Chicken Tetrazzini
A comforting creamy pasta bake featuring tender chicken thighs, hearty mushrooms, and a rich sauce, perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Pasta and Chicken
- 500 g 500g / 1lb spaghetti or other long pasta, cooked per packet (penne, macaroni, ziti okay too)
- 500 g 500g / 1lb chicken thighs, skinless boneless
Sauce Ingredients
- 6 tbsp 6 tbsp butter (2 tbsp and 4 tbsp used separately)
- 500 g 500g / 1lb mushrooms, sliced (1/2 cm / 1/5" thick)
- 2 cloves 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 unit 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp 4 tbsp flour
- 2 cups 2 cups milk, any fat, any type
- 1 cup 1 cup cream, heavy / thickened (sub more milk if preferred)
- 2 cups 2 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium (or water + 2 stock cubes)
- 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups 2 cups cheese, shredded (cheddar, jack, colby – not mozzarella)
Instructions
Sear Chicken
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over high heat.
- Add the chicken, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1.5 minutes until golden.
- Turn the chicken, season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute until golden, then remove from the pot.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes, then chop or shred into small pieces.
Sauce & Pasta
- Preheat your oven to 160°C / 325°F.
- In the same pot, melt 4 tbsp butter over high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes until they start getting floppy, but not golden yet.
- Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking for another 3 minutes until the mushrooms are golden. Season halfway through with salt and pepper.
- Lower the heat to medium, add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Gradually add the milk while stirring for about 10 seconds until it thickens.
- Add the chicken stock, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir and let it cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Turn off the heat and add half the cheese, mixing it in until melted. Then add the pasta and chicken, tossing to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately!
Notes
This dish is perfect for using leftover roast chicken. Feel free to include cooked broccoli, spinach, or peas for added nutrition. Experiment with different cheeses for a unique flavor. Can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge, bake before serving. You can freeze it before baking. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking.