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Creamy Chicken Tetrazinni made with shredded chicken, mushrooms, pasta, and a homemade sauce all baked into one cheesy casserole everyone will love.
I don’t make a lot of casseroles, but the ones that I do make, we love. This is one of our all-time favorite casseroles and you can call it Spaghetti Casserole or Chicken Tetrazzini, depending on what your mom called it.
This one-dish meal is loaded with chicken, mushrooms, pasta, a creamy sauce, and loads of cheese. It’s a classic comfort food that feeds a crowd and is a great way to make a little leftover chicken stretch into a whole meal.
The secret to not having mushy pasta in this dish is to only cook the spaghetti for 5 minutes and then let it finish cooking in the oven while it bakes.
This simple dish is budget- and family-friendly and always a hit on our table. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks for Making Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
- I used cooked chicken and homemade stock from the freezer. This is the perfect way to use leftover chicken (or turkey) from a Sunday meal or when you bought that deli rotisserie chicken and didn’t eat it all in one night.
- Not a lover of mushrooms? Skip them! I’ll often add another veggie in their place (such as broccoli).
- No juice on hand? Just replace it with additional chicken stock.
Can chicken tetrazzini be frozen?
Yes ma’am! It’s a great candidate for the freezer. Get it ready up to the point of baking it (don’t bake it before freezing). Wrap it up well, label it, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Let the frozen casserole thaw in the fridge overnight before baking it. Bake covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for another 20 minutes or until cooked through, bubbly, and the cheese on top is melted. You can make a double batch of this recipe and freeze one for later. Cook once, eat twice!
Can chicken tetrazzini be made with canned chicken?
Yes, it’s a great use for canned chicken if you don’t have leftovers or cooked chicken on hand.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, divided
- 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup white grape juice or apple juice, divided
- 1 pound thin spaghetti
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
- 2 1/2 cups mozzarella or swiss cheese, or a mix of the two, grated, divided
- 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, shredded
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, add the mushrooms, 1/4 cup of the fruit juice, and the salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown and all of the liquid is gone, about 12 minutes.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, heat a large pot of water to boiling, break the spaghetti into thirds, and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain excess water and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- When all of the liquid is gone from the mushrooms, remove the mushrooms and return the pan to the heat.
- Add the rest of the butter (6 tablespoons) and let melt. When butter is melted, add flour and whisk to combine. Cook for one minute.
- Slowly whisk in chicken stock, milk, and additional 1/4 cup of juice. Heat over medium to medium high heat until bubbly. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan and 1/2 cup of the grated swiss/mozzarella. When cheeses are melted, stir in the mushrooms, chicken, salt, and pepper.
- Add mixture to cooked noodles. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer all of the cheesy goodness to a 9×13 baking dish. Top with the 2 cups of remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes until everything is melted and bubbly.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.
Notes
- I used cooked chicken and homemade stock from the freezer. This is the perfect way to use leftover chicken (or turkey) from a Sunday meal or when you bought that deli rotisserie chicken and didn’t eat it all in one night.
- Not a lover of mushrooms? Skip them! I’ll often add another veggie in their place (such as broccoli).
- No juice on hand? Just replace it with additional chicken stock.
Nutrition
What do you serve with chicken tetrazzini?
- Super Simple No-Knead Bread
- Easy Bread Sticks
- Rustic Italian Bread
- Easy Apple Spinach Salad with an Apple Vinaigrette
- Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing
- Sautéed Asparagus
So many easy things to eat with this simple dish. It’s a favorite in this house, and I know it’ll quickly become a favorite in your house, too.
He won’t eat casseroles…but…this will be perfect to make and share with my neighbor! If I want something bad enough and he won’t eat it…..sharing with her is a win/win! Thanks!!