Classic Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazzini

A baked casserole made with chicken or turkey, pasta, mushrooms and cheese that's easy enough for weeknights and delicious enough for special occasions and is PERFECT for leftover turkey!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. KEY INGREDIENTS FOR TETRAZZINI
3. 8 TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

Chicken (or turkey) tetrazzini is an American classic! And I’d never made it.

Or eaten it.

Of course, I'd never made green bean casserole until I was in my forties either but that doesn't mean I’m not a good ol’ American girl!

It’s probably because, until recently, I've avoided cream of whatever soups at almost all costs. But y’all, I’m telling you, they have come a long, long way with creamed soups.

So anyway, I decided I wanted to make it this weekend and I’m so glad I did! I looked at tons of recipes to get an understanding of the basics and came up with these must-haves:

KEY INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) TETRAZZINI

• Spaghetti or linguine
• Cooked chicken or turkey
• Mushrooms
• Creamed soup (or homemade version)
• White wine or vermouth
• Mozzarella or cheddar cheese

I went with linguine because I wanted something a little sturdier than spaghetti, white wine because it’s what I had, and cheddar because I wanted something that would stand up to all the creamy components a little more than mozzarella would.

I didn't add parmesan, though I see that a lot of recipes do. I didn't want things to feel too Italian so I didn't add any parm but feel free to add it to yours!

8 TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) TETRAZZINI

1 - You'll need to have about 4-5 cups cooked cubed or chopped chicken or turkey. Leftovers and rotisserie chicken are great in this!

2 - You can use cream of chicken, celery, onion, mushroom or any combination of the lot in this recipe – just use 2 cans total.

3 - Use a dry white wine like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.

4 - You can substitute chicken broth for the wine if you must but I highly recommend using the wine as it brightens the flavor and balances all the creamy components.

5 - Baby bella or button mushrooms are best in this.

6 - Though I haven’t done it myself, I hear tetrazzini freezes beautifully. 

7 - You can absolutely cut this recipe in half. Divide all ingredients exactly in half and bake for 20-25 minutes.

8 - Breaking the pasta in half makes it easier to work with and serve. 

Recipe for Classic Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazzini

Classic Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazzini

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Tetrazzini made with chicken or turkey, pasta, mushrooms, wine (optional) and cheese is easy enough for weeknight meals and special enough for special occasions and is the PERFECT casserole recipe for leftover turkey!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. linguine pasta
• 4 cups cooked chicken
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 8-12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Break pasta in half then cook in liberally salted water per manufacturer’s instructions for al dente preparation. Drain well then set aside. If not immediately mixing the cooked pasta, rinse to ensure it doesn't stick together.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. While pasta is cooking, sauté mushrooms in butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until mushrooms start to brown. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
4. Add wine to mushrooms, stir to deglaze the pan then simmer for 6-8 minutes or until wine is reduced by about half.
5. Take a minute to appreciate that beautiful mushroom wine reduction you just made. You go, girl.
6. Combine soups (unprepared), sour cream, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl then stir until well combined and creamy.
7. Add mushrooms, pasta and chicken to soup mixture then stir to combine.
8. Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 baking dish then cover with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is starts to brown.

Notes

• You'll need to have about 4-5 cups cooked cubed or chopped chicken or turkey. Leftovers and rotisserie chicken are great in this!
• You can use cream of chicken, celery, onion, mushroom or any combination of the lot in this recipe – just use 2 cans total.
• Use a dry white wine like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.
• You can substitute chicken broth for the wine if you must but I highly recommend using the wine as it brightens the flavor and balances all the creamy components.
• Baby bella or button mushrooms are best in this.
• Though I haven’t done it myself, I hear tetrazzini freezes beautifully. 
• You can absolutely cut this recipe in half. Divide all ingredients exactly in half and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Breaking the pasta in half makes it easier to work with and serve. 

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Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2015

chicken, turkey, tetrazzini, leftover, rotisserie, pasta, best, how to, cream of, soup, cheese, mushrooms, casserole, bake, thanksgiving

dinner, casserole

american