This Chicken Tetrazzini recipe has an irresistible creamy garlic sauce, tender pieces of chicken, mushrooms, and a layer of bubbly melty cheese on top. Total comfort food!
What is Chicken Tetrazzini? Well, it's basically a cheesy, creamy chicken and mushroom pasta bake. My version has three kinds of cheese - cream cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella. Heaven on a plate. Apparently it was named after the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, but this is definitely a very American dish.
This Chicken Tetrazzini casserole isn't made with "cream of" soups. This is the homemade/from scratch version. It's a little more effort (but not too much), and you know what's going into it. Pretty easy to make, and it's crazy good. I did a few tests to get this recipe just right, and each one was better that the last. This dish is great for a weeknight dinner but tasty enough for company!
Love chicken and mushrooms? Try my Creamy Mushroom Chicken, Chicken Gloria, or this Mozzarella Mushroom White Wine Chicken recipe.
How to make Chicken Tetrazzini
Here's a quick overview of how to make it (full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Prep all your ingredients before turning on the stove.
- Start by boiling some water and cooking the spaghetti. Meanwhile, grab a soup pot and sauté your onion, then add in the chicken pieces and cook them until they're just about cooked though.
- You then take the chicken out of the pot and add some more butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, and the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have been sautéed, you stir in the cream, cream cheese, and chicken broth.
- Continue cooking it for 5 minutes until the cream cheese melts in and the sauce thickens up a bit. You then add the chicken back to the pot, along with the cooked pasta and toss it all together.
- Transfer it to a 9x13 baking dish and then top with the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes then broil for a few minutes until the cheese is nicely browned.
What kind of chicken to use?
I use two boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about a pound of them give or take). You could use chicken thighs instead, or if you want a shortcut, use 3-4 cups of cooked/rotisserie shredded chicken and add it in during step 7. You could even use turkey meat (like if you've got leftover roast turkey) if you prefer!
Recipe notes & tips:
- I prefer to grate my own parmesan cheese and always keep a block in my fridge (I use this cheese grater). It tastes and melts better.
- Substitutions:
- I recommend sticking to spaghetti for this recipe, but if you've only got another long pasta shape on hand (like linguine or bucatini) then you could try that. Different types of pasta absorb liquid differently, so that's why I'm hesitant to suggest substitutions.
- Try subbing half or all of the chicken broth with dry white wine.
- I've tested this recipe multiple times with the suggested ingredients. I really can't comment on whether a cream substitution would work or not in this type of recipe since the liquid ratios really matter (sauce may end up too thin or too thick).
- If you're really not a mushroom fan, you could leave them out. I've seen some Chicken Tetrazzini recipes use peas, so you could try that instead of or in addition to the mushrooms.
- Try subbing the mozza for cheddar if you like.
- Leftovers: Eat within 3-4 days and reheat on a low heat in the microwave or stove. This is one of those dishes that are best day 1. The leftovers will still be tasty but also a bit dryer than when it's first made.
- Make ahead tip: Follow the recipe up until the baking step, cover the baking dish tightly in foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, either let it thaw in the fridge first or bake from frozen. Bake at 350F with foil loosely covering it until the broiling step. Timing will vary depending on your oven, baking dish, and whether it's frozen or not, but 40 minutes is a good starting point. You may need to let it stand a bit longer (10+ minutes) after baking if there's lots of excess liquid.
What to serve with Chicken Tetrazzini:
Try garlic bread, a sliced baguette, or a salad (you may want something lighter since this is a pretty rich dish).
You may also like...
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Cheesy Chicken Divan
- Lemon Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe
- Alfredo Tortellini Bake
- Easy Roast Chicken
Questions about this cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe? Let me know in the comments below. I hope you will love it!!
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 uncooked chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 7 ounces cremini or white mushrooms sliced
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese (a block of Philly) softened
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prep steps: I recommend prepping all ingredients for this recipe prior to getting started. Microwave the cream cheese for 20-30 seconds so it gets very soft (or leave it on the counter for a couple hours). Season the chicken with salt & pepper after you cut it up. Preheat oven to 350F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Boil a salted pot of water for the spaghetti, and cook it 2 minutes less than indicated on the package (it was 9 minutes for the brand I used). Once it's cooked, drain it and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, add the oil, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and the onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add in the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes or until it's almost cooked through (don't overcook). Transfer the chicken to a plate (don't worry if there's some onions left in the pot).
- Add the garlic, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Italian seasoning, and the mushrooms to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their water and it's mostly cooked off.
