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Chicken Tetrazzini pasta bake bubbling golden in a 9x13 pan fresh from the oven

Chicken Tetrazzini Pasta Bake

A big, bubbly pasta bake with juicy seared chicken, garlic butter mushrooms, and a rich homemade cheesy sauce. No canned soup, entirely from scratch and ready in about 75 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 669
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb spaghetti or other long pasta penne, macaroni, or ziti also work; cooked per packet directions
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter for searing chicken
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs breast or tenderloin also work
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter for the sauce
  • 1 lb mushrooms sliced 1/2 cm thick
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk any fat, any type
  • 1 cup heavy cream can substitute with more milk
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water plus 2 stock cubes
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby; divided; avoid mozzarella

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven
  • 9 x 13 inch baking pan
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over high heat. Add chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 and a half minutes until golden on the bottom.
  2. Flip chicken, season the other side, and cook 1 more minute until golden. Remove to a plate. Chicken does not need to be fully cooked through. Rest 5 minutes, then chop into small pieces or shred.
  3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
  4. In the same pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes until starting to soften.
  5. Add garlic and onion. Cook 3 minutes until mushrooms are golden, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper halfway through.
  6. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add milk and stir for about 10 seconds until the mixture begins to thicken.
  7. Add chicken broth, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and half a teaspoon pepper. Stir and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens enough to draw a clear line across the back of a wooden spoon. Do not over-thicken.
  8. Turn heat off. Stir in half the cheese until melted. Add cooked pasta and chopped chicken. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  9. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and smooth the surface. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Notes

Avoid tiny pasta like orzo or ditalini. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast through double-cooking. Let cooked pasta cool slightly before tossing in so it absorbs less sauce while baking. Do not over-thicken the sauce on the stovetop. For gluten-free, use GF pasta and 3.5 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water instead of flour. Leftovers keep in the fridge 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
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