Five Ingredient Chicken Parmesan Lasagna (Slow Cooker or Stove)

If you are looking for a foolproof, fuss-free lasagna recipe, this is it! Using just five simple ingredients, make the most delicious chicken parmesan inspired lasagna. This filling and hearty dinner couldn't be easier to make and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

I know for many of us, dinner time can be pretty chaotic. Maybe you’ve just had a long day at work and could use some time to decompress. Or maybe the kids have come home from school and need love and attention (and help with homework!).

Whatever the case, it seems like we are being pulled in a million different directions during the late afternoon and evening, and sometimes making a healthy and satisfying meal for dinner can get lost in the shuffle. That's why I am really excited to share this recipe from Martha at Simple Nourished Living with you today.

One thing that I have done to try to salvage my dinner time sanity is to do as much prep work for my meals as I can early in the day. What I’ve learned is that on the nights that I have done the lion’s share of work before lunchtime, we have a much more peaceful afternoon experience.

If I have already chopped my vegetables, assembled the casserole, etc., I am more available to engage with my family or snag some much-needed quiet time. We also are able to eat dinner earlier those nights, which seems to make the rest of the evening go more smoothly.

Not only is this 5 Ingredient Chicken Parmesan Lasagna scrumptious, but it also uses a lot of time-saving techniques to make the preparation fast and easy, without sacrificing taste. No-boil noodles, jarred marinara sauce, and rotisserie chicken all contribute to this meal coming together quickly. Plus you can assemble it all in the slow-cooker early in the day, so you can spend your afternoon doing more important things. 

Love lasagna? Don't miss these Lasagna Cupcakes, Skillet Vegetable Lasagna, and Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup!

What You'll Need

• Cooked chicken: Any cooked chicken will work in this recipe, usually I use leftover rotisserie chicken since normally I have it on hand. If you prefer chicken parmesan with breaded chicken, you could swap in cooked breaded chicken cutlets. 
• No boil lasagna noodles: Make sure to use no-boil noodles since regular noodles won't cook correctly in the slow cooker. If you can't find or don't have no-boil noodles, you can swap in regular lasagna noodles that have been cooked to al dente. 
• Jarred pasta sauce: Most of the flavor in this recipe comes from the sauce, so make sure to choose one with a really good flavor. In our house, we almost also use Rao's since it tastes great and has a clean ingredient list.
• Ricotta cheese: To get a true lasagna feel, you need ricotta cheese. To kick up the flavor more, add some freshly chopped herbs or dried herbs to your ricotta cheese. 
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: For the cheesy layer you expect in lasagna, you will need some shredded mozzarella. Part-skim or whole milk mozzarella will work. Add a sprinkling of Parmesan or pecorino romano as well for more flavor.

Recipe Ideas

This is an easy recipe to customize with extra veggies, a different protein, or extra flavor from fresh herbs and seasoning. Here are a few of my favorite customization ideas.

• Try a different protein: If you don't have any cooked chicken on hand, you could swap in some cooked ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef. This would also work with sliced or ground chicken sausage. 
• Add vegetables: If you want to add extra veggies to this recipe, you can easily layer them right in. Just make sure to cook them before adding them to the lasagna since raw veggies will add moisture and cause the lasagna to be runny. Some great options include eggplant, zucchini, spinach, butternut squash, and summer squash. 
• Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs can really kick up the flavor of this chicken lasagna. Add chopped basil and parsley right into the ricotta mixture. You can also use dried Italian seasoning if you don't have any fresh herbs on hand. 
• Switch up the sauce: Don't be scared to try this with different types of sauce including Arrabiata, vodka sauce, roasted garlic marinara, of any other pasta sauce you like.

Storage and Freezing Leftover Lasagna

This lasagna is great for meal prep and will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat it in the microwave or the oven. 

The leftover lasagna can also be frozen. Make sure to store it in an airtight container. The defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave.