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Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 90 reviews

Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini is a comforting baked pasta casserole featuring tender chicken, spaghetti, and a rich, creamy sauce made with Velveeta, sour cream, and a blend of cheeses. Enhanced with sautéed onions, garlic, and seasoned spinach, this dish is finished with a crunchy French fried onion topping for added texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Broth

  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbsp Knorr chicken bouillon

Pasta

  • 16 oz spaghetti (broken in half before boiling)

Sauce

  • 2–3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1½ cups reserved chicken broth (plus extra as needed)
  • 1 (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 tsp Tony’s Creole seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Cheese Topping

  • 8 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (divided)
  • 4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

Crunchy Topping

  • About 3 oz French fried onions, crushed by hand

Instructions

  1. Cook Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a large stockpot and fill it about ¾ full with water. Add the chicken bouillon to the water and bring it to a boil. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, approximately 15–20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred or dice it into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Cook Pasta in Broth: Using the same pot with the chicken broth, crack the spaghetti noodles in half and cook them until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving at least 2 cups of the broth to use in the sauce. About 1½ cups are typically needed, but keep extra broth on hand for adjusting the sauce consistency.
  3. Make the Sauce: In a skillet or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion along with Tony’s Creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream, then stir in the cream of chicken soup. Add the cubed Velveeta cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is smooth. Mix in about ¾ cup of the reserved chicken broth thoroughly.
  4. Finish the Sauce: Stir the sour cream into the sauce along with the thawed, squeezed dry spinach and half of the shredded Colby Jack cheese. Add more chicken broth as needed to achieve a creamy and pourable consistency, usually about 1½ cups total broth will be incorporated.
  5. Assemble the Casserole: Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread the cooked spaghetti noodles evenly in the dish as the base layer. Top with the shredded chicken. Pour the creamy sauce over the noodles and chicken, gently tossing everything in the dish so the noodles are fully coated with the sauce.
  6. Add Cheese and Crunchy Topping: Sprinkle the remaining shredded Colby Jack cheese and all the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Crush the French fried onions lightly by hand and scatter about 3 ounces over the casserole’s surface for a crunchy topping.
  7. Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for another 20–25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
  8. Rest and Serve: Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes after baking to allow the sauce to thicken slightly before serving. This resting period ensures a creamy and luscious texture.

Notes

  • Breaking the spaghetti in half before cooking helps it fit better in the casserole dish and is easier to serve.
  • Reserving chicken broth from cooking both the chicken and pasta adds flavor and controls sauce consistency.
  • Squeezing excess moisture from thawed spinach prevents the casserole from becoming watery.
  • The French fried onion topping adds a delightful crispy texture contrast to the creamy casserole.
  • Adjust seasonings to taste as Tony’s Creole seasoning can be spicy for some palates.
  • Allowing the dish to rest after baking helps the flavors meld and thickens the sauce.

Keywords: Chicken Tetrazzini, creamy chicken pasta casserole, baked chicken pasta, cheesy chicken casserole, comfort food casserole

Find it online: https://www.sanacooks.com/creamy-chicken-tetrazzini-recipe/