Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with chicken and veggies – no layering required!
One day not long ago I had a craving for something super creamy, comforting and veg-forward. I checked the freezer but it looked pretty bare, so I thought that I’d try making a white lasagne! A “white” lasagne is one that is made without the customary tomato in the sauce. Instead, it’s all creamy, cheesy deliciousness! I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.
In this lasagne, chicken breast is cooked until golden and tender. It’s then shredded and simmered with Italian herbs and broccoli in a creamy, cheesy, garlicky sauce flavoured with leek and chicken stock. Fresh lasagne sheets are cut, then tossed into the pan to cook directly in the sauce, before the entire dish is covered with mozzarella and finished under the oven grill (broiler).
Since then, I’ve made this recipe too many times to count and it’s firmly planted itself in my regular meal plan rotation. It’s one of those meals that looks amazing, yet you don’t realise just how insanely good it is until you make and taste it for yourself! I like to serve One-pan Chicken and Broccoli Lasagne with a simple leafy salad with balsamic dressing and maybe some cheesy garlic bread. The dish is also very customisable – try adding bacon or pancetta, or more veggies (see my suggestions below). You can easily create a completely vegetarian version, too. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, and the dish is freezer-friendly!
Love easy one-pan dinners? You’ll find plenty more in my 30+ Easy Dinner Ideas collection.
What should I serve with this One-pan Chicken and Broccoli Lasagne?
This dish is a meal in itself, but if you want to go the extra mile, serve it with a simple green salad or some roasted veggies, such as zucchini (courgette), pumpkin or cherry tomatoes, to balance out the creaminess. And don’t forget the garlic bread – you can never have too much bread when there’s a gorgeous sauce involved!
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely! Swap the chicken for mushrooms, zucchini (courgette) or even canned cannellini beans. Add extra broccoli or baby spinach to pack in more veggies.
What other additions can I toss into this lasagne?
Feeling fancy? Add crispy pancetta, crumbled bacon (my daughter’s request for the next time I make this!), or shredded roast or barbecued chicken, if you’ve got leftovers. For an extra veggie hit, stir through some baby spinach, kale or frozen peas just before serving. If you’re feeling indulgent, adding a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone on top before grilling (broiling) is a game-changer.
What pasta can I use if I don’t have lasagne sheets?
Any short pasta like rigatoni, penne or even gnocchi will work! Just cook it halfway through before adding it to the sauce to finish cooking in the pan.
Watch how to make One-pan Chicken and Broccoli Lasagne
If you enjoyed One-pan Chicken and Broccoli Lasagne, I think you’ll love:
One-pot Lasagne Recipe
Spinach and Cheese Pasta Bake Recipe
Chicken and Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Bake Recipe
Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe
One-pan Gnocchi Bolognese Recipe
One-pan Chicken and Broccoli Lasagne
“I’ve made this four times now and each time it’s so good I can’t wait to make it again!” Share Pin Recipe PrintIngredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300 g (10½ oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced horizontally into thinner steaks
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small brown onion, diced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
- 30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 625 ml (2½ cups) chicken stock
- 375 ml (1½ cups) thickened (whipping/heavy) cream
- 1 tbsp Italian mixed herbs (Italian seasoning) – can be substituted with dried oregano or thyme
- 90 g (3¼ oz) broccoli florets, roughly chopped into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes (see note 1)
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 250 g (9 oz) fresh lasagne sheets, cut into 10 cm (4 inch) squares (see note 2 if you want to use dried lasagne)
- 50 g (½ cup) freshly grated parmesan
- 150 g (1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella
- Fresh oregano or basil leaves, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven grill (broiler) to high.
- Cook the chicken – Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper on both sides and cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked, turning once halfway through. Remove and set aside on a plate to rest. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks.
- Make the sauce – Use the 60 ml (¼ cup) of water to deglaze the pan if needed, to scrape up any sticky bits. Keeping the pan over medium heat with any pan juices, add the butter, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until well incorporated.
