Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole Recipe
This Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is a comforting and creamy baked pasta dish featuring tender rotisserie chicken, sautéed mushrooms and onions, all enveloped in a rich, cheesy sauce made with half and half. The linguine is cooked until just al dente and combined with a luscious mushroom cream sauce before being baked to golden perfection. It's a perfect family-friendly casserole that serves nine and can be easily customized with your favorite pasta or dairy substitutions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz linguine (or spaghetti)
Chicken
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded or diced, or cook 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts)
Vegetables
- 1 lb button mushrooms (thickly sliced)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
Sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 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 substitute 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)
Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Casserole Dish: Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9x13 inch casserole dish thoroughly to prevent sticking and set it aside.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil—salt it generously so the water tastes like the ocean. Cook the linguine or spaghetti until barely al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve half a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Partially cover the drained pasta and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the finely chopped onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onions turn soft and golden. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Transfer this mixture to a cutting board and combine it with the shredded chicken.
- Make the Sauce: In the same large pot used for the pasta, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour continuously for about 1 1/2 minutes until the mixture turns lightly golden. Gradually whisk in the low-sodium chicken broth, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until the sauce is smooth. Add the half and half and bring the sauce to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta back into the pot with the sauce. Stir in the shredded chicken and mushroom-onion mixture, along with chopped parsley. If desired, add the reserved pasta cooking water (up to 1/2 cup) to loosen the sauce. Mix well and then transfer the entire mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top.
- Bake the Casserole: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350˚F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to allow the cheese to brown slightly. For a golden, bubbly topping, broil for the last 1-2 minutes—watch carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for quick prep or cook your own chicken breasts if preferred.
- You can substitute linguine with spaghetti or any long pasta you like.
- If you don't have half and half, mix equal parts milk and heavy cream as a substitute.
- Reserving pasta cooking water is optional but helps adjust sauce consistency.
- Broiling is optional but gives a nice golden crust on top.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely.
