Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna

This Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna is creamy, loaded with spinach and chicken, and perfect for busy weeknights. A celiac-friendly dinner recipe everyone will love!

This isn’t your traditional red-sauce lasagna. Instead, we’re going with a luscious garlic cream sauce that wraps around tender chicken, wilted spinach, and layers of melty cheese.

It’s one of those celiac friendly dinner recipes that feels fancy but comes together without any complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients.

The best part? You can use oven-ready gluten-free noodles, which means no boiling and no extra dishes. If you’re new to gluten-free cooking or just need easy delicious gluten free dinners that your whole family will actually eat, this one’s for you.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation , following a strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease, so having reliable, delicious recipes like this makes the journey so much easier.

Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna Ingredients

White Sauce

• 8 oz Softened Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt

For Lasagna

• 2 Cups Cooked and Shredded Chicken
• 1 Clove Crushed Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
• 12 Gluten-Free Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles
• 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 16 oz Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Prepare the white sauce using a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the block of cream cheese, milk, and garlic salt. Warm this up until it’s fully melted and smooth. If sauce is too thick, add additional milk. It will be thicker than a marinara sauce, more spreadable.
3. Using a large skillet on medium-high heat, add in the olive oil and garlic clove, cooked chicken, and fresh spinach. Let this simmer for about 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
4. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread 1/3 of the white sauce on the bottom of the pan and place 3 noodles on top of the white sauce.
5. Add 1/3 of the chicken mixture, 1/3 of the cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. (Be sure to split each item into 3rds for 3 layers.)
6. Top with 3 more lasagna noodles and repeat.
7. On the last layer, add the 3 noodles, and then the remaining chicken mixture. Then, add 3 more noodles and top the noodles with the remaining sauce and cheese.
8. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.
9. Bake at 425°F covered with foil for 25 minutes. If any lasagna noodles are not fully covered with liquid or look uncooked, lightly press them down.
10. Carefully uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes on LOW BROIL. This will crisp the top of the lasagna.
11. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Substitutions & Swaps

Sometimes you need to work with what’s already in your fridge, and this Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna is super forgiving. If you don’t have cream cheese on hand, you can use mascarpone or even a thick Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of butter. The sauce won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still taste amazing.

For the chicken, rotisserie chicken is my go-to shortcut. It saves so much time and adds incredible flavor. You could also use leftover turkey or even swap in ground turkey or beef if that’s what you have available. This makes it one of those celiac meals easy recipes you can customize endlessly.

Don’t love cottage cheese? Ricotta works beautifully here. Some people even use a dairy-free ricotta alternative to make this recipe completely dairy-free (just swap the other cheeses too). And if spinach isn’t your thing, try kale, Swiss chard, or even some sautéed zucchini.

The key is keeping those veggies in there for balance and nutrition, as highlighted by Harvard’s Nutrition Source, which emphasizes the importance of vegetables in a healthy diet.

For the noodles, I always recommend checking the package instructions. Different brands of gluten-free oven-ready noodles can vary slightly in how much moisture they need, so keep an eye on them during baking.

Troubleshooting Tips

Let’s talk about the most common hiccup with this Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna: dry or crunchy noodles. Oven-ready gluten-free noodles need enough liquid to soften properly.

If you notice any edges peeking out during that first 25 minutes of baking, just press them gently down into the sauce with a spatula. They’ll absorb moisture and cook through perfectly.

If your white sauce feels too thick, don’t stress. Just whisk in a splash more milk until it reaches a pourable, spreadable consistency. You want it thicker than Alfredo but not as thick as frosting. It should coat the back of a spoon nicely.

Is your lasagna looking a little watery after baking? That’s usually from the spinach releasing moisture. Next time, give your spinach an extra squeeze after wilting it to remove excess liquid. Also, make sure you let the lasagna rest for that full 10 minutes before slicing. This helps everything set up and makes serving so much easier.

If the top isn’t getting golden and bubbly under the broiler, move your oven rack up one notch closer to the heat source. Just watch it closely because broilers can go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. This is one of those easy delicious gluten free dinners that rewards a little attention at the end.

Storage & Meal Prep

This Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna is a meal prep champion. Once it’s fully cooled, you can slice it into individual portions and store them in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I love having these ready to grab for quick lunches during the week.

For reheating, the microwave works fine for single portions. Just cover loosely with a damp paper towel and heat for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. If you’re reheating a larger portion in the oven, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Want to freeze it? Absolutely! You can freeze the entire assembled lasagna before baking, or freeze individual cooked slices. For freezing before baking, wrap the whole dish tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake it, thaw overnight in the fridge and then follow the original baking instructions, adding maybe 5-10 extra minutes.

Cooked slices freeze beautifully too. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as usual. This makes celiac friendly dinner recipes so much easier when you’ve got backup meals ready to go.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna with a simple side salad dressed in a light vinaigrette. The brightness cuts through the richness of the cream sauce perfectly. Sometimes I’ll add some toasted pine nuts or gluten-free croutons to the salad for extra crunch.

Roasted vegetables are another great companion. Try roasting some broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or green beans with olive oil and garlic while the lasagna bakes. You’ll have everything ready at the same time, and your kitchen will smell incredible.

If you’re feeding a crowd or want to round out the meal, some gluten-free garlic bread is always a hit. Check out my Easy Protein Gluten-Free Bread Recipe for a base you can turn into garlic bread. Just slice, butter, add garlic powder, and toast until golden.

For a lighter option, serve it alongside some fresh fruit or a cucumber-tomato salad. The fresh, crisp elements balance the creaminess of the lasagna beautifully. This is one of those celiac meals easy recipes that feels substantial on its own but also plays well with whatever sides you love.

Variations & Dietary Adjustments

This Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna is wonderfully adaptable. Want to sneak in more veggies for the kids? Add some finely diced bell peppers or mushrooms to the chicken mixture. They’ll blend right in and add extra nutrition without changing the flavor profile dramatically.

For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free cream cheese, plant-based milk, and your favorite dairy-free cheese shreds. The texture will be slightly different, but it’s still delicious. Make sure your gluten-free noodles don’t contain any hidden dairy ingredients too.

Trying to add more protein? Stir some white beans into the chicken mixture or use extra chicken. You could even make this with ground turkey or beef instead of shredded chicken for a different take on easy delicious gluten free dinners.

If you want to lighten it up a bit, use low-fat cream cheese and cottage cheese, and reduce the amount of mozzarella slightly. It won’t be quite as indulgent, but it’ll still satisfy that comfort food craving. You could also add an extra cup of spinach or throw in some chopped broccoli.

For holiday meals, I sometimes add a layer of roasted butternut squash or use herbs from my The Best Gluten-Free Stuffing recipe to give it a seasonal twist. Fresh sage or thyme in the white sauce would be gorgeous for a fall version.

FAQs

final Thoughts

This Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Lasagna has become one of my most-requested recipes, and I think it’ll become a favorite in your kitchen too. It’s got everything you want in a comfort meal: creamy, cheesy layers, tender chicken, and that gorgeous garlic flavor throughout. Plus, it’s one of those easy delicious gluten free dinners that doesn’t scream “gluten-free” to your dinner guests.

Whether you’re newly gluten-free or you’ve been navigating celiac disease for years, having reliable, delicious celiac meals easy recipes makes everything easier.

This lasagna proves you don’t have to sacrifice flavor or comfort when you’re eating gluten-free. It’s just as satisfying as any traditional lasagna, and honestly, most people can’t even tell the difference.