Chicken Tetrazzini (1950s)
intro
Creamy, cheesy baked spaghetti with tender chicken and earthy mushrooms, a cozy 1950s American comfort food casserole made for shared family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep pasta and chicken
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 225g dry spaghetti and cook to al dente for 9 minutes, then drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks, place 450g chicken breasts in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, and poach for 12 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Remove chicken, let cool 5 minutes, then shred into 2.5cm (1-inch) bite-sized pieces.
Sauté vegetable base
In a large 30cm (12-inch) oven-safe skillet over medium heat, melt 56g (4 tablespoons) of the unsalted butter. Add 225g sliced cremini mushrooms and 110g finely diced yellow onion, cooking for 8 minutes and stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release all their liquid and turn deep golden, and onions are soft and translucent.
Make creamy cheese sauce
Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle 24g (3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour over the sautéed vegetables, and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in 480ml chicken broth, 240ml whole milk, and 60ml dry sherry, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, cook 3 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then stir in 75g (¾ cup) of the grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, stirring until the cheese fully melts into a smooth sauce.
Combine casserole filling
Reduce heat to low, add the drained cooked spaghetti, shredded poached chicken, and 75g frozen green peas to the creamy sauce. Toss gently with tongs for 2 minutes until all ingredients are evenly coated in sauce and the peas are just starting to thaw. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if desired.
Add crispy crumb topping
Melt the remaining 29g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, heating for 30 seconds on high power. Stir in 15g (2 tablespoons) plain breadcrumbs and the remaining 25g (¼ cup) grated Parmesan cheese until the mixture forms coarse, buttery crumbs. Sprinkle this crumb mixture evenly over the entire surface of the tetrazzini filling.
Bake until golden bubbly
Place the uncovered skillet in a preheated 190°C (375°F) oven, and bake for 25 minutes until the sauce is actively bubbling around the pan edges and the crumb topping is deep golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set properly.
Tips
2.The tiny pinch of ground nutmeg is a classic 1950s secret ingredient that adds warm, subtle depth to the creamy sauce; it will not make the dish taste spiced, so don’t skip it.
3.For an authentic retro 1950s touch, you can swap fresh mushrooms for well-drained canned sliced mushrooms if that is what you have on hand, though fresh mushrooms deliver a richer, earthier flavor.
OMG this is exactly the chicken tetrazzini my grandma used to make for Sunday dinners back in the day! I’ve been chasing that flavor for years and this nailed it—creamy, not too salty, the sherry adds that perfect little old-school kick. My kids picked the mushrooms out but still ate two servings each, total win. Making this again for my neighborhood potluck next month!
Super easy recipe, threw this together on a weeknight after work and it came together way faster than I expected. Only swap I made was using leftover smoked turkey from our weekend BBQ instead of chicken, and it slapped. Whole family cleaned their plates, even my picky teen who turns his nose up at anything with ‘casserole’ in the name.
Total game changer for meal prep! I divided this into 6 individual containers after it cooled, and it reheated perfectly in the microwave all week for lunch. No weird separated sauce, no soggy noodles—chef’s kiss. The cook time is totally accurate too, I didn’t have to spend all evening in the kitchen which is a huge win on busy Mondays.
I’m obsessed with testing 1950s vintage recipes and so many of them are total duds, but this one is a keeper! It’s rich but not heavy, the ratio of pasta to chicken to sauce is perfect, and that little hint of nutmeg? *Chef’s kiss* I served this with a side of buttered peas and a green salad just like they did at dinner parties back in the day, and my guests begged for the recipe.
Made this last night for dinner and WOW, SO good. I was worried it would be too fancy for my crew but nope—even my 4 year old who only eats chicken nuggets asked for seconds. I used egg noodles like the recipe said and they held up so much better than regular spaghetti for this. Will be adding this to our regular dinner rotation!
Really solid recipe, super easy to follow even for someone who burns toast half the time (hi, that’s me). Only reason it’s 4 stars instead of 5 is I thought it needed a little extra garlic for my taste, so I tossed in an extra clove when I made the sauce and it was perfect. Great base recipe to tweak to your family’s tastes!
I brought this to our church potluck on Sunday and people were lined up for seconds! The pan was completely scraped clean by the end of the meal, I didn’t even have leftovers to bring home. I added a little extra parmesan on top before baking and the crust was so crispy and cheesy. 10/10, will make for every potluck from now on.
This tastes exactly like the tetrazzini my high school cafeteria served (in the best way possible!) — IYKYK that creamy, savory, carby goodness that made Friday lunch days worth going to school for. I was worried the canned soup base would make it taste cheap but it’s perfectly balanced, no weird artificial aftertaste at all. So cozy for cold rainy nights.