Description
Chicken Tetrazzini is a comforting casserole dish featuring tender rotisserie chicken, linguine pasta, sautéed mushrooms and onions, all enveloped in a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked to golden perfection. This easy-to-make recipe combines simple ingredients with rich flavors, perfect for a family dinner or make-ahead meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Chicken
- 12 oz linguine (or spaghetti*)
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded or diced, or cook 1.5 lbs of chicken breast*)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350˚F to prepare for baking the casserole later.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the linguine. Cook until just barely al dente as per package instructions, ensuring it maintains some firmness. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Partially cover and set pasta aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside with the chicken.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the same pot used for pasta, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until lightly golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the low-sodium chicken broth, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the half & half and bring the sauce to a simmer. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine Ingredients for the Casserole: Add the cooked pasta, rotisserie chicken, sautéed mushroom and onion mixture, and chopped parsley into the sauce pot. Stir everything gently to combine well. If desired, add the reserved 1/2 cup pasta water to loosen the sauce. Transfer the mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously on 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 another 15 minutes to let the cheese brown slightly. Optionally, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end to achieve golden, bubbly spots on top. Let it cool slightly before serving. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- This Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is creamy, cheesy, and incredibly easy to make using rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- You can swap the rotisserie chicken for freshly baked and chopped chicken breast by cooking approximately 1.5 lbs and dicing it.
- This casserole is freezer-friendly: assemble it, then cover tightly and freeze before baking.
- Make ahead by preparing the dish and refrigerating it prior to baking, saving time on busy days.
- Be careful not to overcook the pasta; it should remain slightly firm as it will continue cooking in the sauce and oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 573 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 933 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
