Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Rolls (View Print Version)

Tender pasta rolled with creamy chicken, spinach, and three cheeses, then baked in marinara for an Italian-American comfort classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 cup frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
03 - 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
04 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

12 - 12 lasagna noodles
13 - 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
16 - Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and lay noodles flat on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sticking.
03 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, chopped spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Spread about 1/4 cup of the chicken-spinach filling evenly over each noodle. Roll up each noodle, starting from the short end, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
06 - Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each roll is its own neat little portion, so no messy scooping or uneven servings at the table.
  • The creamy chicken and spinach filling tastes richer than it actually is, and nobody ever guesses it takes just over an hour.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully without turning into a soggy disaster.
  • You can prep the rolls in the morning and bake them right before dinner with zero stress.
02 -
  • If your noodles tear while rolling, just patch them with a little extra filling and keep going, nobody will notice once they're covered in sauce.
  • Don't overfill the noodles or the filling will squeeze out the sides and make a mess in the pan.
  • Use a spatula to lift each roll out carefully, they're delicate until they cool a bit.
  • If you freeze these, assemble them completely but don't bake, then cover tightly and freeze up to three months.
03 -
  • Lay the cooked noodles on parchment paper instead of a towel if you want to avoid any lint sticking to them.
  • Taste your marinara before using it, if it's too acidic, stir in a pinch of sugar to balance it out.
  • Let the rolls cool for a full 5 minutes before serving or the filling will be too loose and slide out when you cut into them.
  • If you're making these ahead, assemble everything up to the baking step, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
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