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 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:
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Spinach and Cheese Pasta Bake Recipe
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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 the 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.
Watch how to make it
Nutrition information
Nutritional information on this site is calculated using Foodworks Professional, the nutrition analysis software trusted by dietitians, researchers and food manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand. Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Noreen says:
Loved this dish, very easy to make and tasted beautiful. I messed up somewhere along the line adding the butter but it was very forgiving and I added the butter at a later point
Stephanie says:
Si delicius
Sandra says:
Lovely confort food recipe. Made with dried Gluten Free lasagne sheets and extra stock as suggested. Perfect.
Sandy says:
Sorry Nicole, your recipes are normally pretty good, but this one was an epic fail. It was bland and just not on par to your others.
Nicole says:
Hi Sandy! I’m sorry to hear this one wasn’t a favourite, especially as you’ve enjoyed my other recipes! ❤️ This is a creamy white lasagne, so the flavours are a little more subtle than a traditional tomato-based version. The garlic, leek, chicken stock, Italian herbs and parmesan all work together to build flavour, and seasoning the sauce to taste makes a big difference. I’d love to know if you made any substitutions, as I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Nic x
Belinda says:
Can this be made with gluten free lasagna noodles?
Nicole says:
Hi Belinda! Yes, absolutely! ❤️ You can use gluten-free lasagne sheets, but just keep in mind that they can cook a little differently to the fresh pasta used in this recipe. I’d recommend checking the packet instructions, as some varieties may need to be partially cooked before adding them to the sauce. You may also need to add a splash of extra stock or water as they cook, depending on how much liquid they absorb. I hope that helps, and I’d love to hear how you go! Nic ❤️
Shelley Morgan says:
I have loved every recipe so far but this was awful. Can not recommend, tasteless and way too rich
Lois says:
The leek wasn’t listed in ingredients you might want to update (: looks yummy cooking tonight with celery in place
Simple Home Edit Team says:
Hi Lois, I just checked and leek is definitely listed in the ingredients. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 😊
Hayley says:
Oh wow – another absolutely delicious recipe that we all loved!! Thanks Nicole!
Marly says:
Could I potentially just throw all these ingredients in an instant pot? I usually have the chicken breast and broccoli frozen on hand.
Nicole says:
Hi Marly! I love the idea of making this even easier! ❤️ I haven’t tested this recipe in an Instant Pot, so I can’t confidently recommend cooking everything together under pressure. My main concern would be that the broccoli and lasagne sheets could become overcooked and the creamy sauce may not turn out quite the same. You could certainly use the sauté function to follow the stovetop method, though! Just make sure your chicken is fully thawed before starting, as frozen chicken will affect the cooking time. I hope that helps, and please let me know if you give it a try! Nic ❤️
Toni says:
This was delicious. My husband really liked it.
Carol says:
Absolutely delicious….Ill admit I was skeptical that this would be nice but omg its unreal. My fussiest eater loved it too
Chelsea says:
This is an absolute winner and on high rotation in our house! I’ve used a block of Philly cheese quickly blitzed and spread across the top before grilling (instead of mozzarella etc) and it’s epic!! I also swap the cream for milk which works great and is a bit lighter. My toddler even eats this dish, broccoli and all!