The Best Chicken Tetrazzini

The BEST Chicken Tetrazzini begins with chicken, mushrooms, and pasta that is tossed together with a creamy, garlicky sauce. Then everything is sprinkled with Parmesan and baked for just long enough to melt it all together.

Almost ten years ago, a very sweet friend brought my family a pan of this Chicken Tetrazzini. It was a night just a few days after my middle son was born; in the midst of our new baby fog and sleep deprivation, we managed to eat an absurd amount of this dish.

I promised Sean I’d get the recipe from her as soon as possible. She shared the recipe with me and this pasta has made regular appearances on our table every since. This was easily the best chicken and pasta dish we had ever tasted, giving it the honor of being christened “The Best Chicken Tetrazzini.”

My whole family enjoys this meal very much and one of my boys would happily do his best to eat this entire recipe on his own! As I began to make this for dinner last night, I was surprised to realize that I didn’t already have this recipe on the blog. It’s become such a favorite, I rarely even pull out my recipe book when I make it anymore.

Looking for more baked pasta ideas? The Easiest Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese is on our meal plan for this week. As an added bonus, it looks simple enough that my kids should be able to make it themselves.

We love the convenience of a make-ahead pasta salad like the Creamy Pasta Salad or Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. For a pasta that’s sure to warm you up, try this Mushroom Florentine Pasta or this One-Pot Creamy Tuscan Pasta.

Classic Homemade Lasagna is a hearty dinner that the whole family loves. Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta and Homemade Hamburger Helper are kid favorites that everyone cheers for. With a side of crusty bread, these meals are wonderfully carb-filled dinners that no one can resist.

5 from 4 votes

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The Best Chicken Tetrazzini

Recipe barely adapted from and with thanks to my friend Lisa

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti noodles or the pasta of your choice (gluten free works great)
• 5 tablespoons butter divided
• 1-3 large cloves garlic
• 8 ounces baby mushrooms sliced
• 3 cups cooked chicken chopped
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour brown rice flour works great for gluten free
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt skip this, or adjust as needed, if using store-bought chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain the pasta, according to the directions on the package. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and the mushrooms, cook for 3-5 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, toss to coat and remove from the heat.
2. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the melted butter and then slowly add the chicken broth, whisking to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the cream. When the sauce begins to simmer again, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer on low, stirring constantly for 8-10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place the pasta in a 9x13 baking dish and then spread the chicken mixture over top of it. Pour the sauce over everything to coat thoroughly and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Stir if desired, right before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

This classic recipe for Chicken Tetrazzini can be made both with and without the mushrooms. Feel free to skip them, if they aren't your thing. The garlic in this recipe is adjustable to your tastes, I always opt for more, because we are huge garlic lovers. I tend to use whichever pasta I have on hand when making this meal, though spaghetti noodles are my favorite most of the time.

{originally posted 8/29/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/4/17}