This chicken tetrazzini casserole is creamy, comforting and extra cheesy. One of the best kid friendly pasta bake recipes. Learn how to make this chicken and pasta bake with lots of tips and substitutions to adjust it to your liking.
Next time try this baked ziti casserole.
A classic dish that feeds a whole family and here is my special recipe. Ingredients are usually chicken, pasta, creamy sauce, with some fresh mushrooms and peas then topped with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. So let me show you how I make it.
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❓Why This Recipe Works
- Baked pasta with creamy sauce, a guaranteed hit with kids.
- Great for meal prep.
- Make it homemade from scratch or if you are in a hurry, I've got some shortcuts for you.
- A great recipe to use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
📝 Ingredients
- Chicken breasts, I simply season my chicken and bake them then dice or shred. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Cheese, many recipes uses only mozzarella cheese. I like using a combination of Mozzarella, Cheddar and Colby cheese.
- Pasta, you can really use any noodles you like. Linguini, spaghetti, thin spaghetti are among the favorites.
- Butter, seasoning, milk, heavy cream and chicken broth for the creamy sauce.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- To make the chicken first mix in the seasoning ingredients.
- Add in chicken breasts and toss well then bake in a 450F oven until done.
- Let them cool down then shred or dice with a sharp knife.
- Now prepare the sauce by first melting butter and oil in a sauce pan.
- Add flour and cook until golden.
- Add the liquids whisking well.
- Adjust seasoning then remove from heat.
- In your baking dish, mix together cooked pasta, shredded chicken and cheese.
- Pour the sauce on top and bake until cheese melts and the dish is bubbly.
💡 Tips
- Make sure to cook the pasta al dente as it will continue to cook while the dish is in the oven. Take it out a couple of minutes before the suggested time on package.
- Sometimes I use 2 pounds of chicken breasts instead of 1.5 so you can adjust that to your liking.
- You can add a bit of ground nutmeg to the sauce for extra flavor.
- Shortcuts for busy people: If you do not have time you can always use the following as shortcuts: 1- Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe shred it or buy it shredded or cut into pieces. 2- Combine a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of cream of chicken soup in a bowl with melted butter, olive oil and 2 cups of chicken broth for the sauce.
⌛ Make Ahead
- Bake the chicken and cook the pasta then mix in cheese and place everything on the baking dish you are going to use then refrigerate.
- Make the sauce and refrigerate in a separate container.
- When ready to bake pour the sauce over and bake as directed.
🧺 Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3-4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to two months.
🍽️ Serve With
Serve chicken tetrazzini with a side of roasted vegetables, garlic bread or green salad.
👩🍳 Variations
You can add frozen peas, cooked mushrooms, any frozen vegetables you like as a way to add to the nutritional values of the dish.
💬 FAQs
No, according to wiki seems that it is not. It is an American dish named after an Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini.
Yes indeed, and I bet it is going to be even better. You can also use leftover turkey or seafood.
Yes, and many people say it is much much better with artichokes than peas, so next time I am going to make a small batch with artichokes for me and my husband.
🎞️ Recipe at a Glance
📣 More Recipes From the Blog
- A 30 minute Beef Stroganoff recipe with juicy beef and delicious creamy mushroom sauce. Serve over pasta, noodles or white rice.
- Baked feta pasta is a simple meatless recipe made with a block of feta cheese, cherry tomatoes and pasta for a delicious salty and cheesy dinner!
- Classic Baked Ziti has layers of pasta, juicy ground beef mixture and topped with cheese!
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Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
For the Chicken:*
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
- Juice of half a lemon.
- 2 Large garlic cloves crushed.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste.
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. about 1.5 pounds.
For the white sauce:
- 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter.
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
- 8 Tablespoons flour.
- 1 1/2 cups milk.
- 1 cup heavy cream.
- 2 cups chicken broth/stock.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese shredded or diced.
- 4 oz white cheddar cheese shredded or diced.
- 4 oz Colby cheese shredded or diced.
- 12 oz linguine pasta.
Instructions
Bake the chicken:
- In a medium bowl combine, oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper and mix well.
- Add Chicken breasts and toss them around to coat well, if you have time cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or else let them set until the oven is ready.
