Description
Chicken Tetrazzini is a classic American casserole that combines tender chicken, spaghetti, mushrooms, and peas in a rich, creamy sauce made with cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream. Topped with melted mozzarella cheese and baked until golden and bubbly, this comforting dish is perfect for feeding a crowd and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 2 cups cooked chicken/rotisserie for an even faster option)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work beautifully, or swap for chicken broth if you prefer)
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream (adds that tangy richness)
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas (they add little pops of sweetness and color)
For the Pasta Bake:
- ¾ pound spaghetti (you can use up to 1 pound if you like it less saucy)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Cut your chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces of equal size. This helps them cook evenly and quickly. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Don’t be shy here, this is where your flavor foundation starts.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken and let it sear for 5-6 minutes on each side until it’s golden brown and cooked through. Here’s the secret: don’t force it to flip. When it’s ready, it’ll release from the pot naturally. If you try to flip too early, you’ll tear that beautiful golden crust.
Set the chicken aside on a plate and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces. This lets the juices redistribute so every bite stays moist and tender. When you cut it, pour any juices that collect on the plate right back into the pot. That’s liquid gold, my friend.
Get that oven heating to 350°F. You want it nice and ready when your casserole is assembled.
This is where the magic happens. Melt the butter in the same pot you cooked the chicken in, then add the wine. Use a silicone spatula to scrape up all those gorgeous brown bits stuck to the bottom. Let it bubble away for 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol and concentrate the flavor. Your kitchen is about to smell incredible.
Toss in the mushrooms and onions and cook for 5 minutes until they’re soft and the mushrooms have released their moisture. Add the garlic and cook for just 1 more minute. Garlic burns easily, so it goes in last.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir in both cans of soup, the Parmesan cheese, sour cream, milk, peas, and your diced chicken. Mix everything together until it’s smooth and creamy, then let it warm through over low heat. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if needed.
While your sauce is warming, cook the spaghetti in a separate large pot until it’s just al dente, about 10 minutes. You want it to have a little bite still because it’s going in the oven. Drain it well, return it to the pot, then pour that gorgeous warm sauce right over the top. Stir everything together so every strand of spaghetti gets coated.
Transfer the saucy pasta to your 9×13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over the top in an even layer. Don’t skip the edges, that’s where you get the crispy cheese bits everyone fights over.
Slide the casserole into the oven uncovered and bake for 15 minutes. Then crank up the heat to 450°F and bake for another 10 minutes until the top is bubbly, golden, and starting to brown in spots. That high heat at the end is what gives you that restaurant-quality finish.
Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving. This helps it set up just enough so it doesn’t run all over the plate. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top for a pop of color and freshness, then dig in while it’s hot and bubbly.
Notes
Don’t overcook your pasta. Slightly undercooked is perfect because it’ll continue cooking in the oven. If you cook it until it’s fully tender before baking, you’ll end up with mushy noodles. Nobody wants that.
When you’re sprinkling on the mozzarella, make sure you get good coverage all the way to the edges. The cheese that touches the sides of the pan gets crispy and golden and those are the best bites in the whole dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American