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Easy, creamy, and utterly delicious cheesy chicken tetrazzini is a family favorite that takes minutes to prep!
Our go-to Chicken Pasta Dinner!
Today’s recipe for chicken tetrazzini happens to be one of those yummy recipes that everyone enjoys. In fact, our family is obsessed and because of that, it’s our go-to chicken pasta dinner.
With over 1,000 5 STAR REVIEWS, you can see it’s not just loved by our family. It’s a recipe our mom first found decades ago and especially loved with fried zucchini, cheesy garlic bread and roasted vegetables.
Why we love it:
- DELICIOUS! As mentioned above, it has all the delicious ingredients that make for a cheesy, hearty, yummy pasta dinner.
- SIMPLE. Not only is it delicious, but the recipe is simple too. There are extra steps in cooking the chicken and pasta, but it’s a classic easy dinner idea.
- HOLIDAY DINNER. We have made this for SO many special occasions including birthdays, Sunday dinner, and holidays. It’s always a hit!
Ingredients
- linguine – Substitute the linguine with fettuccine, tagliatelle or spaghetti.
- unsalted butter
- chicken breasts, cooked and diced – chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken also work
- cream of chicken soup – cream of mushroom soup or even the combined cream of chicken and mushroom soup work great too
- sour cream
- garlic salt with parsley flakes
- pepper
- chicken broth
- grated Parmesan cheese
- shredded Mozzarella cheese – Change it up by using different cheeses.
How to Make Chicken Tetrazzini
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- PASTA. Cook noodles, to al dente, according to the box instructions. Drain and set aside.
- SAUCE. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, butter, chicken broth, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix well, then stir in cooked noodles.
- BAKE. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle both cheeses on top and bake, uncovered, for 36–42 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Complete the Meal:
- SIDE DISHES: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Baked Parmesan Asparagus. Olive Garden Breadsticks, Fried Zucchini
- DESSERTS: Italian Cookies, Panna Cotta, Angel Food Cake
- More easy Chicken Pasta Dinners: Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Stroganoff, Chicken Alfredo Bake
More Collections: Sunday Dinner Ideas, Italian Dinner Ideas, Chicken Pasta Recipes
Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Easy, creamy, and utterly delicious cheesy chicken tetrazzini is a family favorite that takes minutes to prep!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguini cooked
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt with parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Cook noodles, to al dente, according to the box instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, butter, chicken broth, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well, then stir in cooked noodles.
- Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle both cheeses on top and bake, uncovered, for 36–42 minutes, until cheeses are melted and bubbling.
Video
Notes
Make ahead of time. We frequently make this tetrazzini recipe ahead of time. Just make it as instructed except don’t top with the cheese or bake. Instead, cover tightly with foil or saran wrap and place in fridge for up to 24 hours before adding the cheese and baking.
STORE leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FREEZE. Just make as instructed, cover tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Just let thaw in the fridge overnight, add the cheese and bake in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 714kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 166mg, Sodium: 1284mg, Potassium: 687mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1086IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 248mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RECIPE FAQ
Best Variations for Tetrazzini?
- Vegetables. Add in vegetables like peas, corn, broccoli florets, mushrooms, and onions.
- Seasonings. Season with garlic salt, or parsley flakes. Add a little heat after it has been baked with some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- Meat. Use freshly made or leftover turkey instead. Be sure to check out our Turkey Tetrazzini too!
Can this be made ahead of time?
- We frequently make this chicken tetrazzini recipe ahead of time. Just make it as instructed except don’t top with the cheese or bake. Instead, cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours before adding the cheese and baking.
How to store chicken Tetrazzini?
- STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- FREEZE. Just make as instructed, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Just let thaw in the fridge overnight, toss it with a bit of fresh milk, add the cheese, and bake in the oven.
Wasn’t you suppose to cover with foil before baking?
Nope, it’s not necessary for this recipe, especially since all of the ingredients are already pre-cooked. 🙂
Made this several times. A new family favorite
Yay! So happy to hear that!
I have made this a few times now and we LOVE it.
I was wondering if there might be something else I could use in place of the
cream of chicken soup?
I’m so glad you love it so much! You can use any other cream based soup such as cream of mushroom, cream of celery, etc. If you don’t want to use those condensed soups you can always substitute sour cream for the cream of chicken soup. It won’t have as much of the chicken flavor but it will give the recipe the creaminess it needs. Hope this helps!
Not easy if you don’t have cooked chicken and noodles on hand. BUT still easy and prep time under 30 minutes. Tastes wonderful!!
Thanks for your feedback! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Thanks for Such an amazing and informative article….
You’re welcome!
I made this yesterday and it was superb!! I followed the directions exactly except I added the cheeses to the mix keeping 1cup of the mozzarella cheese for the top. 55 minutes including prep time? No way. Frying the chicken breasts the way I do it (salt and peppered, floured, browned both sides in some shortening, then covered and simmered) took at least 45 minutes. Let the chicken cool enough to cut it up in nice small bite size pieces. Give yourself at least an hour prep time, then almost an hour in the oven. 55 minutes prep and oven time became a good 2 hours. It was so worth it. You will love it.
Sounds like a tasty way to cook the chicken! Thanks for sharing. I’m so happy that you liked the recipe!
Might want to add a splash or two of Worcheshire sauce …the recipes back in the 70s seem to have a bit added for flavor. When growing up, mom always added chopped onions and celery and usually a handful of peas. She probably did that because I never ate many vegetables. Lol
Yes, you can certainly add in whatever seasonings/flavorings you prefer. Your mom was a smart lady to sneak in those veggies somehow! 😉
Can you shredded the chicken instead of cubes
I added sautéed sliced mushrooms, onions and a couple handfuls of fresh spinach to the melted butter. Follow the directions after that My husband said it’s the best tetrazzini he’s ever had
Ooh those additions sound delicious! So glad you and your husband enjoyed! It’s always a win to find a recipe the hubby loves too! 😉
It does take longer all together than just 55 mins. Your chicken has to cook which can be 30 minutes. I would say Cook your chicken before hand and freeze it or something so it is faster.
Yes, if starting with cooked chicken, it takes about 55 minutes. If starting with raw chicken, you will want to allow extra time to cook the chicken.