There are some dishes that just feel like home — and this Chicken Tetrazzini is one of them. It’s cozy, creamy, a little old-fashioned in the best way, and the kind of comfort food you make when you want everyone at the table to linger a little longer.
This recipe is a throwback classic — tender pasta, juicy chicken, peas and a rich, creamy sauce baked under a golden topping. It’s one of those dinners that instantly makes the whole house smell amazing and gets everyone asking, “What’s for dinner?”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- This easy Chicken Tetrazzini casserole is creamy, comforting, and simple to make — a cozy dinner classic everyone loves.
- It’s a great recipe to make for family dinners, potlucks, or freezer meals.
- It can be assembled early and baked right before serving.
Ingredients Needed:
- Chicken: You’ll need chopped, cooked chicken.
- Pasta: Long pasta like spaghetti is classic for making tetrazzini.
- Peas: Frozen peas are perfectly fine for this recipe.
- Chicken Broth: Low sodium is best.
- Heavy Cream: This is to make a wonderful, creamy sauce.
- Flour: This helps thicken the sauce.
- Cheese: We are using freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Butter: This is used for combining with the flour to make a roux.
- Seasonings: You’ll need fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
How to make creamy baked Chicken Tetrazzini:
The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here’s a brief overview.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.
- Prepare the creamy sauce on the stove, and stir in the chicken and peas.
- Add the cooked pasta to a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Spoon the creamy chicken mixture on top.
- Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this mixture over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Then turn on the broiler and toast the top of the casserole briefly (until golden).
Recipe Tips
- It’s okay to use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of the chopped cooked chicken.
- Add in sauteed mushrooms!
- In a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 2/3 teaspoon dried rosemary in place of fresh.
- Add a splash of milk when reheating leftovers to keep it creamy.
- Assemble, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Substitution Ideas:
- Use chopped, cooked turkey in place of chicken. Use of leftover chicken or turkey for making chicken tetrazzini is perfect!
- It’s okay to use another long pasta such as fettuccine or linguine. You can also substitute a short pasta such as penne or rigatoni.
- Vegetable broth may be substituted for the chicken broth, if that’s what you have.
What to serve with this classic Chicken Tetrazzini casserole:
Serve this creamy Chicken Tetrazzini with a crisp green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables. It’s also great alongside a simple fall dessert — think apple crisp or pumpkin bars for the perfect comfort-food combo.
This creamy baked Chicken Tetrazzini is the definition of comfort food — simple ingredients, cozy flavors, and a golden, cheesy finish that makes everyone happy. It’s one of those dishes that just feels like home. Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or a quiet night in, this classic always hits the spot.
Love cozy casseroles? Try my Turkey Tetrazzini, Chicken Spaghetti Casserole or creamy Baked Ziti.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3½ cups chopped cooked chicken
- 10 ounces frozen peas
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large stockpot ¾ full of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Add a few shakes of salt and the spaghetti and cook until al dente (cooked through but still slightly chewy), 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until faintly colored, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the broth until the sauce is smooth and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream, then add the salt, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir in the chicken and peas and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then remove from the heat.
- Put the pasta in the prepared dish and spoon the chicken mixture over it.
- In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the sauce. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and quickly brown the top of the casserole.
Notes
- Make ahead: Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
- To reheat: If frozen, let thaw in refrigerator. Reheat in a preheated 350 degree oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