- Pour in the chicken stock and stir until combined.
- Add the thickened cream, Italian mixed herbs, broccoli, salt (see note 1) and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Add lasagne sheets – Using tongs, add the cut lasagne squares, ensuring they are completely submerged in the sauce and as evenly distributed as possible.
- Cook the lasagne – Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 6–7 minutes, allowing the lasagne sheets to soften.
- Remove the lid and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 4–6 minutes until the lasagne sheets are almost cooked through and the liquid has reduced into a thick sauce.
- Stir often using tongs to ensure the pasta remains separate and to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan. The sheets may break apart a little bit, which is fine. If there appears to be a lot of residual liquid in the pan, see note 3.
- Add the chicken and cheese – Add the chicken and parmesan to the pan. Stir them through carefully to avoid the pasta breaking too much. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese.
- Grill (broil) the top – Place the pan into the oven under the grill and cook for 3–5 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Serve – Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving (the longer it sits, the more the sauce will absorb into the pasta sheets). Serve with fresh oregano or basil leaves, if using.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Marie says:
The whole family loved it! Will definitely do it again!
Anissa says:
Has anyone made a triple quantity and did it go ok- seems like a lot of fluid…
Nicole says:
Hi Anissa! I probably wouldn’t recommend tripling this one, unfortunately. 😊 It’s less about the ingredients and more about the size of the pan. I don’t think there are many pans large enough to cook a triple batch properly, and with that much liquid it would take much longer to come to a simmer and reduce, so the pasta may not cook evenly. If you need to feed a crowd, I’d recommend making two separate batches instead (or a double batch at most). I know it’s a little more work, but I think you’ll get a much better result. Nic x
Vikki says:
Really good and will definitely make it again, but some of the amounts dont seem right. I added way more broccoli, more chicken and less pasta and im glad I did or else we would have got 1 piece of broccoli each
Simple Home Edit Team says:
Hi Vikki, did you finely chop the broccoli florets into 1 cm (1/2 inch pieces)? Not sure, but maybe you left the florets in bigger pieces so there weren’t enough to go round? 🧡
kaleigh says:
It was so flavourful! I didn’t measure the chicken and broccoli but will use a lot more next time. I think it would work well with a rigatoni or spiral pasta too.
Laetitia Anselmi says:
OMG.
My 4yrs old told me after eating this receipe ” You can stay my mom for this week also because I like this lasagna/soup” 😅
Simple Home Edit Team says:
🥰
Preeya says:
Ive made this Lasagne a few times and its delicious. A favourite for family and friends. However, last night I did a thing though… replaced the chicken, leek, broc and oregano with prawns, fennel, spinach and dried dill respectively…and wow let me tell you… it was superb! All in all a great recipe but as I realised last night- a great base for experimentation too!
Joanne Morris says:
Can you do this in a slow cooker?
Nicole says:
Hi Joanne! I haven’t tested this one in the slow cooker, so I can’t say with confidence how it would turn out. My concern is that the pasta may overcook and the sauce could become a little too thin. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes! Nic ❤️
Sumari says:
Hallo Nicole!
Im from South Africa!
Just want to know if the recipes that you make are healthy and fit into a calorie based diet?
Your recipes are amazing!
Nicole says:
Thanks so much Sumari! I try and eat a varied diet, I don’t track calories, but I do try and eat enough protein at every meal. I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes. Nic ❤️
Gina says:
Delicious!! I used dried herbs, boxed pasta sheets and bone broth for the chicken stock. I wish I could post the pic cuz it looks amazing!!
Teri Sosler Head says:
This was amazing. I didn’t have fresh lasagna sheets so I used orzo pasta and had to add a few splashes of water as the orzo cooked. I have made many of your recipes recently and we are enjoying very much.
Tim says:
Honestly… so delish and easy to put together, gives you such a happy moment with the first fork full
Alison Train says:
Just made this. My husband says he prefers it to usual lasagne. Gorgeous,