This Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe is a comforting, supremely creamy, and cheesy pasta bake loaded with tender chicken and plump mushrooms. This meal is a crowd-favorite casserole dish perfect for casual family dinners, holiday potluck parties, bringing a meal to a new mother, and every occasion in between. Watch the video below to see how simple it is!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Excellent recipe! Creamy and cheesy in perfect combination also simple to put together makes it a winner” – Janet ★★★★★
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Classic chicken tetrazzini has been around forever and for good reason! It’s ridiculously good, easy to prepare, kid-friendly and reheats well. It’s sometimes made with soup flavor packets or canned soup, but my friends, you don’t need those to make this flavorful meal. I based this winning recipe on my popular Chicken and Mushroom Casserole recipe. The simple ingredients add all the creamy delicious flavor, and it’s nice to know there aren’t any mystery ingredients in the dish.
When you bake this Chicken Tetrazzini 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. P.S. you can further simplify this by using rotisserie chicken – You’re welcome ‘ma friends :).
This Chicken Tetrazzini is one of my most popular pasta dishes, along with my Cajun Chicken Pasta, American Goulash, and Lasagna.
Chicken Tetrazzini Video
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing, easy meal for dinner tonight, you’ll love this Chicken Tetrazzini! Watch how easily Natasha turns these simple ingredients into an incredibly creamy pasta casserole.
Ingredients for Chicken Tetrazzini
These ingredients for Chicken Tetrazzini are simple fridge and pantry staples that combine in the perfect way.
- Pasta – I’ve made this with linquine and thin spaghetti, but you I used thin spaghetti, but you can use your favorite noodles.
- Shredded chicken – I like using 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken to keep it simple, but you can cook the chicken breast (instructions below). Light or dark meat will work here.
- Mushrooms – White mushrooms are nice for their neutral color. Rinse (yes, it’s ok to rinse mushrooms for sauteeing) and dry the mushrooms, then slice thickly.
- Aromatics – onion and garlic add great flavor to the sauce.
- For the Roux – You’ll need butter and flour, which thicken the sauce.
- Chicken Broth – I opt for low-sodium chicken broth for tetrazzini. Regular chicken broth is ok, but go easy on the salt and add more to taste when making the sauce.
- To Build Flavor – salt, pepper, parsley, and lemon juice help brighten up the casserole.
- Half and Half – You can also make your own by substituting equal parts milk and heavy cream.
- Cheese – Mozzarella cheese is my favorite to use here. The cheese seals in the moisture in the casserole.
Pick the Correct Pasta
Skip the value-brand pasta or pasta that is mass-produced like Barilla for this recipe since it can absorb too much water and seem mushy or dry. Choose bronze-cut, higher-quality pasta made with hardier Durum wheat semolina flour that will stand up to baking (these are easily found in your grocery aisle, like De Cecco, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, Garofalo, Liguori, and others).
Variations for Chicken Tetrazzini
- Protein – swap leftover turkey, or even tuna for the baked chicken breast
- Veggies – You can easily substitute the mushrooms and dice up your favorite veggie to add with the onion. Try sauteed red peppers, steamed broccoli florets, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, or frozen carrot/pea mix.
- Cheese – experiment with other cheeses like Havarti, cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack. Or you could add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.
How to Make Chicken Tetrazzini
Traditionally, tetrazzini is made in a 13×9″ casserole dish, but it can also be done entirely using a Dutch oven so it can go from the stove to the oven saving you some dishes.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F and then grease your baking dish if using (9×13 baking dish, or two 9″ squares). **If cooking the chicken breasts instead of using rotisserie chicken, see my directions below for prepping the chicken.
- Cook Pasta in salted water until barely al dente. The pasta will continue to cook when in the oven, so don’t overcook it here. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the rest and set the pasta aside.
Natasha’s Pro Tip:
Salting the pasta water is so important for taste, but also for texture. Well-salted pasta water should taste like the ocean (about 1 Tbsp for 4 quarts of water).
- Saute the veggies – Soften the mushrooms with some olive oil then add the onions and saute until golden (5 minutes). Finally, add garlic and cook another minute then transfer the mixture to a plate.
- Make the sauce in the same skillet as cooking the veggies. Melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking for 1-2 minutes to get rid of the flour taste. It should look golden and smell a bit nutty. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the chicken broth then lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the Casserole – into the pot with the drained pasta, add chicken, veggies, pasta, sauce and stir together. I like to add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water for a creamier sauce. Spread into the buttered casserole and sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake covered in foil or a lid in the oven for 20 minutes, and then remove the foil and cook another 15 minutes. For a crispier topping, broil for a minute or two. Serve!
Helpful Reader Review
“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“ – Karen ★★★★★
How to Cook Chicken Breast for Pasta Casseroles
It’s easy to substitute the rotisserie chicken in this chicken tetrazzini recipe for chopped chicken breast. You can use baked chicken breast or sautee 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast. If the chicken breasts are very large, you can cut them in half crosswise for faster cooking.
