Chicken Tetrazzini is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish that the whole family will love. Easy to make and freezer friendly, it’s a great casserole to share with friends.
Use up some leftover turkey breast and whip up a dish of this easy, cheesy Turkey Tetrazzini for the holidays!
Comfort Food for Dinner
All of my children have left the nest, and this Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is what they always request when they come home.
It’s delicious comfort food, a great recipe, and easy to make ahead of time too!
This is also one of those recipes I like to keep on hand for when I want to bring a family in need a hearty meal, or a new mom a dinner! It gets rave reviews, and I even made a video tutorial to show you how to make chicken tetrazzini!
This cheesy dish needs to happen in your kitchen. It makes a big 13×9 pan, but you can split it into two dishes (2qt or 8-inch square) and share it with a neighbor or friend in need!
This dish ALWAYS gets people asking for the recipe, and once you try it, you’ll understand why our family loved it!!
FAVORITE PASTA DINNERS: Penne Rosa | Pizza Stuffed Shells
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken- we love this easy shredded chicken recipe!
- Cream of Chicken Soup- Every instinct is going to make you want to sub for something homemade and from scratch, but this is one of those times that comfort food wins, and the canned stuff just tastes better! (here’s our favorite homemade cream of chicken soup though)
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream– or plain greek yogurt
- Dry white wine– (or chicken broth)
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Spaghetti noodles – can also use any other pasta of choice.
- onions, garlic, and mushrooms optional
How to make Chicken Tetrazzini
- Cook the chicken. You’ll want to start by baking chicken or using leftover turkey, rotisserie chicken, or leftover cooked chicken. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll boil some boneless skinless chicken breasts in a pot of water with salt and pepper to use in this cheesy dish!
- Cook the pasta. Pick your favorite kind of pasta and cook it until al dente.
What is al dente pasta? It just means that the pasta is still slightly firm. Because you will be baking this dish, you don’t want your pasta too soft and mushy!
- Combine Ingredients. While you are cooking pasta and chicken, combine the remaining ingredients in a very large bowl. Add your hot pasta and your cooked (diced) chicken to the bowl and mix until blended.
- Assemble and Bake. Pour into a large 13×9 baking dish (or two smaller pans). Bake covered for about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Make in Advance: Refrigerate and cover until ready to heat. If cooking from cold, add bake for one hour, then uncovered for 20 minutes. ENJOY.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Tetrazzini is one of those easy dinner recipes that goes great with any green salad or garlic bread!
- Easy, buttery Beer Bread recipe to serve with dinner! Also great to cube into bite sized pieces and use for dips!
- This delicious Spinach and Bacon Salad is a breeze to prepare! The sweet dressing with the salty bacon keeps you wanting more!
- Looking for a fresh bowl of homemade applesauce for dinner tonight? This Instant Pot Applesauce recipe is super quick and easy!
- Don’t forget to finish the meal with a fresh batch or rice krispie treats!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Assemble the chicken tetrazzini casserole in a freezer safe dish. When opting to freeze this dinner, I usually choose a foil pan for freezing. Cover with foil and freeze for up to two months.
To serve, thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake accordingly.
Serve this delicious pasta dish with Olive Garden breadsticks and Olive Garden Italian salad for the perfect meal.
Absolutely. Leave out the mushrooms or add in extra depending on your taste buds. You can also add in fresh cut broccoli florets!
Yes. Before baking, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from fridge and add 10-15 minutes baking time.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Panda Express Orange Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Massaman Curry
- Chicken Taco Soup
Weeknight Dinner Recipes
See all Main Dish recipes
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 16 ounce thin spaghetti cooked (or any of your favorite noodles)
- 2 cups cooked chicken about 1 pound
- ½ cup unsalted butter plus more for buttering pan
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup butter, cooked chicken, soup, sour cream, salt, pepper and white wine. Add cooked noodles.
- Pour into a buttered 13×9. Sprinkle both cheeses on top.
- Bake in a 300 degree oven for 45 minutes, covered with foil. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- May be made in advance and refrigerated (before cooking). However, add time if that is the case to heat thoroughly! Enjoy!
Notes
- Can you freeze Chicken Tetrazzini? Yes! Assemble the chicken tetrazzini casserole in a freezer safe dish. When opting to freeze this dinner, I usually choose a foil pan for freezing. Cover with foil and freeze for up to two months.To serve, thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake accordingly.
- Can I make tetrazzini with or without mushrooms? Absolutely. Leave out the mushrooms or add in extra depending on your taste buds. You can also add in fresh cut broccoli florets!
- Can Chicken Tetrazzini be made ahead of time? Yes. Before baking, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.When ready to bake, remove from fridge and add 10-15 minutes baking time.
- See blog post for more recipe tips, tricks, and ingredient substitutions.
