoli lasagna recipe overview
• 📋Ingredients notes and substitutions
• 🔪Step-by-step instructions
• 💭Recipe tips
• 🍴Serving
• 🌡️How to store and reheat the lasagna
• 🍲Other hearty dinner ideas
• 📖 Recipe

🥦Chicken broccoli lasagna recipe overview

Lasagna is one of the most favorite dishes we make at home. It's easy to make, it reheats, and freezes well.

As you know, I always get creative with my recipes and try to make them more nutritious and diverse. This recipe is no exception.

This Alfredo sauce chicken lasagna is made of ground lean chicken and loaded with fresh broccoli. It is creamy and saucy inside with crispy edges and a golden cheese crust on top. The whole family will love this comforting meal.

Here is why you will love this recipe:

• Quick - store-bought Alfredo sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles will save you a lot of time. Instead, you can spend it this extra time with your family or guests. 
• Complete meal  - this lasagna even has a good serving of vegetables. No need to make any sides, but goes well with any fresh salad. 
• Great for guests - you can easily feed 8 people with this lasagna. Great recipe for a bigger crowd. 
• Great for meal preps - easy to pack in lunch boxes and it reheats well. 

📋Ingredients notes and substitutions

Scroll down to the very bottom to see the ingredient quantities in the recipe card.  

• Ground Chicken - I used 7% fat ground chicken. Ground chicken breasts are too lean for this dish. Ground chicken makes the best sauce and will not be tough even if overcooked. Alternatively, you can use shredded cooked chicken or even leftover rotisserie chicken. I recommend using both dark and white meat when using shredded chicken. 
• Broccoli - Fresh broccoli with stalks is the best, but you can also use frozen ones. If using frozen, no need to chop them up as they tend to be smaller. 
• Alfredo Sauce - I used Rao's Alfredo sauce because it has simple ingredients and tastes great. You can use other brands or even a homemade one. 
• Olive oil - just a little bit for browning the ground chicken to make the sauce.
• Herbs and Spices - Optional, but I love to add some extra garlic powder, dry basil, and black pepper. 
• Salt (optional) - When using a store-bought sauce, I skip the salt. The sauce already has it so cheese adds extra sodium. But you can add some extra by taste, especially if making your own Alfredo sauce. 
• Lasagna Noodles - I used no-boil lasagna noodled. Saves a lot of time and no extra dirty dishes. Of course, you can use regular pasta sheets, just make sure to follow the package cooking instructions. 
• Ricotta - I used full-fat quality ricotta cheese. It is the base of the lasagna cheese mixture that makes the dish so creamy. 
• Shredded Mozzarella - I used packaged shredded mozzarella cheese. You can shred your own using a cheese shredded or grater box. 
• Grated Parmesan - I skip it sometimes, but it for sure adds some good extra cheese flavor to the dish.
• Egg - it will hold the cheese mixture together and one consistency. 
• Fresh Parsley - you can use dry parsley or even Italian Spice mix. Fresh parsley adds a nice green color and flavor. 

🔪Step-by-step instructions

Make the sauce - wash the broccoli and chop them coarsely including the stalks. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Now, add ground chicken. Use a wooden spatula to break it apart into crumbles. Cook until browned. Now add spices, chopped broccoli, and the jar of Alfredo sauce. Cover and simmer for about 5-10 minutes over low heat until the meat is fully cooked. Turn off the heat.

Make the cheese mixture - rinse parsley well under cold water. Chop it finely. In a large bowl, add ricotta cheese, 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, and chopped parsley. Mix everything well to combine.

Assemble - in a deep casserole dish, pour about 0.5 cups of meat sauce. Lay 3 long lasagna sheets, overlapping each other. Spread a layer (about ⅓) of a cheese mix over the noodles. Now, add another layer of meat sauce, followed by 3 noodles on top. Repeat layers 2 more times. Finish with 3 more noodles and the remaining meat sauce on top. 

Bake - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes (per no boil package institutions) or until the noodles are soft. Uncover, spread the remaining mozzarella cheese on top and bake for another 10-15 minutes uncovered until the cheese is bubbly and a golden crust appears. 

💭Recipe tips

• if making with shredded chicken, add both white and dark meat
• you can also use spinach, cauliflower, and peas.
• baking time may vary depending on the noodles, follow the directions on the packaging. 

🍴Serving

Enjoy this creamy chicken lasagna on its own or with the following sides especially if you are serving it to a big crowd:

• Garlic bread
• Bread sticks
• Caesar or garden salad
• Roasted veggies

🌡️How to store and reheat the lasagna

If you made a big batch for a small family, leftovers will last in the fridge for about 3-5 days and up to 3 months in the freeze when properly stored.  

In this case, make sure to cool down the dish following the safety guidelines. I always cut warm lasagna into smaller squares (1-2 serving sizes) and place them in separate containers to cool down evenly and fast. 

Once it's barely warm or room temperature, refrigerate the lasagna in an airtight container. 

Do not leave lasagna at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. 

For longer storage, place portions of fully cooled down lasagna in freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze it for up to 3 months. 

Reheat frozen lasagna in the oven for about 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. 

🍲Other hearty dinner ideas

• Baked stuffed bell peppers
• Ukrainian lazy cabbage rolls
• Red lentils and pasta dish

📖 Recipe