Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
Chicken tetrazzini casserole is spaghetti and tender chicken tossed in a rich, creamy sauce made with cream cheese and a little spaghetti sauce, then baked under a buttery breadcrumb topping until it bubbles. Make it for a busy weeknight dinner or carry it to a church potluck. It freezes well after baking, and it takes about 45 minutes to make 8 servings.
I know. Spaghetti sauce in tetrazzini sounds wrong. Most tetrazzini recipes skip it completely.
But our family has made it this way for years, and we won’t eat it any other way.
No, it doesn’t taste like spaghetti. That little bit of sauce just gives it so much more flavor than regular tetrazzini. (If you want the traditional version, I’ve got a swap for that further down.)
It’s also the casserole I lean on when the week gets away from me. And full disclosure, I’m not a mushroom person. I cook with them because everyone else loves them, then pick them off my own plate. No judgment, please.
More Tetrazzini and Creamy Pasta Dinners
- Tuna Tetrazzini – spaghetti, tuna and sweet peas in a parmesan cream sauce under a golden crumb crust
- Ham Tetrazzini – leftover holiday ham and mushrooms in a skillet cream sauce, ready in 30 minutes
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole – ground beef spaghetti baked under a blanket of melted cheese
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole – egg noodles and shredded chicken baked in a Boursin cheese sauce
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Spaghetti Sauce – This is the ingredient that makes people do a double take. It’s optional. Swap it for a can of cream of mushroom soup if you want a more traditional tetrazzini.
Cooked Chicken – Any cooked chicken works, diced. Leftover chicken is the easy route.
Cream Cheese – Cube it before it goes in the pan so it melts into the sauce instead of sitting there in lumps.
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How To Make Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
- Cook the spaghetti al dente, following the package directions, and save ½ cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan and cook the onion and garlic for 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, celery and bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and saute for an additional 4 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, spaghetti sauce, cream of chicken soup, heavy cream and cream cheese to combine everything.
- Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and toss to coat. If you want it a little saucier, add a splash of the pasta water.
- Spread the spaghetti in the pan and sprinkle the Colby jack over the top.
- Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and stir it into the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown and it’s bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge – Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days.
Freezer – Bake it first, then freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it completely and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
Variations
Traditional Tetrazzini – Leave out the spaghetti sauce and use one 10.5 ounce can of cream of mushroom soup instead. You’ll get the classic all-creamy version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mine uses spaghetti, cooked chicken, mushrooms, onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper in a sauce of cream of chicken soup, heavy cream, cream cheese and a little spaghetti sauce. Top it with Colby jack and buttery Italian breadcrumbs before it bakes.
Merriam-Webster defines tetrazzini as pasta in a white sauce seasoned with sherry and baked with a browned topping. The dish is named for the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini. Mine skips the sherry and adds spaghetti sauce, so the dictionary would probably call it a rebel. I call it dinner.
Chicken alfredo is pasta tossed in a stovetop cream and parmesan sauce and served right away. Chicken tetrazzini gets baked as a casserole with a cheesy, crunchy top. Mine also has vegetables and a little spaghetti sauce in the sauce, and alfredo usually doesn’t.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- It may look like way too much sauce. It’s not. The noodles soak it all up in the oven.
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti. It keeps cooking while the casserole bakes.
- If the sauce is too thick to toss, thin it with a little of the pasta water you saved.
Easy Chicken Casseroles for Busy Weeknights
- Swiss Chicken Casserole – chicken and melty Swiss cheese under a crunchy stuffing topping
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole – shredded chicken and rotini baked in a cheesy taco sauce
- Crunchy Chicken Casserole – sour cream and sharp cheddar chicken with a crispy golden top
- French Onion Chicken Casserole – chicken baked in a savory French onion sauce
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Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ½ medium bell pepper diced
- 1 ½ cups mushrooms cleaned, sliced
- 2 cups chicken cooked, diced or shredded
- 1 ½ cups spaghetti sauce
- 21 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup Colby jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the noodles al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan and cook the onion and garlic for 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, celery and bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and saute for an additional 4 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, spaghetti sauce, cream of chicken soup, heavy cream and cream cheese. Stir until combined.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss until combined. If you want it a little saucier, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
- Spread the spaghetti out in the pan and sprinkle with the cheese.
- Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and stir it into the breadcrumbs.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown and it's bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Swap: For a traditional tetrazzini, use 1 can of cream of mushroom soup in place of the spaghetti sauce.
- Saucy: It looks saucy going in. The noodles soak it up while it bakes.
- Leftovers: Airtight container in the fridge, up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze after baking, up to 3 months. Thaw, then bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
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