- Add 1 Tbsp of oil in a large Dutch oven pot (I can use this same pot to make the veggies and sauce and cook the casserole- Easier cleanup!)
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breasts and sautee about 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through to 165˚F on a thermometer. Chop into 1″ pieces. Proceed to the recipe!
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
It’s simple to serve Chicken Tetrazzini ahead and also to store leftovers. This is one of my favorites to bring to friends or freeze for another night.
- Make-Ahead: Mix the casserole and place it in a freezer-safe, oven-safe dish, but don’t top it with cheese. Store in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 6 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight, top with cheese and cook. You may have to add a few minutes to the bake time.
- To Refrigerate: Allow leftovers to cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Cover and freeze cooled leftovers for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Place casserole covered in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
What to Serve with Chicken Tetrazzini
The best part about making casseroles is that they hit all the major food groups for a complete meal. Whip up this chicken tetrazzini recipe and include one of these quick side dishes for a filling and nutritious meal.
- Sourdough Bread
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Caesar Salad
- Maroulosalata – Greek Lettuce Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Roasted Broccoli
- Tomato Cucumber Mozarella Salad
My Chicken Tetrazzini recipe will quickly become your favorite! It’s satisfying, easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and most importantly, creamy and cheesy. The pasta casserole is the perfect dish for family dinner, but travels well in a casserole dish to share with friends. Make this classic dish today!
Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tetrazzini:
- 12 oz linguine, or spaghetti*
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or diced, or cook 1.5 lbs of chicken breast*
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
For the Creamy Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cups half & half, or sub with equal parts milk & heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more 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 and butter a 9×13 Casserole dish.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water (it should taste like ocean water) and cook until barely al dente according to package instructions – do not overcook. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, partially cover, and set aside.
- Saute the Veggies: Place a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add 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 min until fragrant. Transfer to the cutting board with chicken.
- Make the Sauce: In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until lightly golden (1 1/2 min). Slowly whisk in chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine the Casserole: Into the pasta pot, add the chicken, mushrooms mixture, parsley, and all of your sauce. Stir to combine. You can add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to make it saucier then spread it evenly into your prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the top generously with mozzarella.
- To Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 350˚F for 20 min, then remove the lid and continue baking for 15 min. You can broil for the last 1-2 minutes to get some golden spots on top.
Notes
*To cook your own chicken: in your dutch oven or pot, add 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Season 1.5 lbs chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Saute chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through (about 4 min per side). If chicken breasts are very large, cut them in half lengthwise for even cooking. Remove to cutting board to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead – assemble the casserole, but cover and store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months before baking. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then add cheese and cook as directed.
- Leftovers – allow leftovers to cool completely, then cover and store in the refrigerator for 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Casserole Recipes
Casserole dishes like Chicken Tetrazzini are fantastic dishes to feed a family. You’ll love these great recipes:
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Baked Tilapia and Vegetable Casserole
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
- Green Bean Casserole
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Baked Ziti Recipe
- Meatballs Parmesan Casserole
- Chicken Orzo Bake
Outstanding recipe! I’ve made Tetrazzini before and used your recipe to tweak my own. It’s my favorite recipe for leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. Thanks Natasha!
I know a lot of people don’t like to do it, but using your own homemade stock brings so much flavor. This is a great recipe, this website is quickly becoming a favorite.
The shrimp tacos and tostadas are amazing if you’re in the mood for southwest!
I made this recipe exactly but I didnt add the lemon and I will say before I added the sauteed onion and mushrooms it didnt have much chicken flavor using the box chicken broth ( it tasted like warm milk) so I added 4 chicken Boullion cubes and it was much better.
HI Sheila, the lemon juice really helps with the flavors here and I suspect that was the missing element. I always recommend making the recipe as written for the first time without modifications.
Hey Natasha – love your recipes! In this recipe you mention in the video to use 1/4 cup flour for the sauce however in the instructions it’s says to use 1/3 cup. Which one is it? Thanks so much 😊
Hi Wade! You are absolutely right! I totally said 1/4 but it’s 1/3. I wish I could fix a verbal typo! It will work either way but yes 1/3 cup is correct.
Love this easy to follow, delish dish. I’ve come back to Natasha’s website many times to make this recipe. Tonight I’m adding mozzarella with Monteray Jack cheese for a change-up 🙂
Sounds great! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
I just made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I have a question though: I’m afraid it might be a little dried out when reheated the next day. Any idea how I’d moisten it up a bit if it is dry? Thanks for the great recipe. Hubby loved it (and he’s very picky)!
Glad to hear that you love it! You can add a splash of chicken broth or milk as it cooks when you reheat it.
I cut the recipe I half. Very good but could have used a bit more sauce.
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.