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Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

My Chicken Tetrazzini recipe will quickly become one of your favorite casseroles! It's creamy and cheesy, and so easy to make. I made it even easier by using rotisserie chicken, but you'll find directions on how to swap baked and chopped chicken in the notes below. This recipe is freezer-friendly and can be made ahead by storing it in the fridge before baking.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Chicken, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 573
Ingredients Method Notes

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

Method
 

  1. Preheat Oven to 350˚F and butter a 9×13 Casserole dish.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

*Selecting Pasta – Pick a durum wheat semolina, bronze-cut pasta which is a higher quality Italian pasta that is less likely to absorb too much water and expand which causes the casserole to seem a bit more dry.
*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.