- Preheat your oven to 450F. Place chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes until chicken no longer pink or the internal temperature is 165F at the thickest part of the chicken.
- Set aside to cool and slice.
- While chicken is baking:
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente , rinse with cold water and set aside.
Prepare the sauce:
- In a pot over medium heat, melt butter with oil then add flour and whisk until lightly golden.
- Pour in the milk, cream and stock whisking the mixture until it comes to a smooth consistency, adjust salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake:
- Pre heat oven to 350F.
- In a 13x9 inch baking dish combine pasta, cheese and diced chicken.
- Pour in the sauce evenly over the pasta.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and mixture becomes bubbly and a little golden on the sides.
- Let it cool down and bit, plate and serve with a side salad.
Notes
- Make sure to cook the pasta al dente as it will continue to cook while the dish is in the oven. Take it out a couple of minutes before the suggested time on package.
- Sometimes I use 2 pounds of chicken breasts instead of 1.5 so you can adjust that to your liking.
- You can add a bit of ground nutmeg to the sauce for extra flavor.
- We liked using cubed cheese because when melted it created pockets of cheese among the pasta which tasted marvelous. For a more evenly distributed cheese use shredded.
- Shortcuts for busy people: If you do not have time you can always use the following as shortcuts:
- Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe shred it or buy it shredded or cut into pieces.
- Combine a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of cream of chicken soup in a bowl with melted butter, olive oil and 2 cups of chicken broth for the sauce.
- To Make Ahead:
- Bake the chicken and cook the pasta then mix in cheese and place everything on the baking dish you are going to use then refrigerate.
- Make the sauce and refrigerate in a separate container.
- When ready to bake pour the sauce over and bake as directed.
- Storage:
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3-4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to two months.
- Serve with:
- Serve chicken tetrazzini with a side of roasted vegetables, garlic bread or green salad.
- Variation:
- You can add frozen peas, cooked mushrooms, any frozen vegetables you like as a way to add to the nutritional values of the dish.
Nutrition
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This post has been updated from the original Jan 2018 . Last updated August 2021.
👩🏫 My Experience
If I had made it that way, my kids would have never even take a bite. Why? They do not like mushrooms. They hate it when I hide vegetables and they will scrape the whole breadcrumb layer away. I will end up with a whole pasta casserole that I will need to finish up me and my hubby. Not complaining but ...🤷
I made turkey tet just last night (to serve tonight). And then just today I saw this in my email! I used the mushrooms and added freshly grated Parm and nutmeg to my sauce and topped with a Panko/Parm/butter mixture. But I like the idea of idea of using the cubed cheese. Thanks for the inspiration.
I would love to add mushrooms too Kim, but 2/3 of my boys would not touch it if I did :(.. those silly kids do not appreciate mushrooms as it should be. Loved the idea of using turkey. I will try your version with mushroom and all for my and the hubby :). Thank you for such a fantastic idea.
This is one of those classic dishes that I haven't had in ages. Maybe 20 years? Time to make it again, don't you think? 🙂 Yours looks terrific -- thanks.
Don't forget to OVERLOAD it with cheese john, it is terrific for cheese lovers :). Thanks for stopping by.
This is one of those dishes that I don't have to have a recipe for. I've been cooking for over 59 years, so I can wing it with many dishes. Same with ziti. If you have lots of experience you don't need a recipe with this dish.
Linda, you are absolutely right. I used to panic when I first married to cook anything without specific measurements and recipe :). Glad to have you here.
Amira,
I had to chuckle, thinking back to when I was a new bride. My husband worked second shift at the time. So we had dinner before he left for work. I got my mom's recipe for deep fryed chicken, everything except how long to fry it. I let it deep fry for 45 minutes
It looked fine, but you could have used it for a hammer!!!
I've learned a lot over the years.
Oh boy :), this is hilarious! My husband suffered a lot with me too , he is a good man.
That looks really good. I have heard of the dish but never made it. And bring on the mushrooms for me please!
I'll for sure make it with mushrooms and artichokes next time for me and the hubby, my mouth is watering already yum.
I just love your site! A friend makes this a lot for my kids and it's always a huge hit. I love how adaptable this recipe is... perfect for leftovers and using up veg. Thanks for sharing your gift of cooking!
Thank you so much Tanya for your sweet comment, glad you like it.