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This creamy, easy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe is the perfect baked pasta casserole! It’s full of delicious flavors and will keep you full and satisfied. Packed with tender chicken, vegetables, two kinds of cheese, and rich sour cream, it’s also made with gluten-free spaghetti!
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Cozy casseroles are one of my favorite things! Chicken tetrazzini ticks all the boxes I look for in a baked meal: filling chicken plus pasta plus a creamy, cheesy sauce. You’ll add vegetables like mushrooms and peas for flavor and nutrition, then toss in a bit of crunch from breadcrumbs. Lots of salty cheese and sour cream make this one to remember! Plus, it’s entirely gluten-free.
Chicken tetrazzini is also a fun recipe because it’s not made with a tube pasta like ziti or penne as many baked pasta casseroles are. Instead, you’ll fold in spaghetti noodles for an unexpected twist. In fact, easy chicken tetrazzini is sometimes known simply as “chicken spaghetti”. But whatever you call it, I have a feeling that everyone will love it!
This is a dish that will stay with you, meaning that you won’t be hungry again until long after dinner time is over. It’s made with gluten-free pasta and other naturally gluten-free ingredients so you don’t have to worry about substitutions. This is one of our favorite cozy meals, and I hope you’ll enjoy it, too.
What Is Chicken Tetrazzini?
Chicken tetrazzini is a type of baked casserole consisting of diced chicken (although you could also use turkey or seafood), mushrooms, pasta, and a rich and creamy sauce. In this version of chicken tetrazzini, I’ve used gluten-free noodles and made the butter-based sauce gluten-free by using cornstarch to thicken it rather than flour.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pasta Dish
I love to make a comforting baked dish on cool fall nights. I can put this together a few hours before I want to serve it, too, which makes the dinner rush, well, less of a rush. Here’s why you’ll love this easy chicken tetrazzini:
- Gluten-free casserole perfection. This is a super easy recipe to adapt to being gluten-free. Simply swap the pasta called for in a traditional chicken Tetrazzini recipe for gluten-free pasta (I prefer Jovial brand for the best results), and make the sauce with cornstarch, a naturally gluten-free binder that helps to create a thick, creamy sauce.
- Hearty and nourishing. This casserole is packed with tender chicken and filling vegetables like mushrooms to truly satisfy.
- Simple to adapt. You can adapt this recipe to your tastes or needs. See some of my tips below for how to make this chicken Tetrazzini recipe dairy-free or even vegetarian! You can also add more vegetables if you like – carrots would be a natural addition to this casserole.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s the list of everything you’ll need to make this chicken tetrazzini recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Gluten-free Spaghetti Noodles: I tested this with Barilla and Jovial pasta. Both tasted good, but the Barilla pasta broke into small pieces when it was baked. I preferred the brown rice Jovial spaghetti.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is best!
- Mushrooms: I used white button mushrooms in this recipe but you could also use cremini.
- Yellow Onion: Or substitute red or white onion.
- Garlic: To give a good, flavorful base to this dish.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder combines with fresh onion for a savory undertone.
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a wonderful gluten-free thickener in sauces.
- Chicken Broth: Make sure to use gluten-free chicken broth.
- Milk: You can use whole milk or 2% milk.
- Cooked Chicken: I used a rotisserie chicken. You could cook chicken breast or use chicken from a whole roast chicken or air fryer whole chicken. Make sure the total amount equals what’s called for in the recipe.
- Sour Cream: Whole-fat sour cream gives the best flavor and richness!
- Frozen Peas
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella incorporates the best into the tetrazzini.
- Parmesan Cheese
- Gluten-free Breadcrumbs: Use your preferred brand of gluten-free breadcrumbs or make them from gluten-free bread.
- Fresh Parsley: To garnish.
How To Make Chicken Tetrazzini
I’ve outlined my chicken tetrazzini method below. Note that the recipe doesn’t include cooking the chicken. I used rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and spray the baking dish.
- Cook the spaghetti. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then cook the pasta to just less than al dente. Drain and rinse.
- Cook the mushrooms and butter. While the pasta is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter butter and olive oil over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms until golden, about 10 minutes. Add more butter to the pan, along with the diced onion. Cook until the onion is softened.
- Make the sauce. Add the garlic, seasonings, and cornstarch and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the broth and milk. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved then bring to a simmer. Whisk for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the peas, chicken, spaghetti, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the top and stir to combine.
- Assemble the casserole. Spread the noodles into your baking dish and cover with the remaining mozzarella.
- Add the topping. Melt the remaining butter then stir in the parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese on the casserole.
- Bake the casserole. Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Rest and enjoy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Allow the dish to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips that will help you to make a wonderful chicken tetrazzini:
- Use different breadcrumbs. You can swap gluten-free panko or crushed gluten-free crackers for breadcrumbs if you wish.
- Omit the peas. If you don’t care for peas or don’t have them on hand, you can leave them out.
- Make it dairy-free. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute your preferred non-dairy butter for the butter, substitute plant-based milk for the milk, and use a dairy-free sour cream or yogurt for the sour cream.
- Try different proteins. You can swap the chicken for turkey or ham, or try fish (a white fish like cod works well) for a different protein choice.
- Do a vegetarian chicken tetrazzini. While chicken is the star of this casserole, you can easily make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken. You can add more mushrooms, eggplant, or diced, cooked red bell peppers (or a mixture) to add more heft to the casserole.
Make It A Meal
Chicken tetrazzini is such a cozy, filling casserole it doesn’t need much extra. But I love to add some vegetables or a fresh salad to balance out the richness of this dish. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve with chicken tetrazzini:
- Add a salad. An Easy Greek Salad is wonderful when paired with chicken tetrazzini. Or try my Caprese Zoodles Salad, Italian Country Salad, or refreshing Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese.
- Pair with a green vegetable. A simple green vegetable is perfect with a casserole. My Air Fryer Broccoli is a nice and light side dish that would go well with this chicken tetrazzini recipe.
- Serve with garlic bread. Add a side of my flavorful Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks to a serving of chicken tetrazzini!
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
Leftover cooled chicken tetrazzini can be stored in the casserole dish, tightly covered with foil, or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat portions in the microwave until hot. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe because the pasta can get mushy after being frozen, thawed, and then reheated.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 1 pound /453 grams gluten-free spaghetti noodles
- ½ cup /113 grams unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
- 8 ounces /227 grams white button mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup/75 grams yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup /32 grams cornstarch
- 2 cups/480 ml gluten-free chicken broth
- 2 cups/480 ml milk
- 1 pound/453 grams cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup/240 grams sour cream
- ¾ cup/98 grams frozen peas
- 1 ½ cups/132 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup/20 grams grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup/60 grams gluten free breadcrumbs
- Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes, just less than al dente texture. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, add 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 10 minutes
- Add 4 tablespoons butter, and diced onion. Stir well and cook until the onion is softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper and cornstarch. Cook while stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and milk and whisk until the starch is dissolved. Bring to a simmerwhile whisking slowly. Continue to cook and whisk for 5 minutes until it thickens.Remove from heat.
- Whisk the sour cream into the sauce.
- Rinse the peas with warm water to remove any ice. Add the peas, chicken, cooked spaghetti and ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to a large bowl. Pour the cream mixture over the noodles. Stir together to combine. (You can also do this directly in the baking dish).
- Spread the noodles into your baking dish and cover with the remaining mozzarella.
- Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Combine the melted butter with the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Stir until well-coated. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbly
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Allow the dish to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Time listed does not include cooking chicken. I used rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- I tested this with Barilla and Jovial pasta. Both tasted good, but the Barilla pasta broke into small pieces when it was baked. I preferred the brown rice Jovial spaghetti.
- Peas can be omitted.
- Substitute GF panko or crushed GF crackers for breadcrumbs.
Did you make this?
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