The Boursin cream sauce brings effortless decadence to this simple pasta bake, and I love the convenience of chopped rotisserie chicken, though leftover chicken breast or shredded chicken from earlier in the week works just as well.

What is chicken Tetrazzini?

Though chicken Tetrazzini is often thought of as an Italian pasta bake, its only connection to Italy is the legendary opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini. Rumor has it that a chef at an American hotel created the dish just for her, which explains why you’ll never find it in an authentic Italian cookbook. But don’t let that fool you: this casserole is utterly delicious. 

Juicy chicken and garlic veggies are coated in a rich Boursin sauce, tossed with al dente pasta, topped with shredded cheese, and baked until hot and bubbly. It’s pure comfort!

Why you’ll love this creamy Tetrazzini

• As this casserole bakes, the sauce absorbs into the pasta, allowing the flavors to meld together for an incredibly delicious pasta bake.
• This dish is ridiculously good, simple to prepare, kid-friendly, and reheats beautifully.
• It’s the ultimate comfort casserole! Perfect for delivering to a family welcoming a new baby, grieving a loss, or facing any difficult time.

Ingredients needed to make chicken Tetrazzini

• Pasta: Linguine or spaghetti is great for this dish. Make sure to cook the pasta separately, according to the package directions.
• Chicken: Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, shredded or diced. Otherwise, feel free to cook chicken breast(about 1.5 pounds) specifically for this dish. 
• Olive oil: Used to soften the veggies.
• Veggies: Thinly sliced mushrooms and finely chopped sweet onions. 
• Garlic: Freshly minced for added depth of flavor. 
• Creamy sauce: This white sauce is made with a butter-flour roux, low-sodium chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic and fine herbs Boursin, dry sherry, half and half (equal parts milk and heavy cream), sea salt and black pepper, and lemon zest. 
• Fresh parsley: For a pop of freshness, mixed into the casserole before baking, plus extra sprinkled over to serve.
• Shredded cheese: I’ve used a mixture of mozzarella cheese and Jack cheese to sprinkle on top of the assembled casserole before baking for a delicious gooey topping. 

How do you make this easy chicken Tetrazzini? 

Cook the pasta

1. Boil salted water (should taste like the sea). 
2. Cook pasta until just barely al dente. 
3. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Saute the veggies

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook mushrooms for 3 minutes.
2. Add onions and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden. 
3. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 
4. Transfer to a bowl with the chopped chicken.

Make the sauce

1. In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until lightly golden (about 1½ minutes). 
2. Slowly whisk in broth, lemon juice, Boursin, sherry, salt, and pepper until smooth. 
3. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Stir in lemon zest. 
4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the casserole

1. Return chicken, veggie mixture, parsley, and sauce to the pot. Stir well. 
2. Add reserved pasta water if you want a saucier texture. 
3. Spread evenly into a casserole dish and top generously with mozzarella and Jack cheese.

Bake and serve

1. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. 
2. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. 
3. Broil 1-2 minutes for golden spots if desired. 
4. Sprinkle with extra parsley and serve.

Serving

This cozy pasta bake is a comforting and satisfying meal as it is – loaded with flavorful and juicy chopped rotisserie chicken, al dente pasta, and a creamy sauce with melted cheese topping. For a light contrast, pair this chicken Tetrazzini with a crisp Greenhouse salad or Pea and Asparagus Salad. 

For those not too worried about extra carbs, this easy air fryer garlic bread is a must-try, saving you space in the oven too!

Round it off with an equally creamy slice of Berry Delight or Tres Leches Cake with Fruit with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Boursin cheese elevates this simple pasta bake sauce to the next level. Use it to whip up an easy Boursin Cream Sauce– great for other pasta dishes, Boursin Chicken, or a Hot Honey Boursin Appetizer.

More dreamy pasta bakes you may want to try:

• Italian Pasta Bake
• 4 Ingredient Creamy Pasta Bake
• Mexican Ground Turkey Olive Pasta Bake
• Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

Print

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

Packed with rotisserie chicken, mushrooms, sweet onion, al dente pasta, and creamy Boursin sauce, this Chicken Tetrazzini is the ultimate comfort food. Perfect for casual family dinners, potlucks, or as a prepared meal for someone in need. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10

Calories 537kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Equipment

• 9×13 baking dish

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tetrazzini:

• 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
• 4 ½ cups rotisserie chicken shredded or diced, or cook 1.5 lbs of chicken breast*
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves minced

For the Creamy Sauce:

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 4.5 ounce Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin break apart
• 3 Tbsp dry sherry
• 2 cups half & half or sub with equal parts milk & heavy cream
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup parsley chopped, plus more to garnish
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded Jack cheese

Instructions

• Boil salted water (should taste like the sea).
• Cook pasta until just barely al dente.
• Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook mushrooms for 3 minutes.
• Add onions and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden.
• Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Transfer to a bowl with the chopped chicken.
• In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until lightly golden (about 1½ minutes).
• Slowly whisk in broth, lemon juice, Boursin, sherry, salt, and pepper until smooth.
• Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Stir in lemon zest.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Return chicken, veggie mixture, parsley, and sauce to the pot. Stir well.
• Add reserved pasta water if you want a saucier texture.
• Spread evenly into a casserole dish and top generously with mozzarella and Jack cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.
• Broil 1-2 minutes for golden spots if desired.
• Sprinkle with extra parsley and serve.

Video

Notes

Sandy’s tips:

• Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If there’s enough left in the baking dish, simply cover it with plastic wrap. 
• Freezing: Freeze individual portions (once fully cooled) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven, covered with foil, to restore that freshly baked texture.
• Make-ahead: You can prep this whole dish and pop it into the fridge for 1-2 days until you’re ready to bake it. You may need to add some extra baking time if the chicken tetrazzini is fridge cold.
• Use freshly shredded cheese: Avoid pre-shredded cheese as this is often coated in anti-caking agents for a longer shelf-life. This prevents the cheese from melting as well and also dulls the flavor.
• Don’t overcook the pasta: I like to cook pasta for this recipe until al dente, shaving about 2 minutes off the recommended package directions as the pasta will continue to cook in the assembled casserole mixture in the oven. 
• Reserve pasta water: Reserving pasta water gives you a starchy, salted liquid that helps to adjust the consistency of the creamy sauce without flavor.
• Cook your own chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season 1.5 lbs chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side (halve large breasts lengthwise first). Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Easy Chicken Tetrazzini appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

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