- Increase the heat to high and add in the chicken broth, cream, and cream cheese (I cut it into smaller pieces first). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring nearly constantly to help the cream cheese melt in. Don't cook the sauce for longer because then it will get too thick and the pasta will end up dry.
- Turn the heat off and add the chicken back to the pot, along with the cooked and drained pasta. Give it a good stir.
- Transfer the pot contents to a 9x13 baking dish and arrange it in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese, followed by the mozzarella.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes and then broil for a few minutes until the top has browned a bit (watch it carefully).
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes once you take it out of the oven. I recommend using a spatula to "cut" the pasta like you would lasagna so it's easier to eat and everyone gets some melted cheese on top of their portion.
Notes
- You can use cooked/rotisserie chicken instead if you wish (follow the recipe as normal but skip step 4 then add 3-4 cups of the cooked chicken in step 7).
- 12 ounces spaghetti is 3/4 of a pound (16 ounce) package.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Sharon says
Can't his recipe be made ahead?
Natasha says
There's a "make ahead tip" in the blog post under the "recipe notes & tips" section.
Melanie Durbin says
I love Chicken tetrazzini. I have to make for 8 to 10 people tomorrow. One Question how much does it make?
Natasha says
Hi Melanie! So, I based the recipe card nutrition info on a total of 6 servings (the nutrition info being for one portion). I basically went for a decent-sized portion vs. a smaller one, but it's quite subjective really. I'd say it could serve up to 8 depending on what else you serve it with/how hungry people are. It's a 9x13 pan, and it's quite rich, so if you've made similar dishes before, you may be able to gauge whether you'll need to double it using two pans (and have leftovers) or if you're good with just the one.
Abby says
I made this for dinner yesterday and it was a hit with my husband and his buddy. I used a rotisserie chicken that I had on hand and I also added a bag of frozen peas. You know it’s good when the guys get seconds! I would make this again for sure.
Natasha says
Excellent!!
Rachel says
Made this today and so good. I used a rotisserie chicken since I had just gone to Costco, and I did the half wine half broth recommendation…completely delicious! I made it with roasted broccoli on the side. Will definitely make again!
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so pleased you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to write me a review!
Brad says
So! Good!
Natasha says
Thank you!! 🙂
Baylee Hundley says
Hi there! Could I do whole wheat spaghetti noodles? Or should I stick with regular noodles? Thanks!
Natasha says
I think that should be fine 🙂
Katherine says
I’m headed to bed craving this dish & can’t wait to prep it when I wake up! When I made this a month ago, I used bucatini and will probably do that again! Make sure to grate your Parmesan on first before you layer the mozz like she says, or you may get a hard-to-slice-through crust that didn’t brown in the broiler properly like I did. Thank you for a new favorite recipe!
Natasha says
🙂
Kelly says
Soooo creamy and delicious! We used a rotisserie chicken, added spinach, and topped with crushed red pepper. You were right - fresh grated Parmesan is worth it! Will definitely make this one again!
Natasha says
Yay! I'm so glad you tried the fresh parm 🙂
Cassandra Dyk says
This was SO Delicious!!! My mom makes this and with covid I haven’t seen her all year and it just reminded me of home. Thank you..
Natasha says
Aw I'm glad to hear that, Cassandra. XO
Sydney says
Ok, I’ve tried some other Pinterest recipes for chicken tetrazzini that use “cream of soups” and while my kids enjoyed it, they were very much blah and usually salty. This recipe is luxury comfort food. The Escalade of comfort foods, if you will. My whole family LOVED it. It’s so easy. It’s so good. You cannot go wrong with this recipe.
Natasha says
"Escalade of comfort foods" -- I love that!! Thanks so much for the great review. So happy you all enjoyed it!
Anne M. says
Saw this recipe today and made it for dinner following the instructions exactly. It’s so good! I highly recommend. Broiled for two minutes and kept a close eye so it didn’t burn. It is very rich, so a greens salad on the side with a lemon vinaigrette paired well. If you’re looking for a reason to “treat yourself,” definitely give this recipe a try!
Natasha says
So happy you enjoyed it, Anne! Appreciate your review. 🙂
Zue307 says
Fantastic recipe! I made it for dinner tonight, simply irresistible. I didn't have chicken so I substituted it for salmon. Thank you!
Natasha says
Love that idea! So glad it worked out ♥️
Isaiah says
My only mistake was broiling it too much (90 seconds,) otherwise, it’s a great meal. Even the burned bits added a delicious finish.
Easy to eat. Next time I’ll add in bits of a salt ham with the chicken. 🙂
Natasha says
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting!