White lasagna with shredded chicken, spinach, butternut squash, whole wheat pasta, and low fat cheese for a super delicious, creamy, but light dinner? Yes, please!
The discovery of whole wheat no-boil lasagna noodles might be the best thing that has ever happened to me. Layer those with a creamy cheese sauce, shredded chicken (find my method here), and part skim ricotta.
For the next layer, use spinach and part skim mozzarella – yum!
Then it’s butternut squash puree and more mozzarella.
And finally, cheese sauce and Parmesan.
Bake it up til it is ooey gooey, brown, and bubbling and you have a delicious and comforting lasagna that is not going to clog your arteries.
Plus the colors are just so pretty!
White Lasagna
adapted from One Ordinary Day
whole wheat no-boil lasagna noodles (about one and a half boxes.)
4 tbsp butter
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups low fat milk (I used 1%)
pinch nutmeg
4 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained; liquid squeezed out
1 box frozen butternut squash puree, thawed
Melt butter in a large saucepot. Add onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook flour mixture 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute. Add nutmeg. Turn off heat and add 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir in dried spices.
Lightly spray a 9×13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle some cheese sauce onto the bottom to thinly cover. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Layer with more cheese sauce, the chicken, and the ricotta cheese. Add another layer of pasta. Top with cheese sauce, spinach, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of pasta. Top with cheese sauce. Using a spoon, spread the butternut squash puree over the cheese sauce. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add final layer of lasagna. Top with remaining cheese sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until bubbly. If cheese doesn’t brown on top, turn on the broiler for the last couple minutes. Allow lasagna to sit about 15 minutes before serving for easier slicing.