Description
Buffalo Chicken Lasagna combines spicy buffalo chicken with creamy ricotta and sharp cheddar béchamel layers, creating a deliciously rich and savory twist on classic lasagna. Perfect for gatherings, this recipe bakes a crispy, cheesy casserole that’s packed with bold flavors and topped with fresh green onions for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Lasagna
- 20 oz. frozen breaded chicken strips
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, plus extra for pan
- 1 lb. lasagna noodles
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
Filling
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
Béchamel
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup blue cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 10×14 lasagna pan or 9×13 casserole dish, greasing it lightly with extra buffalo sauce.
- Bake Chicken: Arrange frozen breaded chicken strips on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until crispy, about 15-20 minutes, while preparing noodles and sauces. Remove when done and let cool slightly.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking; set aside.
- Prepare Filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, buffalo sauce, and softened cream cheese until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to create a roux. Gradually whisk in whole milk, keeping the mixture smooth and lump-free. Bring to a gentle boil until thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon. Lower the heat and stir in sharp cheddar and blue cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender to smooth out any lumps if needed.
- Prepare Chicken: Chop the baked chicken strips into bite-sized pieces and toss with 1/2 cup buffalo sauce to coat evenly.
- Assemble Lasagna: Drizzle a little buffalo sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer shingled lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the cheese filling evenly over noodles, sprinkle with half the buffalo chicken, then drizzle with a few spoons of béchamel sauce. Repeat these layers once more, ending with noodles on top.
- Top and Bake: Pour remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the final noodle layer and sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on top. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes to set. Slice and garnish with remaining thinly sliced green onions before serving.
Notes
- Use extra buffalo sauce to grease the pan to enhance flavor and prevent sticking.
- Chilling the cooked noodles briefly after boiling prevents them from sticking during assembly.
- If béchamel sauce is lumpy, blending with an immersion blender ensures a creamy texture.
- Leftover lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Substitute blue cheese with more cheddar if blue cheese flavor is too strong.
- For a spicier version, increase the amount of buffalo sauce in the filling and on the chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of lasagna)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
