Pesto chicken lasagna with béchamel is a creamy baked pasta layered with basil pesto, tender chicken, silky white sauce, and melty mozzarella. It takes just 20 minutes to prep and is the ultimate comfort food for dinner parties or a weekend meal prep. Unlike ricotta-based recipes, béchamel keeps the layers smooth and cohesive and prevents oiliness, giving you rich flavor without a greasy finish.
Sooooo good. The homemade pesto was delicious! I made this for a dinner party and it was a hit!- Ashley
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Pro Tips for a Perfect Pesto Chicken Lasagna
This recipe is a twist on my classic lasagna made with béchamel instead of ricotta. While the technique is similar, using pesto requires a few minor adjustments to maintain its creamy and stable layers.
- Avoid oilness and separation. Pesto is naturally high in oil. To prevent greasy pockets, mix the pesto directly into the shredded chicken instead of layering it on its own. The chicken absorbs the excess oil and keeps the sauce emulsified as it bakes.
- Béchamel over ricotta. Unlike ricotta, which can become grainy when baked, a béchamel sauce stays perfectly smooth.
- Never slice right out of the oven. Always let lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes after baking. This gives everything time to set, so the layers hold together when sliced.
If you love these flavors but don't have time for layering, my baked pesto chicken gnocchi has the same creamy pesto profile but it's ready in about half the time.
Ingredients
- Chicken. A rotisserie chicken is the best shortcut; it's pre-seasoned and stays tender.
- Mozzarella. Do not use "fresh" mozzarella (the kind in water). It releases too much liquid, which will make your lasagna watery.
- Use store-bought pesto if you're short on time, but I recommend the refrigerated kind. It has a fresher basil flavor and less oil than shelf-stable jars.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Make the pesto in a food processor or high-powered blender. Place ¼ cup of pesto to the side and combine the shredded chicken with the remainder.
Step 2: Make the bechamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden.
Step 3: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Simmer and whisk regularly until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Parmesan. Continue to whisk until you have a smooth sauce.
Step 4: Boil noodles in a large saucepan according to package instructions or use no-boil noodles. Spread a thin layer of pesto on the bottom of a baking dish.
Step 5: Add a single layer of noodles.
Step 6: Spread a layer of pesto chicken over the noodles.
Step 7: Add a layer of the bechamel sauce. Repeat the layers 2-3 more times, or until you run out of noodles.
Step 8: Finish with béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve for a holiday party or weeknight dinner straight from the baking dish. This lasagna is rich and cozy, so lighter sides balance it beautifully. I love it with a crisp arugula and pear salad or an easy grilled zucchini salad.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Allow the lasagna to cool fully and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Reheat: To reheat the whole lasagna, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. For individual portions, heat up in the oven for 10 minutes.
Make Ahead: This lasagna is perfect for prepping in advance. Assemble the entire dish up to one day ahead, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Add an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time if you are baking it straight from the fridge. You can also freeze the unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Creamy Pesto Chicken Lasagna with Béchamel
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Ingredients
Pesto Sauce
- 3 cups fresh basil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- salt and black pepper , to taste
Bechamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Lasagna Assembly
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 1 pack lasagna noodles, traditional or oven-ready
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Make the pesto by adding all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add salt and black pepper to taste.3 cups fresh basil, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup lemon juice, 2-3 cloves garlic, salt and black pepper
- Reserve ¼ cup of pesto for the baking dish. In a bowl, toss the chicken with the remaining pesto until fully coated.3 cups cooked chicken
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk while continuing to whisking. Simmer, whisking regularly, for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.3 cups whole milk
- Remove from the heat. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and parmesan. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is melted.salt and black pepper, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Add water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook according to package instructions. If you're using no-boil noodles, skip this step.1 pack lasagna noodles
Lasagna Assembly
- Spread the reserved ¼ cup of pesto on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Lay noodles, followed by a layer of the pesto-chicken mixture, then a layer of béchamel.
- Continue layering until ingredients are used or you run out of noodles.
- Layer the top noodles with the last of the bechamel sauce and a sprinkle of mozzarella (and extra parmesan if desired).½ cup mozzarella cheese
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until golden brown. Let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes, serve and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- For the best texture, mix the pesto with the chicken before assembling so the oil stays evenly distributed as it bakes.
- Simmer the béchamel until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Keep the noodles fully covered with sauce, especially around the edges, to prevent crunchy spots.
- Let the lasagna rest after baking so the layers can set and slice cleanly.
- If using store-bought pesto, taste it first and adjust the salt or lemon amounts if needed for a bolder basil flavor.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Baking dish or casserole dish
Ashley says
Sooooo good. The homemade pesto was delicious! I made this for a dinner party and it was a hit!
A says
I love Sarah’s classic bechamel lasgana so I had to try this and let me just say it did not disappoint! It tasted fresh and light which I wouldn’t normally say for a lasagna. Adding it to my rotation for sure!
David Holt says
Easy to make and simply delicious....left overs are also great for lunch the next day.
Sarah Hill says
May even be better as leftovers!
Nancy cassano says
Delicious! Lots of flavor!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Nancy, happy you liked it
Nancy Holt says
Made this tonight for a dinner party, everyone absolutely loved it!
Used your pesto recipe and no cook noodles
So easy!
Sarah Hill says
Yay happy to hear everyone loved it!