Turkey Chicken Tetrazzini Bake (Printable View)

Tender turkey or chicken pasta bake with sweet peas and a crispy panko-parmesan topping, ready quickly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry & Dairy

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded turkey or chicken
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 0.5 cup sour cream
04 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pasta

06 - 8 oz cooked spaghetti or linguine, drained

→ Vegetables

07 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
08 - 0.5 small yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce & Seasonings

10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
12 - 0.5 tsp salt
13 - 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
14 - 0.25 tsp dried thyme
15 - 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

16 - 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 2 tbsp melted butter
18 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, 0.25 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg if using.
05 - Fold in cooked spaghetti, shredded turkey or chicken, and peas until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.
06 - In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and remaining 0.25 cup Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
07 - Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms humble leftovers into something so creamy and golden that nobody will believe you threw it together in your pajamas.
  • The whole thing lives in one dish, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy what you've made.
  • That panko crust gets impossibly crispy while the inside stays silky, and it genuinely tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
02 -
  • Don't skip thawing the peas—frozen peas release water as they cook, and that extra moisture will thin out your sauce and ruin the creamy magic.
  • If your sauce seems too thick before adding the pasta, thin it slightly with a splash of milk; it'll thicken more as everything bakes together.
03 -
  • Grating your own parmesan cheese instead of buying the pre-shredded stuff will change how smoothly your sauce comes together and how it melts into the pasta.
  • Keep that panko topping separate until you're ready to bake—mixing it with the butter too far in advance makes it absorb moisture and lose its crispness.
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