Cheesy, comforting lasagna layered with a fragrant herb and chicken tomato sauce, plus a creamy spinach and ricotta filling—prepared in the morning and ready by dinner from the slow cooker, with no-boil noodles. It’s an easy, satisfying weeknight solution that delivers big flavor with minimal fuss.
Slow Cooker Lasagna with Chicken and Spinach – Set It and Forget It Dinner
When evenings are busy and time is short, a slow cooker lasagna like this is a game changer. Start it before your day begins and come home to a hot, home-cooked meal. The slow cooker concentrates the sauce flavors and melds the cheeses into a wonderfully gooey, comforting casserole without the heat of the oven.
This recipe is flexible and forgiving. It works well with an appliance that browns and sautés, but all you truly need is a standard slow cooker and a few simple steps to make a flavorful sauce, a creamy spinach-cheese layer, and layered no-boil noodles. The result is a one-dish meal with protein, vegetables, and plenty of cheese for a family-friendly dinner.
What Makes This Slow Cooker Lasagna with Chicken and Spinach Recipe Special
This lasagna stands out because it combines a herb-forward tomato and chicken sauce with a creamy spinach-ricotta layer and three cheeses—mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta—for depth and richness without becoming greasy. Ground chicken keeps the dish lighter than a traditional beef lasagna, and the added spinach contributes color and nutrition.
Another advantage is the ease: no pre-boiling noodles. To prevent the noodles from turning gummy, a small trick—sprinkling a little water over broken no-boil noodles between layers—helps ensure they soften properly and keep the final texture pleasant.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Lasagna (Step-by-Step)
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Preparing the Sauce
Begin by sautéing onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another minute. Add ground chicken, season with half the salt and pepper, and cook until no pink remains, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Stir in a jar of prepared marinara, dried oregano, and chopped fresh basil if available, then reduce heat and let the sauce gently simmer while you make the filling.
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Making the Cheese Mixture
Thaw frozen chopped spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The easiest method is to wrap the thawed spinach in a clean tea towel and twist to extract moisture. In a medium bowl, combine the drained spinach with ricotta, shredded mozzarella, half of the parmesan, and the remaining salt and pepper. Mix until evenly combined—this becomes the creamy middle layer of the lasagna.
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Layering Your Lasagna
To assemble, spoon one-third of the sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Break half of the uncooked lasagna noodles into pieces and arrange a double layer over the sauce. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of water evenly over the noodles—this extra moisture helps them hydrate evenly and prevents gumminess. Spread half of the spinach-cheese mixture over the noodle layer.
Repeat the layers—another portion of sauce, broken noodles with 2 tablespoons of water, and the remaining spinach-cheese mixture. Finish with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Cover the cooker and cook on high for 4–6 hours, or until the noodles are tender and the lasagna is heated through.
When ready, serve the lasagna straight from the slow cooker with a simple green salad and garlic bread if desired. Leftovers refrigerate well and reheat easily for lunches or another quick dinner.
Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna With Chicken and Spinach
- Author: Marie Bostwick
Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
- ½ tsp pepper, divided
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 32 oz jar prepared marinara sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
- 12 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and all liquid squeezed out
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded parmesan, divided
- 8 oz lasagna noodles, uncooked (no-boil or standard broken into pieces)
- 4 T water, divided
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add ground chicken, sprinkle with half the salt and half the pepper, and cook until no pink remains, breaking the meat into small pieces.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, dried oregano, and chopped basil. Reduce heat and let the sauce simmer gently while you prepare the spinach and cheese mixture.
- Thoroughly squeeze excess liquid from the thawed spinach. In a medium bowl, combine the drained spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, half the parmesan, and the remaining salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.
- Spread one-third of the sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Break half the lasagna noodles into pieces and arrange a double layer over the sauce. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons water across the noodles. Spread half the spinach-cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat with another layer of sauce, noodles (sprinkle 2 tablespoons water), and the remaining spinach mixture. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.
- Cover and cook on high for 4–6 hours, until the noodles are tender and the lasagna is hot and bubbly. Serve warm.