Turkey Tetrazzini
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Oct. 17, 2024
This turkey tetrazzini is extremely flavorful and a great way to use leftover holiday turkey. Chicken would work just as well.

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe
Whenever we’re planning on having turkey or chicken leftovers, especially after the holidays, we can count on Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini to take poultry to a whole new level. Now this is a way to spin a bit of magic onto leftovers.
Tetrazzini is leveled up comfort food. Combine poultry and veggies with mounds of satisfying pasta. It’s an all-in-one meal that satisfies both young and old at the dinner table. A hunger-inducing aroma will beckon you while it cooks. Then, one bite leads to another until there’s nothing left of your leftovers.
Turkey Tetrazzini is an Easy Meal in One
This scrumptious pasta dish is a transformation of the ordinary into something extraordinary. With players like bacon, mushrooms, and cheese, Tetrazzini is an popular crowd-pleaser.
We love our Turkey/Chicken Tetrazzini with linguini noodles, but use whatever pasta you’re craving. The recipe includes a fair variety of spices, but it’s mostly stuff you probably already have.
Try this chicken cacciatore or buffalo chicken pasta for some other easy weeknight meals! Want more leftover turkey recipes? Try this turkey bolognese! It’s a true winner!
Panko Breadcrumbs Provide A Crispy Topping
In lieu of normal breadcrumbs, this Tetrazzini is adorned with crispy Panko breadcrumbs. It’s been around a long time, but Panko has more recently started gaining well-deserved popularity. Panko is the new breadcrumb.
If you’ve never used it, try Panko just once – you might become its next big fan. It’s extra crisp and light, and makes everything that much better. I use Panko with anything from casseroles to finger foods.
Enjoy the holiday meals with your beloved people, and create something wonderful out of what remains.
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Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 5 TB olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup broccoli, small florets
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried basil, or 1 TB freshly chopped
- 1 cup white wine, dry, see notes
- 2 cups chicken stock, low sodium
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp table salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 12 oz dry spaghetti or linguine noodles, uncooked
- 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 cups turkey, cooked and shredded
- ⅔ cup parmesan, freshly shredded, divided
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 TB parsley, freshly chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté 3 TB olive oil, onions, garlic, broccoli, and bell pepper in a deep/large pan on high for about 4 minutes.
- Add paprika, basil, wine, and chicken stock to the saucepan, stirring about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously-salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until just al dente, 8-9 minutes. Drain (do not rinse). Transfer pasta back to the empty pot and toss with 2 TB olive oil. Set aside.
- Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with oil. Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position.
- To the creamy sauce, add bacon, turkey, and 1/3 shredded Parmesan cheese Stir until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed
- Pour sauce into the pot of linguine and stir to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with panko and remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered until bubbly and golden, 20-25 minutes. If desired, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for leftover turkey after the holidays.
- You can also use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- Dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work well.
- If you wish to omit wine, sub with an extra cup of low-sodium chicken broth.
- Feel free to add 8 oz sliced mushrooms to the sautéed garlic and onions.
- You can substitute the red bell peppers and broccoli with peas or any other vegetables you like.
- You can use Italian seasoning in place of basil if you’d like.
- If desired, prepare extra cooked/crumbled bacon to top the casserole before baking.
- If you are short on time, you can also serve the linguine with the finished sauce and skip the panko topping/baking part. If you do this, cook the linguine a bit longer, according to the package instructions.
- This recipe is part of our Casserole Recipe Collection.
- Some Rosemary Garlic Bread or French Bread are perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce in this turkey tetrazzini.