Description
Chicken Tetrazzini is a creamy, comforting pasta bake featuring tender chicken, mushrooms, peas, and a rich white wine sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and baked to golden perfection. This classic casserole blends flavors beautifully and is perfect for a family dinner or make-ahead meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc recommended)
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 oz. cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
Pasta Bake
- ¾ lb. spaghetti
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces of equal size. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Add any juices from the chicken back into the pot.
- Prepare the Sauce: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat, then add the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula to loosen browned bits for flavor. Let the wine boil gently for 5 minutes to reduce. Add diced mushrooms and onions; cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, Parmesan cheese, sour cream, milk, frozen peas, and diced chicken. Stir well and heat over low until warmed through.
- Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Pour the warm sauce mixture over the cooked spaghetti in the pot. Stir gently to combine everything evenly.
- Assemble the Casserole and Bake: Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to a 9x13 inch casserole dish or large oven-safe pot. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Then increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the top is bubbly and begins to brown.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Dry white wines like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work well; chicken broth can be substituted if avoiding alcohol.
- You can use 2 cups of cooked chicken instead of fresh, such as rotisserie or leftover chicken; cooking fresh chicken in the pot adds more flavor to the sauce.
- Using ¾ pound of pasta yields a creamier casserole; up to 1 pound can be used for a heartier dish.
- For a make-ahead option, assemble and refrigerate the casserole up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- When baking from refrigerated, cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes; increase to 450° and cook another 10 minutes to brown the top.
- This casserole freezes well; thaw completely in the fridge (up to 24 hours) before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
