Bring comfort to the dinner table with this cozy Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe. It’s made with tender rotisserie chicken, linguine pasta, sautéed mushrooms, all tossed in a rich homemade cream sauce and finished with plenty of mozzarella cheese. Everything comes together in one comforting dish that feels special enough for a weekend dinner but is easy enough for a busy weeknight.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- A great way to use rotisserie or leftover chicken
- Creamy, cheesy and comforting
- Packed with mushrooms and garlic for extra flavor
- Perfect for a family dinner
- Great for make-ahead meals
Ingredients
Linguine
I like linguine because the long, flat noodles hold onto the creamy sauce beautifully. You can substitute spaghetti or fettuccine. Cook the pasta very al dente. It will continue cooking when the dish goes into the oven.
Rotisserie Chicken
Using rotisserie chicken makes this recipe much quicker. Remove the skin and bones, then shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Leftover cooked chicken works just as well.
Mushrooms
Button Mushrooms add a wonderful savory flavor and a little texture to the creamy pasta. I usually slice them fairly thin so they cook evenly.
Shallots
Shallots have a delicate sweetness that works really well with the mushrooms and cream sauce. Finely chop them so they blend nicely into the dish.
Garlic
Fresh garlic adds plenty of flavor. I recommend using freshly minced garlic rather than garlic powder for this recipe.
Butter & Olive Oil
A combination of butter and olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables. The butter adds richness while the olive oil helps prevent the butter from browning too quickly.
Flour
Flour is used to make the base of the creamy sauce. It helps thicken the half n half, and chicken stock into a smooth sauce that coats the pasta.
Half n half
Gives the dish that luxurious creamy texture.
Chicken Stock
Chicken stock adds savory flavor to the sauce and helps loosen it to the perfect consistency. Use low sodium chicken stock.
Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella melts beautifully over the pasta and creates that irresistible golden, cheesy topping.
Parsley
Fresh parsley adds a little color and freshness to the finished dish.
Salt & Black Pepper
Season as you go rather than adding all the salt at once. Remember that the chicken stock and mozzarella may already contain some salt.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 & 2: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add generous amount of salt, the water should taste like salted sea water. Cook linguine pasta very al-dente(drain about 5 minutes before the mentioned packet instructions).
Step 3: Reserve 1 to 2 cups of pasta water.
Step 4: Drain pasta and set it aside.
Step 5: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add sliced button mushrooms. Cook until they soften and begin to develop some golden-brown edges. Don’t overcrowd the pan if possible. Giving the mushrooms enough room allows them to brown instead of simply steaming.
Step 6 & 7: Add the chopped shallots and cook until softened.
Step 8: Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn—it can become bitter very quickly.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.
Step 9: Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about a minute.
Step 10: This creates a simple roux and removes the raw flour taste.
Step 11: Slowly pour chicken stock while whisking non stop.
Step 12: Add the heavy cream and chicken stock, continuing to whisk until the sauce is smooth.
Cook until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
Step 13: Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and add parsley.
Step 14: Mix well until combined.
Step 15: In a large pot mix everything – shredded rotisserie chicken, sauteed mushrooms, cooked linguine and cream sauce.
Step 16: Use tongs to gently toss everything together, making sure the creamy sauce coats all the noodles.
If the sauce seems too thick, add a small splash of the reserved pasta water.
Step 17: Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a 9×13 baking pan.
Step 18: Transfer the creamy chicken and linguine mixture to a greased baking dish.
Step 19: Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
Don’t be shy with the cheese—you want a nice golden, bubbling layer once it goes into the oven.
Step 20: Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F covered in aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for anouther 15 minutes until the pasta is hot and bubbling and the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden.
Keep an eye on it toward the end because ovens vary and you don’t want the cheese to become too dark.
Once it’s out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes.
Finish with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm.
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Tetrazzini
- Don’t overcook the pasta – Cook the linguine very al dente(stop cooking about 5 minutes before its cooking time as mentioned on packet instructions) Since the pasta will be baked afterward, overcooking it initially can leave you with soft or mushy noodles.
