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This easy chicken Tetrazzini recipe makes a delicious, creamy and cheesy pasta casserole the whole family will love. It’s a classic and comforting dinner that can be made ahead of time, is freezer-friendly and reheats well.
This is one of those classic, vintage recipes that have been around for a long time and might bring back memories of warm and comforting meals at Grandma’s house. Easy chicken Tetrazzini is made with tender chicken bites and pasta tossed in a rich cream sauce and topped with a generous layer of cheese.
While some variations make it from scratch with a bechamel sauce, this recipe caters to the busy cook with just a handful of simple ingredients and shortcuts like canned cream soup and rotisserie chicken. This kid-friendly meal is easy to whip up and pop in the oven for a quick weeknight family or holiday dinner, or potlucks.
One of the best things about this recipe is that unlike pasta dishes made with an Alfredo-based cream sauce, chicken Tetrazzini heats up well in the microwave without the sauce breaking or separating. For more delicious and easy pasta casseroles, try this sour cream beef noodle casserole, a creamy spinach and artichoke ravioli bake, or this 5-ingredient meatball pasta bake.
What Is Chicken Tetrazzini?
Chicken Tetrazzini is an Italian-American baked pasta casserole made with diced poultry in a buttery, cheesy cream sauce. There are many variations, with some using a bechamel sauce as a base and some using condensed cream soup. Some variations add mushrooms and peas, while others use cheese or breadcrumbs as toppings. The only thing everyone can agree on is that the recipe is named after famous Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini, who enjoyed immense popularity in America from the 1900s to the 1920s.
Ingredients in Chicken Tetrazzini
CHICKEN TETRAZZINI RECIPE TIPS
Pasta – I used linguine pasta but you can substitute this with spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, or wide egg noodles.
Recipe Notes:
The pasta will continue to cook in the oven so if you don’t like mushy pasta, try cooking it until it’s just at the al dente stage (firm with a bit of a bite or chew to it without being too hard or chalky).
Chicken – This recipe uses rotisserie chicken for the sake of convenience and to speed things up. To substitute rotisserie chicken with cooked leftover chicken, use about 2 cups worth of diced chicken, which is roughly 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can also substitute chicken with turkey for a healthier option.
Butter – 1/2 cup of butter works out to be about 8 tablespoons of butter. I like using Land O Lakes butter sticks because their wrappers measure out the tablespoons/cups for you.
Canned soup – I used two cans of cream of chicken soup but you can mix and match soups like doing a combination of chicken and mushroom.
Sour cream – You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt, cream cheese, or a mix of these options.
Chicken broth – We are using low-sodium chicken broth to balance out the sodium content in the canned soup.
Garlic salt – I used Lawry’s coarse ground garlic salt with parsley for more flavor, but you can substitute garlic salt with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. You can also use a combination of fresh minced garlic and salt.
Cheese – I topped the casserole with mozzarella cheese but you use other cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, or a combination of these cheeses.
Make ahead – Make it ahead of time by assembling the casserole, covering it with foil and refrigerating it the day before baking.
Freezing – Prepare the casserole, cover and freeze it (uncooked) for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. You might need to add 5-10 minutes of baking time, depending on your oven.
Leftovers – Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it up with a splash of milk, stir to mix and reheat.
Customize It!
Substitute chicken – Substitute chicken with turkey for a healthier option.
Mix and match soups – Substitute two cans of cream of chicken soup with a mix like cream of chicken and mushroom.
Mix and match cheese – Combine mozzarella with other cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby.
Add some veggies – Sneak in some veggies like peas, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Add more flavor – Throw in additional seasonings like Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes or onion powder for more flavor.
Add a buttery crisp topping – Substitute the cheese topping with a mix of panko, melted butter, Parmesan and fresh parsley.
And that’s about it. Enjoy the casserole and let me know how you liked it, what you paired it with, or what substitutions you made in the comments below!
This post was originally published on October 25, 2013 and updated on March 12, 2025.
Finish with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and the cheese has melted.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Dish and serve hot garnished with fresh parsley (optional).
Enjoy!
Notes
The pasta will continue to cook in the oven so if you don’t like mushy pasta, try cooking it until it’s just at the al dente stage (firm with a bit of a bite or chew to it without being too hard or chalky).
If the sauce is too thick and dry when reheating leftovers, loosen it up with a splash of milk, stir to mix and reheat.
Substitute chicken – Substitute chicken with turkey for a healthier option.
Mix and match soups – Substitute two cans of cream of chicken soup with a mix like cream of chicken and mushroom.
Mix and match cheese – Combine mozzarella with other cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby.
Add some veggies – Sneak in some veggies like peas, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Add more flavor – Throw in additional seasonings like Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes or onion powder for more flavor.
Add a buttery crisp topping – Substitute the cheese topping with a mix of panko, melted butter, Parmesan and fresh parsley.
Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.
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