Video
Nutrition
Creamy baked Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is the best weeknight dinner recipe your family will love! Easy and delicious.
Is there a substitute for the white wine?
Made this today for lunch. I substituted chicken broth for the wine, as suggested in another comment. I also added Italian seasonings. It turned out great! I also froze half for later, but I did not top with the cheese. I’ll do that when I cook it.
It’s such an easy dish to customize. Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I just made this (currently eating it now!) and it creamy and flavorful. I used 1/2 cup chicken broth instead of wine and it tastes great and doesn’t seem to have changed the consistency. Great dish! Note for others, this makes a huge portion. Probably great for a family of four but since there is two of us there will be tonsss of leftovers. No biggie, I will probably just cut it in half next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Yes, it’s a lot of food! I have put it into two 8inch pans and frozen one before baking. Or halve the recipe, that works too!
I was just notified by Pinterest that you had contacted them regarding a copyright issue – and that they were removing my PIN of the Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe. It’s so frustrating to see this when I used the “instant pin” button to PIN it in the first place. Do you want us to PIN things??? Is so, pls quit reporting us when we do PIN a post. If not, then pls remove the “instant pin” button from your site.
I know this is happening, it’s NOT me, I promise. This is an error on pinterest’s part and I’m trying to get it resolved. So sorry!!! You are free to pin any recipe of mine!
Can this recipe be cut in half?
I have to have mushrooms. I love them!
I made this dish tonight for me and my husband. I added cream cheese to the recipe also, it turned out amazing. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing it with everyone!!
So happy to hear it was a hit. I’ve used cream cheese too, and you’re right, it’s amazing 🙂
This is so good. My husband and son loved it. There was enough for us to have two meals from it. Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed the dinner!!It definitely makes a full pan!
This is in the oven as I speak and licking the bowl gave me an inkling of the absolutely fabulous dinner to come… I was right you have hit it out of the park! Fabulous –so phenomenal–just can’t say enough good. The ultimate in casseroles and comfort food. I will be taking this to church socials and as you said —to friends when they need food. Thank you for sharing
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!! I’m sure your friends and church social groups will be asking for the recipe as well 🙂
What type of Parmesan cheese did you use? I’m not sure if I should get fresh, or the prepackaged shaker kind that brand like Kraft make.
I used Kraft, but any brand works! Fresh or packaged. 🙂
I’m really looking forward to this! Making it tonight before we take my 2 year old twins to swim lessons. If I bake it before we leave do you think it will all be warm after 3 hours? Do you think another 30min in the oven get it back to serving temp? Thanks!
Sorry I’m just seeing this!! Hope it all worked out and you enjoyed the dinner!!
I just put this in the oven and omitted the white wine….my bottle showed expired by two years so i got picky! then i read everyone’s comments about the consistency and had a panick attack. I grabbed chicken stock, and poured into pan as the noodles absorbed it i prayed it doesn’t ruin it ha! (this was at beginning of cooking time) will post how it turns out 😉
I hope it turned out okay 🙂
I accidentally forgot to add the sour cream 🙁 do you suggest I add some to each plate as I serve them or just see how it goes from here?
Was the mixture creamy? Adding on a plate will totally change the taste, so definitely don’t do that. My only concern is it may be a little dry without the sour cream in the casserole. Hope it still turned out okay!
Did it turn out ok I forgot the sour cream too
To the gal that said she was no fan of “cream of anything” soup, I have an idea. I have not cooked this yet, but last weekend, I made some enchaladas that called for a can of creme of mushroom and a creme of chx soup. What I did because I didnt’ have the cream of chx was substituted a jar of turkey gravy, and it was incredible!!! So maybe that will help you. It is what I am going to use for this recipe. Turkey gravy has such a much more intense flavor, it really made a diff!
I added a can of Rotel and French’s fried onions on top-the bomb dot com!
Oooh, love your additions!!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks awesome! My daughter and her friend are coming over in a couple of weeks on her birthday. I’m going to make this. I know she will love it. I was looking for something I could prepare ahead because I have to work that day. This sounds perfect! Thanks again!
You’re welcome! Feel free to add mushrooms if your family likes them…sadly only 2/6 eat mushrooms here! haha
just wondering about the wine. is there something that can be substituted for that. dont cook with that or the cooking wine
The wine definitely gives it flavor! You can substitute chicken stock if you prefer.
Just made this dish tonight- and it was such a hit at our couples’ dinner night! Our friends asked us if it was my Italian mother in law’s recipe! Hehe. She usually makes her tetrazzini creamy with whipping cream, but I love the use of cream of chicken soup and sour cream instead! Nothing like Americanizing dishes by turning it into a casserole! Am I right?? 😉
never mind, I finally read most of the other comments and found my answer. Can’t wait to try!
How do you preferably cook the chicken before putting this recipe together?
Thanx