- Brown the mushrooms well – This is one of the easiest ways to add extra flavor. Let the mushrooms cook until they develop some golden edges.
- Pour chicken stock slowly – When making the sauce, gradually whisk in the chicken stock. This helps prevent lumps and gives you a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Use room-temperature dairy – butter and half n half that aren’t ice-cold blend more easily into the sauce.
- Don’t make the sauce too thick – Remember that the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes. A sauce that looks slightly loose before baking will usually give you a creamier finished dish.
- Taste before adding extra salt – Chicken stock, rotisserie chicken and mozzarella can all contain salt, so taste the sauce before seasoning heavily.
What to Serve With Chicken Tetrazzini
Try:
- Green salad with lemon vinaigrette
- Roasted broccoli
- Steamed green beans
- Garlic bread
- Roasted asparagus
- Simple cucumber salad
A crisp green salad is probably my favorite—it adds a nice fresh contrast to the creamy pasta.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover chicken tetrazzini in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep well for 5 days.
When reheating, add a small splash of milk or chicken stock if the pasta has become too thick. Reheat gently so the sauce stays creamy.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely!
This recipe is a great way to use leftover roasted or grilled chicken. Simply shred or chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
You need about the same amount of cooked chicken as you would get from a standard rotisserie chicken after removing the bones and skin.
Yes. This makes a wonderful make-ahead dinner.
Prepare the pasta and sauce, transfer everything to the baking dish, and cover it tightly. Refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
If you’re baking it straight from the refrigerator, it may need a little extra time in the oven. Make sure the center is heated through before serving.
Don’t forget to Subscribe to CurryTrail Recipes below to get our newest recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
If you love this recipe, keep in touch, and don’t miss out on any of Currytrail’s recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
📋 Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 12 oz linguine pasta (or spaghetti)
- 4 cups cooked rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 pound button mushrooms sliced
- ½ cups shallots finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
- 2 cups half n half
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish.
- Cook the linguine in salted water until very al-dente (drain about 5 minutes before the mentioned packet instructions). Reserve 1 to 2 cups of pasta water. Drain pasta and set it aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add sliced button mushrooms. Cook until they soften and begin to develop some golden-brown edges. Don't overcrowd the pan if possible. Giving the mushrooms enough room allows them to brown instead of simply steaming.
- Add the chopped shallots and cook until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn—it can become bitter very quickly.
- Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about a minute.
- This creates a simple roux and removes the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour chicken stock while whisking non stop.
- Add the heavy cream and chicken stock, continuing to whisk until the sauce is smooth.
- Cook until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and add parsley. Mix well until combined.
- In a large pot mix everything – shredded rotisserie chicken, sauteed mushrooms, cooked linguine and cream sauce.
- Use tongs to gently toss everything together, making sure the creamy sauce coats all the noodles.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a small splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a 9×13 baking pan.
- Transfer the creamy chicken and linguine mixture to a greased baking dish.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Don't be shy with the cheese—you want a nice golden, bubbling layer once it goes into the oven.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F covered in aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for anouther 15 minutes until the pasta is hot and bubbling and the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden.
- Keep an eye on it toward the end because ovens vary and you don't want the cheese to become too dark.
- Once it's out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes. Finish with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta – Cook the linguine very al dente(stop cooking about 5 minutes before its cooking time as mentioned on packet instructions) Since the pasta will be baked afterward, overcooking it initially can leave you with soft or mushy noodles.
- Brown the mushrooms well – This is one of the easiest ways to add extra flavor. Let the mushrooms cook until they develop some golden edges.
- Pour chicken stock slowly – When making the sauce, gradually whisk in the chicken stock. This helps prevent lumps and gives you a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Use room-temperature dairy – butter and half n half that aren’t ice-cold blend more easily into the sauce.
- Don’t make the sauce too thick – Remember that the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes. A sauce that looks slightly loose before baking will usually give you a creamier finished dish.
- Taste before adding extra salt – Chicken stock, rotisserie chicken and mozzarella can all contain salt, so taste the sauce before seasoning heavily.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Thank you for stopping by.
I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and I’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Leave A Reply!