Description
Classic Chicken Tetrazzini is a comforting and creamy baked pasta dish featuring tender chicken, mushrooms, and a rich white sauce made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. This recipe combines fettuccine noodles with a luscious mushroom and herb-infused sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and fresh parsley for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry fettuccini noodles
Sauce
- 3 cups cubed rotisserie or roast chicken meat (from a 3-4 pound chicken)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided, 2¼ sticks)
- ½ pound button mushrooms, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup semi-dry or dry white wine
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley (divided)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce base: In a large skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced mushrooms, chopped onion, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add herbs and deglaze: Stir in the chopped fresh thyme leaves. Pour in the white wine and cook until it reduces by half, about 3 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Make the roux: In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Incorporate liquids: Gradually whisk in the milk, heavy cream, and chicken broth into the roux. Continue whisking and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes. Add nutmeg, seasoned salt, kosher salt, and black pepper to season.
- Combine sauce and vegetables: Pour the thickened white sauce into the sautéed mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Add the cubed chicken meat and half of the Parmesan cheese. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Assemble the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked fettuccine noodles with the chicken and sauce mixture. Transfer to a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and half of the chopped parsley.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley before serving warm.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control saltiness in the dish.
- Rotisserie chicken can be substituted with leftover roast chicken or cooked chicken breast.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use whole milk, but sauce richness will be slightly reduced.
- Breadcrumb topping adds a lovely crunch; for gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Fresh thyme can be replaced with dried thyme, using about 1 teaspoon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
