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
Hi. Looks delicious but I tried 3 of the Pinterest buttons to save it to my page and none worked. I really want to save this can you help?
Thanks
Hi Judy, it could have been a browser caching issue. I am not able to replicate this on my end so I’m not sure what else it can be. If you refresh your screen and are still having trouble, please let me know. Here is the direct Pinterest link to pin the recipe:
Yes it was the browser. No problem now. We absolutely loved this! It also freezes well in individual servings.
I’m glad to hear that and thank you for sharing that tip with us! That’s great to know it is a freezer friendly dinner recipe!
Natasha,
I love your recipes and videos. You are so much fun to watch and are such a happy lady and great cook. I’m going to start a new folder – ” Natasha’s Recipes” !!
Thank you for the wonderful and thoughtful review, Jerry! I’m so happy you discovered our blog!
I made this pasta in an instant pot a few times and loved it!
I didn’t even think to do that! Thanks for letting us know it works, Dina!!
Delicious!! My whole family really enjoyed it. Thank you Natasha .You are the best!
Hey Anna! Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that!! 🙂
OK, now I do know what Tetrazzini is. This looks so simple that even I can handle making it. My boys would love this pasta and my hips would too. hahahah 😉
ha ha!! I can always count on you for a good dose of awkward. lol. I had such a fun time with you in Salt Lake this weekend. Thanks for everything. I’m enjoying those chocolates you gave me as I type (the Coffee flavored one). 🙂
I just wanted to let you know that we love your recipes & you make it fun
Aw! Thanks Alton! you’re so nice!
Your chicken tetrazzini recipe looks so good and delicious. By the way, I love shrimp and I was wondering if it’s still good to add a bit of shrimp in your recipe. Anyhow, I’ll definitely try this out.
Hi Alexa! That is a great question! I think it could work, fry it up separately and then add at the end? Please let me know how ou like it!
I served this to my boyfriend during Sunday night football. Ya, it was a risky move. However, he actually stopped watching the game a handful of times to tell me how delicious the dish was. Score! The recipe was easy to follow. I made my life difficult by getting skin on/bone in chicken thighs (hey, it was BOGO at the market! I can’t pass up a deal!!)…next time I’ll resist the sale and use boneless. I think I’ll add one more veggie next time, like broccoli. Thanks for sharing the recipe 👍🏼
Thank you so much for this wonderful review, Adina! Sounds like you may have found a new favorite!
What’s the difference between regular bread crumbs and Panko breadcrumbs? Thanks for the great recipes
Thank you for your feedback Mira. Panko is made with crustless bread and makes more of an airy crunch coating to food. Regular bread crumbs are crushed really small and use the bread crust as well why it appears darker. I hope this helps.
Hello Natasha! This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I have a question. I want to bring this to my in laws for when they move into their new house. They live a little over an hour away. Would I assemble everything up until the last step of cooking it in the oven? Or would that make for soggy pasta and not so good to let the sauce cheese and everything else sit for an hour in the car? Any tips would be helpful!
Thank you!
Jacquelyn
Hi Jacquelyn, If they are an hour away, I don’t think that is too long for the pasta to sit. I would probably assemble and bake it once I got to my destination and they you can bake it so it’s super creamy and fresh. You might take the noodles off the heat just as soon as they are al-dente and be sure not to overcook the noodles so they will be just right when you bake an hour later 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I would like to make this to take to the beach. Any suggestions on freezing? Will it dry out by the freezing? Should I add any additional liquid? Thanks for your help!
Hi Rosanna! I haven’t tried freezing but based on reader reports, it does freeze well.
Beautiful and so simple ! Thank you so much !
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you!!
Natasha, your videos are so amazing! I read your husband films them. They are so vivid and done so well. Such a professional job he does. I love your website and have cooked many of your recipes , many more than once. This one is going to next on my list. You have helped me feel confident in cooking and I’m 62! It’ never too late.
Wow! Thank you so much for this thoughtful feedback, Roxanne! I’m so happy you discovered out blog!
Looks good except for the mushrooms. I am allergic so there is no way I could eat it according to the recipe. Is it possible to leave them out?
Hi Leslis, 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!
Can you make your chicken tetrazzini ahead of time and bake the next day?
Hi Judi. I think you could freeze it before baking the recipe and then thaw in the fridge and bake or bake longer out of the freezer. I haven’t tested this so I can’t give you exact baking times. Let me know how it works out 🙂
WONDERFUL RECIPE! I DID ADD A FEW THINGS. ADDED 2 CELERY STALKS, SLICED AND DICED 1/2 GREEN PEPPER, FRENCH FRIED ONIONS AND ABOUT 4 DASHES OF MONTREAL STEAK SEASONING.
I’m glad you love the recipe Joyce! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
This is so good!! Every time I make a big pot of something good.. like this, my grown kids just happen to show up!! LOL this is a winner for sure. Had to laugh about your pickle remark… I have an obsession with them also. Ever time we do a big gro .shop… I have at least 3 jars of dill pickles. Hubby says” I know your not, expecting! (72yrso) LOL
Love all you do,
Sincerely, Barbi/ AKA AJ jones
LOL! I’m glad you love the recipe Barbara! Thanks for following and sharing your wonderful review!
I made this recipe today and everybody loved it! Easy, delicious and simple.
I have a new favorite pasta dish!
Sounds like you found your favorite! Awesome thanks for sharing.
Fabulous recipe, I added 1/3 cup Romano and !/3 cup minced basil, couldn’t stop eating it.
Yum, that sounds delicious Scarlet! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review!
I made this today. Quite good. The chicken breast came out a bit hard. Do we need to “cook through” 4 mins per side, especially if we are to cook in the oven again for 30 mins?
Hi Stan, I haven’t had that experience since the moisture from the pasta usually keeps the chicken very tender. The cooking time can vary depending on how thick your chicken breast is. If it is thinner, you would cook closer to 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side or until it is just cooked through. It can also vary by the heat setting on your stove. You can pull chicken off the skillet earlier and cut into 1 to test for doneness. Hope that helps! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I love your website. You are my go to cook!!!
I like this recipe a lot and I already have everything for it. But my oven broke down… Is there any way to make it without having to use an oven?
Hi Ana, What a bummer! I’m sorry to hear that :(. I honestly haven’t tried it any other way. A different method might work like slow cooker but I just haven’t tested it to provide specific instructions or advise.