Ingredients

Scale

Pasta + Filling

12 oz spaghetti (or linguine), broken in half if you prefer

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works great)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 cup frozen peas (optional but classic)

1 small onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Creamy Sauce

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk (or half-and-half for richer)

1/2 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional, traditional)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Topping

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (panko preferred)

2 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Prep & cook pasta:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cook spaghetti in salted water 1–2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.

Sauté veggies:
In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 6–8 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and it cooks off. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.

Make the sauce:
Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to the skillet. Sprinkle in flour and whisk 1 minute to cook off the raw taste. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then milk. Simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Combine:
In a large bowl (or the pot), toss pasta with chicken, mushroom mixture, peas, and sauce until evenly coated.

Top & bake:
Pour into prepared baking dish. Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan, then sprinkle evenly on top. Bake 25–30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cooking Tips

Don’t overcook the pasta—it finishes in the oven and stays perfectly tender.
Thicken the sauce enough so it coats the spoon; the pasta will absorb liquid as it bakes.
Rotisserie chicken is a huge time-saver and adds great flavor.
For extra depth, add a splash of white wine when sautéing mushrooms (let it cook off before making the roux).
Let it rest 10 minutes after baking so slices hold together better.

Variations

Turkey Tetrazzini: Swap chicken for leftover turkey (great after holidays).
Extra cheesy: Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone to the pasta mixture.
No canned soup version (this one): Creamy from scratch—no condensed soup needed.
Lighter option: Use 2% milk + Greek yogurt and reduce Parmesan slightly.
Gluten-free: Use GF spaghetti and a 1:1 GF flour blend for the roux; use GF breadcrumbs.
Veggie boost: Add sautéed spinach, diced bell peppers, or roasted broccoli.
Crunch upgrade: Mix in chopped toasted almonds with the breadcrumb topping.

Author: Emma
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 480
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 720mg
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 33g