The #1 Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe to Shut Down All the Competition

Shea Goldstein
·4 min read

Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini is so easy to make, completely delicious and basically screams comfort food. Plus, tetrazzini is the perfect dish to use up leftover chicken, and tetrazzini itself, is fantastic as leftovers. I actually never really had this until my young teenage years, at my best friend’s house during a sleepover. It was the middle of the night and my friend suggested that all four of us go upstairs and raid the fridge. Four teenagers raiding the refrigerator while her parents slept, thinking we were “being quiet,” while whispering at the top of our lungs and laughing.

In the fridge, there was Chicken Tetrazzini THOUGH. This white spaghetti looking dish with bits resembling mushrooms, maybe? I was accustomed to spaghetti being under a tomato meat sauce (or bolognese), but it really didn’t matter to me, because I didn't mind trying new things. I was a foodie in little shoes.

I absolutely loved it—and have since.

Related: 101 Best Pasta Recipes

Does Chicken Tetrazzini Contain Garlic?

Yes. I used 3 garlic cloves minced, and smashed with salt in this recipe.

What is Chicken Tetrazzini Made Of?

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz thin spaghetti or angel hair

  • 4 cups shredded chicken, either breasts or thighs

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves minced and smashed with salt

  • 12 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced

  • 4 tbsp salted butter

  • ⅓ cup AP flour

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1½ cup whole milk

  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • ¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper

  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish

  • 1 cup Provolone cheese, shredded

  • 1½ cups Parmesan cheese, shredded

This tetrazzini is just creamy enough, just cheesy enough and the mushrooms are my favorite.

Related: 30+ Shredded Chicken Recipes

How to Make Chicken Tetrazzini

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, remove from heat.

  2. Using either a rotisserie chicken or by cooking a pound of chicken breasts or thighs, shred and set aside.

  3. Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil then add mushrooms and sauté until soft and sizzling. Add onions and cook until onions are fragrant, about 5 min. Add garlic and sauté for another 1-2 min until fragrant.

  4. In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until it's starting to thicken, about 1 to 2 min. Add chicken broth, about 1 tbsp of lemon juice, salt, pepper and whisk until smooth. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Add provolone cheese, and stir.

  5. Place chicken through pasta to the pot then sprinkle in small handful of parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle the top generously with parmesan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 min then remove the lid and continue baking for about 15 min.

How to Serve Chicken Tetrazzini?

I love angel hair or vermicelli compared to spaghetti in my Chicken Tetrazzini. The thinner the pasta, the better. It’s thin, easier to eat and also cooks so fast. You also don’t have to mess with thick strands of pasta that heat unevenly.

Pro tip: If the leftovers seem a bit dry, add just a bit of little milk, stir and heat it up and it will be right back to the way it was.

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Best Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

Ingredients

  • 12 oz thin spaghetti or angel hair

  • 4 cups shredded chicken, either breasts or thighs

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves minced, and smashed with salt

  • 12 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced

  • 4 tbsp salted butter

  • ⅓ cup AP flour

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1½ cups whole milk

  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • ¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper

  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish

  • 1 cup Provolone cheese, shredded

  • 1½ cups Parmesan cheese, shredded

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, remove from heat.

  2. Using either a rotisserie chicken or by cooking a pound of chicken breasts or thighs, shred and set aside.

  3. Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat. Add the oil then add mushrooms and sauté until soft and sizzling. Add onions and cook until onions are fragrant, about 5 min. Add garlic and sauté another 1-2 min until fragrant.

  4. In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until it's starting to thicken, about 1 to 2 min. Add chicken broth, about 1 tbsp of lemon juice, salt, pepper and whisk until smooth. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Add provolone cheese, stir.

  5. Place chicken through pasta to the pot then sprinkle in small handful parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle the top generously with parmesan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 min then remove lid and continue baking for about 15 min.