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
Hello Natasha, I’ve tried once before to leave a comment, but my email was blocked on Sunday. So here goes another attempt: I just made your Chicken Tetrazzini on Sunday for my book club dinner – comfort food was the theme and this pasta dish screams of comfort! It was a huge hit and very delicious! None left now! I have also made your chicken meatballs and they were also very yummy. I live in Toronto Canada and also am of Ukrainian/Russian (Belarus) and Slovak decent, so I too, grew up with the most amazing meals cooked by my Mom and grand-mothers (Baba’s) 🙂 I just found your website last August, 2 days before a 3 week vacation to Belarus and Russia! You can imagine that I now want to cook so many things from your website…I tried so much borscht, solyanka, kapusta, olivieye salads, grilled fish and meats. They all look great and I have taste-testers all ready waiting for the next recipe. That trip was like visiting my Baba’s and aunts homes. God Bless you and your beautiful family and I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Janet.
Hi Janet! I’m so happy you discovered my blog. Thank you for trying my recipes and sharing your wonderful reviews! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I used white wine to cook the onions, garlic and mushrooms in, & added 1/2 cup parmesan to the mozzarella for the topping and baked it all in the 9×13 baking dish. It browned up nice and golden!
Mmmm wine just makes things taste better. Thank you for sharing that with us! 🙂
Natasha can I use other kind of pasta like penne maybe, would it be as good?
I think another pasta like penne would work.
I made this for my boyfriends birthday oh gosh couldn’t stop eating it! You make the best things! I love all your recipes you’re the best!!!
Kristina, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I made this last week and added some amazing maple white wine to the onion/mushroom sauté. Really made the flavors pop. My husband and I recently invested in a pasta machine and made homemade fettuccine with this. You would not believe how much my entire family loved this dish. The homemade pasta really is so different from store-bought. Thanks for the recipe Natasha 🙂
Oh wow that sounds so amazing with homemade pasta! What kind of pasta machine do you use? Would you believe I’ve never had homemade pasta? :-O
OMFreakinG! Seriously the best dinner I’ve ever made. I’m kind of what I would describe as an intermediate cook. And this might sound like bragging, but that’s only because it is bragging. But I can make an awesome pot roast and homemade grave is a snap. But hands down the most awesome dinner I’ve ever made. I’m absolutely making it again but doubling the amount of mushrooms and maybe cooking the chicken ahead of time. Otherwise sooooooo goooooood! So good.
Audrey, thank you for such a rave review 😁! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Made it. Loved it! Skipped on the mushrooms because kiddos and husband aren’t fans. Also, skipped putting into the oven. Everyone loved it! Thank you 😋
Tanya, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for sharing with us 😁.
This was amazing! Thanks for such a great recipe. I’ll definitely be making this again!
You are welcome Jeanne, I’m so glad you liked it 😀.
I made this today. Oh, this is so good!!! So creamy and delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!!
You are welcome Diana, I’m glad you liked it 😀.
Can I freeze half of this and bake the other half?
I think that’s a great idea! I haven’t tested it that way but I think it would work well. You might bake the fresh half for maybe 10 minutes less and the frozen one for 10 minutes more.
HI Natasha,
Do you think this dish would taste great without the mushrooms? i dont have any on hand and we aren’t a fan of them anyways. I dont have any half and half so i will try it with heavy whipping cream and milk combo.
Hi Olga, I’ve made this sauce many times with the cream and milk combo and it’s the same thing as adding half and half :). I think the mushrooms add great flavor but one of my readers reported great results with adding frozen peas instead of the mushrooms. I hope you love it!
so I made this without mushrooms (we aren’t fans of them) and used half milk half heavy whip cream and also added in cooked red bell peppers and it was so gooood. My husband is a fan of pasta so he loved it! Going to make it again today! along with your chicken fritters. =)
Nice job improvising the recipe Olga and looks like you might have a new favorite :).
Natasha you never fail to please me so much deliciousness!!! My kids had big portions and when I cleaned up my daughter comes back and says mom I want more!!! My Ukrainian mother never taught me to cook (I know don’t judge) you have saved me( and prob my marriage ha ha 😂 Jk but seriousl) !!! Ah your amazing I seriously love you!
Inna, thank you so much for your awesome review. I’m all smiles reading it. That’s such a great feeling when kids love what we Moms make :). Thank you for sharing that with me!
i’m here because of Young and Hungry.
Oh my goodness, that’s so awesome!! Welcome 🙂
I made 1/2 the portion as it is only my husband and I and it turned out simply delisious! We both absolutely loved it! Thank you, Natasha, for another great recipe!
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you both loved it 🙂
Thank you Natasha again for such a delicious recipe. I made it today and it’s soooooo good. My two toddlers loved it. I’m breastfeeding so I couldn’t resist seconds and so as my pregnant sister who came over 🙂
Liliya, you’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 😀.
I LOVE all of your recipes! They are DELICIOUS!
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂
Made it but added wine and canned artichokes. Family loved it!!
Oh wow those sound like delicious add-ins! At what point did you add the wine and how much did you use?
I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it even though my husband hates both mushrooms and noodles. After twenty five years of being married, I decided that an occasional dish that appeals to me, isn’t going to kill him. He LOVED it! He even said that he would like to have it again! BAM! Thank you so much for a delightfully amazing dish!
Lol. BAM. Haha! I love your story. It made me laugh. 🙂 Thank you!
Forgot to give you 5 stars x a million!
You’re so sweet! Thank you Zina! 🙂
Natasha this was awesome! My kids are so picky but they are eating this up! Thanks so much. All of your recipes are easy to follow and super delicious! Thank you!
Melana, thank you for such a nice review and for the compliment 😁. I’m so glad your family like the recipe.
I made this tonight and said to my husband, “I have to praise Natasha, AGAIN.” He replied “Oh, you do that!” as he was mmmmmmmm and mmmmmm. My son added,” this is better than eating at Olive Garden!” To add the cliché, “Natasha, you ROCK” Thank you for another recipe to go into my favorites….our compliments to you!
Hi Zina, thank you! thank you! I loved reading your comment and my husband read it too :). Your awesome review means so much to us. We’re so happy you loved the recipe!
I hate to say it but one of my favorite frozen dinner is Turkey Tetrazzini. But it cost so much per serving and they add so much sodium. That’s why I love this recipe, no more salt than needed, portions are cost less and well it simple taste better! Also I saved some of the frozen dinner trays and now simply make my own frozen dinners!
Thank you for writing in, I’m so glad you love the recipe, and know exactly what goes into it compare to what you get with frozen dinner from the store 😁.