Easy chicken tetrazzini casserole recipe that is made with a homemade roux and no canned soup! If you love turkey tetrazzini then you’ll love this creamy and delicious dinner with your family.
Oh, this one is my favorite. This recipe comes from my mom’s roommate in college and it’s sooooooo good. Using simple pantry ingredients, you’ll create a creamy roux instead of using canned soup which I think gives it a bold flavor.
This recipe can be made with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken you purchase at the store. The mushrooms add a deep flavor to this recipe, so don’t skip them! If you don’t like mushrooms (like the rest of my family) you can easily remove them when ready to serve.
Steps To Make Chicken Tetrazzini
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. While preheating, boil the spaghetti until al-dente and drain.
- Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat on the stove. Remove mushrooms from pan.
- To the same stovetop pan, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and fully melt. Add flour and mix until a paste. Add chicken broth and simmer until thickened. Once thickened add milk, sherry, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl combine the homemade sauce, cooked spaghetti, chicken, and mushrooms. Add to an 11×7 baking pan and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350˚F oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
TIPS
To Freeze: As a freezer meal, make as directed and do not bake. Cover well and place in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake as directed.
Making a roux. Don’t let the roux intimidate you! It’s a super simple way to get a thick and delicious sauce. This roux doesn’t get as thick during the process because the pasta will soak it up during the baking process. I like to give the entire casserole a big stir before serving.
Additions or adaptations: You can make this recipe with peas, broccoli and/or mushrooms. I prefer the mushrooms becuase I think it gives such a depth of flavor to the recipe.
Doubling the recipe: You can easily double this recipe and bake it in a large 13×9 baking pan. Make sure your 13×9 baking pan is extra deep and not the traditional one. Bake as directed but add more time until the internal temperature is 160˚ F.
Chicken broth: I prefer to use Better than Bouillon for my chicken broth. I keep it in the refrigerator and use it when needed in recipes like this. I highly recommend it!
This is one of our favorite meals to make in the fall and winter. I typically use pre-cut rotisserie chicken from Costco to make this recipe super easy and fast to make! I hope you enjoy it as much as our family has!
More Chicken Recipes to Love
- Chicken Rotini Casserole – super simple and delish!
- Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits – similar roux and similar flavor. Yum!
- White Bean Chicken Chili – for those chilly nights.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
- 4 Tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cups chicken cooked and cubed
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Cups chicken broth
- 1 Cup evaporated milk
- 3 Tablespoons cooking sherry
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Boil the spaghetti until al-dente and drain.
- Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat on the stove. Remove mushrooms from pan.
- To the same stovetop pan, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and fully melt. Add flour and mix until a paste. Add chicken broth and simmer until thickened. Once thickened add milk, sherry, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl combine the homemade sauce, cooked spaghetti, chicken, and mushrooms. Add to an 11x7 baking pan and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350˚F oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe originally shared 2014. This recipe has been updated and a new recipe has been used (that I love even more!). If you’re looking for the previous recipe version, you can print it here.
Comments & Reviews
Do you add the pasta and chicken raw into a freezer bag or do you cook completely let it cool and then thaw it?
I’m not sure I understand your question. If using this for freezer cooking, assemble as if you were baking it right away. Instead of baking it, stick it in the freezer and when ready to enjoy let thaw before baking.
Hi Lynette – is it possible to freeze this meal after it’s been baked? I missed where I should have frozen before baking and now have a ton leftover that I’d really not have go to waste. Thanks for your guidance.
Hi! When it comes to leftovers, it’s totally fine to freeze after you bake it. In fact, that’s what we typically do. Although it won’t be as creamy after freezing, it still holds the same great flavor! My freezer instructions are for people who like to make freezer meals and freeze the entire meal before enjoying.
You said you quadrupled the recipe. But the recipe that is listed is for one 13 ×9 pan correct ? And that one pan serves 12 ? And if you quadrupled the recipe then it would serve 48 ?
I just want to make sure I am reading it right. I am cooking it for 30 people.
Hi Molly. I quadrupled the recipe when I made it so I could stick future dinners in the freezer. However, the recipe card features the recipe to make only 1 pan (13×9) that serves 12. Hope that helps!
Do you leave it covered when baking?
I didn’t this time around. I like a crispy top. However, it won’t hurt it if you do. I would remove it the last few minutes if you do decide to cover it just to let the cheesy crisp up a bit.
I made this for a family whose loved one was in ICU…they raved about it! Now I’m making it for a friend who fell and broke her shoulder and elbow…also making extra for my freezer! ?
Hi Lynda, that’s so sweet of you! I’m glad they enjoyed it!