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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.
I make this at least once per month, more in the fall and winter months bc the kids love it and the leftovers (if any) are just as delicious the next day. I substitute cheddar for the mozzarella, and add a pinch more salt, but this is in my family’s top 3 meals requested all year round. Thank you so much for the excellent recipe!
This was a really easy recipe and delicious. Definitely substitute French onion dip for sour cream. Adds so much flavor. Not too much onion at all.
That sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing what you did. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Absolutely one of the best recipes ever!! Very versatile. You can use any pasta you have on hand. I also make it with leftover turkey or chicken. Easy and quick to make.
Great recipe. I added chopped spinach to make it a one dish meal with a vegetable. Served with buttery corn bread.
I made this recipe to feed 2 hungry college men. I did use an entire chicken, not just the breasts, but next time, I will only use the the thighs and the breasts. I think the thighs add to the flavor of the chicken. I served garden peas with the tetrazinni because that is their favorite green vegetable.
What was not consumed that night, I sent back to their dorms with them (keeping a small serving for me). Warmed up the next day, it was even better! My college grandsons agreed with me. I am sure they will request it in the future.
I may cut back on the amount of cheese topping as it was ‘greasy’ on top.
I had to make a few tweaks, because I only had about 1 1/4 cups of sour cream, didn’t have any mozzarella (I just used more Parmesan), and had only 1 can of cream of chicken. So I used that, and 1 can of cream of celery, and I made it with fettuccine, because that’s what I had in the cupboard. Yet, it was STILL delicious. 🙂
Making tonight. I’ve made this recipe before, it’s really good and it’s easy to make.
Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of sour cream
You could try. The texture would be more runny I imagine. Another good sub for sour cream is plain greek yogurt if you have that on hand.
Great recipe. So easy. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Added mushrooms, Peas, thyme, and a little garlic salt instead of regular salt fot more flavor. Was a hit.
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing what you did and giving the recipe a try!
One of the best recipies I have made yet. The only changes I made were mixing soups (cream of chicken and mushroom), adding creole seasoning, parsley and mozzarella cheese to the sauce in addition to the cheese the recipe calls for on top.
Yum! Sounds delicious. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!