This chicken tetrazzini is comforting and supremely creamy; a cheesy pasta bake loaded with juicy chicken and plump mushrooms. It’s based on one of the MOST POPULAR recipes on my blog.
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When you bake this pasta casserole, some of the sauce bakes into the pasta, the flavors marry and [!!BAM!!] something wonderful happens. You’ll know what I mean when you try it. Ridiculously good, easy to prepare, kid friendly, reheats well and freezer safe. P.S. you can further simplify this by using rotisserie chicken – You’re welcome ‘ma friends :).
Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
This recipe can be done entirely using a dutch oven so it can go from the stove to the oven saving you some dishes. You can also bake it in a 13×9″ casserole dish, but whichever path you choose, the result will be a cheesy, creamy chicken pasta bake that will have your family refilling their bowls.
P.S. We have included Amazon Affiliate links to our favorite tools to make this recipe.
Ingredients for Chicken Tetrazzini:
- We used thin spaghetti, but you can substitute with any kind of noodles you have on hand such as linguine or fettuccini pasta for your chicken tetrazzini casserole.
- SHORTCUT: (what you will see in the video), you can use a rotisserie chicken and cut away enough chicken meat to get 4 cups of shredded chicken. Light or dark meat will work.
- This recipe calls for low sodium chicken broth. Regular chicken broth is ok, but go easy on the salt and add more to taste when making the sauce.
How to Make Chicken Tetrazzini (Watch the Video below):
1. Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions then rinse to stop the cooking process, drain and set aside.
2. Shred 4 cups of rotisserie Chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
OR: If cooking your own chicken, In a large dutch oven pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Once oil is hot, saute chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through (about 4 min per side). Remove to a cutting board to cool then dice chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. In your large dutch oven pot, add 2 Tbsp oil then sliced mushrooms and sauté 3 min or until soft. Add diced onions and cook until onions are soft (5-7 min). Add minced garlic and sauté another 1-2 min. Transfer to a separate dish.
4. In the same pot, melt 4 Tbsp butter and add 1/3 cup flour whisking until lightly golden (1 1/2 min). Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and whisk until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups half and half and bring to a simmer then season sauce to taste.
5. Return chicken, mushrooms and pasta to the pot then season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle the top generously with shredded mozzarella, cover and bake at 350˚F for 30 min then remove lid and continue baking 15 min. (See notes below for 13×9 casserole dish baking tips).
Watch Natasha Make this Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole:
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Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tetrazzini:
- 12 oz thin spaghetti or linguine
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, *or cook 2 lbs chicken breast
- 1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
For the Creamy Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups half and half, or sub with equal parts milk & heavy cream
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 cup parsley,, chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until aldente according to package instructions then rinse to stop the cooking process, drain and set aside.
- Cut 4 cups of chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken and shred into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium/high heat. Add 2 Tbsp oil then add sliced mushrooms and sauté 3 min or until softened. Add diced onions and cook until onions are soft and golden, 5-7 min. Add minced garlic and sauté another 1-2 min until fragrant. Remove to the cutting board with chicken.
- In the same pot, melt 4 Tbsp butter and whisk in 1/3 cup flour until lightly golden (1 1/2 min). Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and whisk until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups half and half and bring to a simmer. Season sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken, mushrooms, onions and pasta to the pot then sprinkle in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle the top generously with shredded mozzarella, cover and bake at 350˚F for 30 min then remove lid and continue baking 15 min.**
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Serve right away to the line that has formed behind you :). I can’t help but pair this with crunchy baby dill pickles (mildly obsessed pickle fan over here). I hope your family LOVES this!
I’m making this for a new mom meal. But assembling a day ahead. Should I bake first and then refrigerate? Or just have them bake when delivered?
Hi Rebeccca! Either way would work. It can be prepared and refrigerated then baked later. It may need add some additional baking time since it will be cold.
was wondering can I make this the day before and keep in the fridge before baking!!
Yes, you can prepare and refrigerate it then bake it later. You’ll need to add some additional baking time since it will be cold.
The ABSOLUTE best casserole!
I loved the addition of the fresh lemon juice! Just yummy all around.
Thank you Natasha!
Jude
You’re very welcome, Jude!
Excellent recipe! Creamy and cheesy in perfect combination also simple to put together makes it a winner
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Janet!
commented on recipe but, wanted to add that you are the first blog I subscribed to. Just about everyone else I check the recipes but, don’t want to commit. Your Chicken Tetrazzini is so good I think your other recipes will be great as well.
Hi Diane! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you!
OMG! This is soooo goooood.
I just made it and just out of the oven.
This is one I will be doing in the future.
And while it looks like a lot to do it really is easy to make.
A recipe worth keeping!
Good recipe – turned out well. Added thyme and rosemary in when sauteeing the mushrooms
I’m glad you liked it, MB!
Natasha,
So much better than the ‘Campbell’s Soup’ version.
One small problem, I made a half recipe and used the scaling feature. Ingredients scaled fine but other references to quantity did not scale (a common issue with recipe software). You have a lot of repeated quantities in your instructions (e.g. ‘melt 4 Tbsp butter’ — it should say 2). Twice I almost used twice as much of an ingredient (I know, mise en place and read and reread). Anyhow, you might want to minimize repeating quantities or get rid of the scaling feature.
Besides that — relatively esy and very very good.
Thank you for your feedback, Jim! At this time the instructions don’t scale so you would need to manually adjust this as the scale only works for the ingredients list at this time. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Made this tonight. Yum! Delish!
Hubby and I both loved it. Put in 2 8×8 pans. baked one, froze other for another quick easy weekday meal
Hello Karen, nice to know that you both enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing!
This sounds delicious! I’m wondering if I can use milk instead of heavy cream? Also, if I don’t use mushrooms can you recommend a different vegetable? My boys have a real aversion to mushrooms🙃.
Thanks.
Hi Marilu! You can sauté another veggie of your choice (asparagus, or other). If you use just milk, the sauce won’t thicken. You’ll want something with higher fat content like half and half for a thicker consistency.
We made this for the first time. I grew up with this dish and really loved it. Since my wife and I can’t have alot of dairy we used almond milk instead of half and half. We also forgot to add the garlic as we caring for our 9 month old in the process. We thought all the cream went straight to the noodles because it was a little dry. The dish came out okay but felt it needed more zip. I think we will add sundried tomatoes, and not skip garlic. Hopefully these ingredients brighten it more our second try. Any suggestions.
HI David, it’s probably missing the richness from the half and half and I haven’t tested those substitutions to give you specific advice on that.
Natasha. I love all your recipes and the enthusiastic way in which you demonstrate them! I am planning a ladies luncheon. Could I use penne pasta instead of the spaghetti. Thank you so much!
I think that will work just fine although we love it with spaghetti. I hope it becomes a huge hit!
Hi Natasha, love most all of your recipes and cats wait to try more of your soup recipes this Fall and Winter. We’re wondering, for the Chicken Tettrazini, a friend and I both made it and thought was rather bland, even with salt and pepper to taste. How can we add more flavor?
Hi Judi, did you change or modify anything in the recipe? Also, make sure not to add too much pasta which can make it seem a little bland.
I found the same thing and added parmesan to the sauce. Adds salt & depth of flavor!
Add bacon or pancetta. I cook the bacon first, then add the mushrooms and asparagus and saute them in the bacon grease. That’s how my sicilian grandma made tettrazini. It’s amazing, way more flavor!
What are other veggies you’d recommend for this dish? I have a mushroom allergy but still want to include veggies.
Hi Jessica! I’m sure it can work to experiment with another veggie of your choice too. Asparagus may be a good one to try.