Chicken Lasagna With Green Chile And Cheese Recipe

I’m sharing my Green Chile Chicken Lasagna, featuring layers of noodles filled with cheesy chicken and green chiles and finished with a simple homemade Alfredo.

I didn’t expect lasagna to surprise me like this but my Green Chile Chicken Lasagna does just that. I layer noodles with shredded cooked chicken and diced green chiles, mix in cheese, then ladle a Homemade Alfredo over everything so it gets ultra creamy and a little spicy.

It’s one of those dinners that looks fancy but really forgives mistakes, and somehow tastes better the next day. I keep finding myself cutting a sliver while no ones watching because that first bite is worth the small crime.

Try it, you’ll get why I keep making it.

Ingredients

• Chicken: Packed with protein, lean and filling, gives a rich savory base.
• Green chiles: Adds smoky heat, low calorie, small vitamin boost, brightens dish.
• Cream cheese: Creamy tang, makes sauce silky, high in fat so use wisely.
• Monterey Jack: Melty, mild, helps gooey texture and balances spice with mellow flavor.
• Sharp cheddar: Adds sharp bite, salty richness, gives golden color and savory punch.
• Parmesan: Nutty, salty finish, strong umami, a little goes a long way.
• Onion and garlic: Onion sweetens when cooked, garlic adds depth, build flavor base.
• Milk or half and half: Makes sauce creamy, adds calories, smooths everything.

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 lasagna noodles, regular or oven ready
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1.5 lb, from 2-3 breasts)
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk (or half and half)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• Cooking spray or a little extra butter for the pan

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray or a little extra butter. If you have regular lasagna noodles, boil the 12 noodles in salted water until al dente, drain and spread out on a sheet so they dont stick; if using oven ready, skip the boiling.

2. In a skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium, add the finely chopped small yellow onion and sauté 4-5 minutes until soft, add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds more. Set off heat to cool a bit.

3. In a large bowl stir together 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, the drained 4 oz diced green chiles, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder if using, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, the sautéed onion and garlic, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan. Fold gently until evenly mixed, taste and adjust salt if needed. Toss in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro if you like.

4. Make the easy Alfredo: melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in 3 tbsp all purpose flour and cook 1 minute (dont let it brown), slowly pour in 2 cups whole milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes, then stir in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt divided as needed and a pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the alfredo for the top of the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of the remaining Alfredo on the bottom of the prepared pan so the noodles wont stick.

6. Assemble: layer 4 noodles across the pan, spread about one third of the chicken and cheese filling over them, sprinkle about 1/3 of the remaining Monterey Jack and cheddar (reserve the rest for the top), then drizzle a little Alfredo. Repeat two more times ending with a final layer of noodles on top.

7. Pour the reserved Alfredo over the top noodle layer, then sprinkle the remaining shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over everything.

8. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden. Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting so it sets. Serve with extra chopped cilantro if you like. Enjoy the creamy, slightly spicy lasagna.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 baking pan, greased
2. Large pot for boiling noodles
3. Colander to drain pasta
4. Skillet (medium) for the onion and garlic
5. Saucepan for the Alfredo sauce
6. Large mixing bowl for the chicken filling
7. Whisk for the sauce and to smooth lumps
8. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding and spreading
9. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion and cilantro
10. Measuring cups and spoons plus a box or handheld grater for the Parmesan

FAQ

Chicken Lasagna With Green Chile And Cheese Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Lasagna noodles: swap regular noodles for oven ready noodles they save time, or go low carb and use thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant instead. If using veggies, salt and press them for 10 to 15 minutes then pat dry so the layers dont get watery. For a Tex Mex twist use about 12 corn tortillas layered like noodles.
• Shredded cooked chicken: use a rotisserie chicken shredded to equal about 3 cups, or sub shredded cooked turkey. In a pinch you can use two 10 ounce cans of drained chunk chicken just season it up since canned chicken is milder.
• Cream cheese plus sour cream: replace both with 2 cups whole milk ricotta for a lighter creaminess, add a splash of milk if it seems too thick. Or use 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt plus 4 ounces softened cream cheese for tang and body if you want less fat.
• Cheese mix: Monterey Jack can be swapped with Colby or Pepper Jack for more zip, sharp cheddar can be swapped with aged cheddar or smoked Gouda for deeper flavor, and Parmesan can be replaced with Pecorino Romano at the same amount just taste and cut back on added salt since Pecorino is saltier.

Pro Tips

1. Undercook the noodles a little if you boiled them. They keep cooking in the oven so stop 1 to 2 minutes before the package says done or theyll turn mushy. If you used oven ready sheets still spread a thin smear of sauce on each layer so the noodles dont soak up all the moisture and get dry.

2. Dry is your enemy so pat everything dry. Press the shredded chicken with paper towels or squeeze it in a clean dish towel to remove extra juice, and drain those green chiles well. A slightly drier filling lets the cheese and alfredo do their job instead of turning the whole thing soupy.

3. Make the alfredo a little thicker than you think you need. Cook the roux an extra minute and simmer the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, this keeps the bake from getting runny. If it still seems thin, simmer uncovered to reduce it or whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a bit of cold milk then heat until it thickens.

4. Rest, and if you want clean slices chill first. Let the lasagna sit 10 to 15 minutes after baking so it sets, that helps a lot. If you want restaurant clean cuts let it cool 20 to 30 minutes in the pan or pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes, then slice. Also if you brown the top with the broiler do it for just 1 to 2 minutes and watch it the whole time or it will go from perfect to burned fast.

Chicken Lasagna With Green Chile And Cheese Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Green Chile Chicken Lasagna, featuring layers of noodles filled with cheesy chicken and green chiles and finished with a simple homemade Alfredo.

Pin

Servings

8

servings

Calories

844

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9×13 baking pan, greased
2. Large pot for boiling noodles
3. Colander to drain pasta
4. Skillet (medium) for the onion and garlic
5. Saucepan for the Alfredo sauce
6. Large mixing bowl for the chicken filling
7. Whisk for the sauce and to smooth lumps
8. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding and spreading
9. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion and cilantro
10. Measuring cups and spoons plus a box or handheld grater for the Parmesan

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles, regular or oven ready

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1.5 lb, from 2-3 breasts)

• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup sour cream

• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

• 3 tbsp all purpose flour

• 2 cups whole milk (or half and half)

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)

• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

• Cooking spray or a little extra butter for the pan

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray or a little extra butter. If you have regular lasagna noodles, boil the 12 noodles in salted water until al dente, drain and spread out on a sheet so they dont stick; if using oven ready, skip the boiling.
• In a skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium, add the finely chopped small yellow onion and sauté 4-5 minutes until soft, add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds more. Set off heat to cool a bit.
• In a large bowl stir together 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, the drained 4 oz diced green chiles, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder if using, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, the sautéed onion and garlic, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan. Fold gently until evenly mixed, taste and adjust salt if needed. Toss in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro if you like.
• Make the easy Alfredo: melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in 3 tbsp all purpose flour and cook 1 minute (dont let it brown), slowly pour in 2 cups whole milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes, then stir in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt divided as needed and a pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Reserve about 1/2 cup of the alfredo for the top of the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of the remaining Alfredo on the bottom of the prepared pan so the noodles wont stick.
• Assemble: layer 4 noodles across the pan, spread about one third of the chicken and cheese filling over them, sprinkle about 1/3 of the remaining Monterey Jack and cheddar (reserve the rest for the top), then drizzle a little Alfredo. Repeat two more times ending with a final layer of noodles on top.
• Pour the reserved Alfredo over the top noodle layer, then sprinkle the remaining shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over everything.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden. Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting so it sets. Serve with extra chopped cilantro if you like. Enjoy the creamy, slightly spicy lasagna.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 343g
• Total number of serves: 8
• Calories: 844kcal
• Fat: 50.1g
• Saturated Fat: 27.4g
• Trans Fat: 0.25g
• Polyunsaturated: 10g
• Monounsaturated: 15g
• Cholesterol: 221mg
• Sodium: 1035mg
• Potassium: 841mg
• Carbohydrates: 39.8g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 6g
• Protein: 52.6g
• Vitamin A: 1900IU
• Vitamin C: 2.1mg
• Calcium: 679mg
• Iron: 2.5mg