Easy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

Chicken Tetrazzini is a rich, cheesy, indulgent pasta bake that is easy to make from scratch! No need for canned soups here – we’ll make a homemade cream sauce that is way tastier, and the whole recipe will still only require about 20 minutes of hands-on time.

Chicken Tetrazzini with its noodles and cream sauce may seem like an Italian recipe, but it’s really not. This rich and creamy pasta dish was created by a chef in San Franciso in the early 1900s, and named after the famous Italian opera star, Luisa Tetrazzini.

I love that little bit of food history, but you’re probably here for the easy chicken tetrazzini recipe, so let’s get right to it!

This comfort food chicken dinner features tender chicken and mushrooms, with linguini pasta, smothered in a savory cream sauce with two types of cheese.

Then, to make it even more delectable, we’ll cover the whole thing with even more cheese and bake it until it’s hot and deliciously bubbly.

This recipe is sometimes called “chicken spaghetti“, but my version of chicken spaghetti is a little bit different, with tomatoes and Italian seasoning.

If you need more creamy pasta dishes, be sure to try my creamy garlic shrimp pasta, creamy lemon chicken pasta, chicken mushroom pasta, and my meaty creamy prime rib pasta too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There is a lot to love about this chicken tetrazzini recipe!

Let’s start with the fact that we’re making this dish completely from scratch! Many similar recipes call for canned condensed soup to create the creamy sauce, but not this one. It’s easy to make a cream sauce from scratch, and the flavor is so much better too.

I’ll show you how to cook fresh chicken breasts for this recipe, but you should know that chicken tetrazzini works perfectly with chicken leftovers too. A grocery store rotisserie chicken is a shortcut that I use often for recipes like this one.

Finally, this recipe feeds a hungry crowd! Because this casserole is so rich, you can get 8 servings from it. Plan on 6 or 7 if your family is particularly hungry though.

Everyone will ask for seconds too, so leftovers are rare.

Chicken Tetrazzini Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this creamy deluxe chicken casserole:

• Chicken Breasts: We’ll cook the chicken in a Dutch oven until it’s ready to be shredded or diced for the casserole. The drippings from the chicken create a tasty base for our sauce too. This recipe also works with pre-cooked chicken or leftover turkey.
• Mushrooms: White button mushrooms add extra meatiness to the dish. You can also use crimini mushrooms if you like.
• Pasta: Linguini is my choice for tetrazzini, but any long pasta shape can be used. Try it with spaghetti or fettuccini.
• Onion and Garlic: to give the sauce a warm, savory flavor.
• Chicken Stock and Half and Half: Together these two create a sauce with the perfect consistency. It’s not too thick, but still rich and delightful.
• Cheese: Shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan. If at all possible, shred the cheese yourself from a block. It will melt better this way, and it tastes better too.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

1. Cook the Chicken: Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of light olive oil in a Dutch oven, then add the chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot, dice into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.
2. Boil the Pasta: While you make the sauce, cook the linguini in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to the instructions on the box, until al dente.
3. Brown the Mushrooms: To the same pot, add 4 tablespoons of butter and cook the sliced mushrooms until they start to brown.
4. Add Onion and Garlic: and cook just until the onions are translucent.

4. Make the Sauce: Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir well, cooking for a minute. Then slowly add the chicken stock and half and half, stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
5. Make it Cheesy! Add half of the mozzarella cheese and all of the parmesan cheese to the sauce, and stir well until the cheeses are melted. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

6. Put It All Together: Return the cooked chicken to the sauce, and mix in the cooked pasta. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9×13-inch baking pan and top the casserole with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.

7. Bake: Bake the chicken tetrazzini for 30 minutes or until the top is bubbling and golden. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Take a shortcut: Use already-cooked chicken such as leftovers or rotisserie chicken. You’ll need about 3 cups of diced or shredded meat.
• Don’t overcook the pasta: We’ll be baking it for 30 minutes, and during that time the pasta will absorb liquid and cook a bit more. Be sure to stop boiling it when it’s just al-dente, or has some bite to it.
• Save some pasta water: You may not need it, but it can be helpful to have a bit of the cooking water from the pasta, in case you need to thin out the sauce later.
• Add-Ins: Try adding some vegetables to this dish! You can stir in frozen peas or blanched broccoli florets before baking.

Storing Tips

Store leftover chicken tetrazzini in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The baked casserole can also be frozen for up to three months.

The texture of the sauce will change slightly after storing, but you can stir in a splash of water or milk to make it creamy again!

Make Ahead Chicken Tetrazzini

You can make this casserole up to 2 days ahead of time. Assemble the recipe, but don’t bake it yet. Cover the dish and store it in the refrigerator.

When it’s almost time for dinner, bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. This step will warm the ingredients to the temperature they would be if you had just cooked them. Then continue to bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

What To Serve With Chicken Tetrazzini

This rich and creamy meal goes especially well with a fresh salad or a simple steamed veggie side dish.

Try my green goddess salad, copycat Olive Garden salad, or your favorite greens with a homemade creamy balsamic dressing.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make chicken tetrazzini with leftover turkey?

Yes! Turkey tetrazzini is a very popular way to use up roast turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving. Just replace the chicken with cubed, cooked turkey and you’re good to go! You could also try my Turkey Casserole recipe.

Is there canned soup in chicken tetrazzini?

Many similar recipes use canned cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup to create the sauce, but with my recipe, you don’t need any of that! It’s easy to make the sauce for tetrazzini from scratch, and it tastes better too.

This easy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe will be your family’s new favorite! Be sure to pin this recipe so you can come back to it again, and share it with all of your creamy pasta loving friends.