Why You’ll Love This this Chicken Tetrazzini
This chicken tetrazzini is basically comfort food magic in a casserole dish, with tender chicken, creamy rice, and melted cheese all baked together until bubbly and golden.
I love how it uses the chicken cooking water to make the rice, because why waste all that flavor when you can turn it into liquid gold for your grain?
The best part is probably the crispy French fried onions on top, which add that satisfying crunch that makes every bite feel like a little celebration in your mouth.
Ingredients List
This chicken tetrazzini calls for simple, pantry-friendly ingredients that come together to create something way more impressive than the sum of its parts.
- 2-3 boneless chicken breasts
- 1/8 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounce) cream of chicken soup
- 7 ounces Minute Rice (instant dry)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Diced onion (amount to taste)
- Seasonings for chicken (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder)
- French’s French fried onions or crushed potato chips for topping
Health Considerations:
- This recipe leans heavily into comfort food territory with cream soup, sour cream, and plenty of cheese, so it’s definitely more of a treat meal than an everyday healthy option
- You can lighten it up by using low-fat sour cream, reduced-sodium soup, or mixing in some frozen vegetables with the rice
- The instant rice saves time but lacks the fiber of brown rice, though you could substitute it if you don’t mind adjusting the cooking liquid
- At least you’re getting protein from the chicken and some calcium from all that cheese, right
Step by Step Directions
This comforting casserole layers seasoned chicken, rice, and cheese for a satisfying one-dish meal that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
- Prepare the chicken: Dice 2-3 boneless chicken breasts and boil in at least 2 cups of water until cooked through, then remove and reserve the cooking water for the rice.
- Sauté the chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken to a sauté pan with melted butter and diced onions, season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, then stir and coat for a couple of minutes.
- Cook the rice: Prepare the Minute Rice according to package directions using 1⅔ cups of the reserved chicken cooking water per 7 ounces of rice.
- Make the sauce: Mix together the sour cream and cream of chicken soup, adding additional seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the casserole: In a casserole dish, layer the ingredients in this order: cooked rice on the bottom, seasoned chicken, soup mixture, then shredded cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover and bake at 300°F for about 1 hour.
- Add topping (optional): Remove from oven, sprinkle with French fried onions or crushed potato chips, increase temperature, and bake revealed until the topping is crispy and browned.
For even better results, consider using a professional dutch oven set which provides superior heat distribution and retention for perfectly cooked casseroles.
Substitutions and Variations
• Make it lighter: Greek yogurt can replace some of the sour cream, and reduced-fat cheese still melts perfectly.
Nobody will know you’re being sneaky about it.
• Spice it up: A pinch of cayenne pepper, some Italian seasoning, or even a packet of onion soup mix transforms the whole dish into something your neighbors will smell and envy.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This hearty casserole practically begs for some fresh, crisp sides to balance out all that creamy, cheesy goodness.
- Simple green salad – Nothing fancy here, just mixed greens with a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness. Your taste buds will thank you for the palate cleanser.
- Steamed broccoli or green beans – These bright green vegetables add color to your plate and make you feel slightly less guilty about that second helping of tetrazzini.
- Garlic bread or dinner rolls – Because sometimes you just need more carbs to soak up all that delicious sauce. Who am I to judge your life choices.
- Roasted asparagus – Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast until slightly crispy. It’s fancy enough to make you feel like a real adult.
- Caesar salad – The anchovy-laden dressing somehow works perfectly with chicken tetrazzini, though I can’t explain the science behind it.
- Cranberry sauce – This might sound weird, but that tart sweetness pairs surprisingly well with the savory casserole, especially if you’ve added some Italian seasoning to the mix.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
After making this dish more times than I care to admit, I’ve picked up a few tricks that’ll save you from the same kitchen disasters I’ve narrowly avoided.
- Don’t skip saving that chicken water – I know it looks like murky soup, but that liquid gold is packed with flavor that’ll make your rice actually taste like something instead of sad, bland pellets.
- Undercook your rice just slightly – Since it’s going to bake for an hour, you want it a bit firmer than usual, or you’ll end up with mushy rice mush that nobody wants to eat.
- Season every single layer – The chicken, the rice, even that soup mixture needs a little love. Bland food is the enemy of happiness, and this casserole has too many components to let any of them phone it in.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes after baking – I know you’re hungry, but patience, grasshopper. This prevents the whole thing from becoming a molten lava situation that burns your tongue and makes you question your life choices.
- Shred your own cheese – Pre-shredded cheese has those anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly, which means you’ll get weird, rubbery chunks instead of that smooth, creamy layer you’re dreaming about.
- Add those crispy toppings at the very end – French fried onions or crushed chips will turn into sad, soggy disappointments if they bake the whole time. Give them just 5-10 minutes to get golden and crispy.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty casserole packs a solid nutritional punch with protein from chicken and cheese, carbs from rice, and calcium from dairy ingredients.
- Calories: Approximately 450-500 per serving (serves 6-8)
- Protein: 28-32 grams per serving from chicken and cheese
- Carbohydrates: 35-40 grams primarily from Minute Rice
- Fat: 20-25 grams from butter, sour cream, cheese, and soup
- Calcium: High content from cheese and dairy ingredients
- Sodium: Moderate to high due to canned soup and cheese
- Fiber: 1-2 grams (minimal from rice and vegetables)
- Cholesterol: 80-100mg from chicken, dairy, and butter
- Vitamin A: Present from butter and cheese
- Phosphorus: Good source from chicken and dairy products
- Potassium: Moderate amounts from chicken and dairy
- Iron: Small amounts from chicken
- Saturated Fat: 10-12 grams from cheese, butter, and sour cream
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its nutritional benefits, Chicken Tetrazzini carries fascinating stories that’ll surprise you.
Did you know this beloved casserole wasn’t named after a chef, but after Luisa Tetrazzini, an Italian opera singer who took America by storm in the early 1900s? She was so popular that chefs in San Francisco and New York both claim they created dishes in her honor.
The original versions used turkey, not chicken, and featured elaborate cream sauces with mushrooms and almonds.
Today’s simplified versions like mine make this operatic dish accessible for busy weeknight dinners while honoring its theatrical heritage.
