Sunday, October 21, 2007

Chicken Tetrazzini


Whenever I'm sick, feeling blue or there's a rainy day, nothing is better than homemade chicken or turkey tetrazzini. I used to pick some up from a little deli, but now since I've moved, I can't find anyone who makes it how I like it. So, I was forced to find the "Perfect" Tetrazzini recipe :) I really love this one b/c it's healthy without sacrificing any flavour. Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, March 2003.

Chicken Tetrazzini
This classic dish, created and named for 19th-century opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or turkey. The thin pasta soaks up the sauce, forming a casserole that you can cut with a fork. To make it easier to toss the pasta and sauce, break the vermicelli in half before cooking.

1 tablespoon butter(Smart Balance)
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion (I use the food processor to make it really fine)
2/3 cup finely chopped celery(Also in FP)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 3 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 (14.5-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
7 cups hot cooked whole grain linguini (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Add 1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add the pasta and chicken, and stir until blended. Pour pasta mixture in 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Thaw casserole completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 350º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

2 comments:

Carrie said...

This looks yummy... I have never had chicken tetrazzini... I should try it!

Eric Jasper said...

This so rocked! Thanks for the recipe. It's definitely not the old Marriott tetrazzini!