Elevated Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

If you are looking for the ultimate dish for a special date night dinner, we've got you covered with this elevated chicken tetrazzini recipe from the kitchen of Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye. Although originally a comforting, family-pleasing weeknight meal that calls for canned soup, our version, with gourmet ingredients and fresh, scratch-made elements, is decidedly more sophisticated. Despite the fact that this creamy mushroom, chicken, and spaghetti dish is perfect for a weekend night, it takes just over an hour to make. Since the casserole spends half of that time baking to perfection in the oven, you'll have plenty of time to get yourself ready, too.

To add elegance to this popular baked pasta recipe, we use a mixture of porcini and cremini mushrooms fried in plenty of butter and garlic. These are combined with succulent pan-fried chicken chunks in a rich sauce of chicken broth, cream, and a generous helping of Parmesan before being spread over spaghetti and baked until bubbling and golden. If you've ever wondered why this creamy Italian-American baked spaghetti dish is called a tetrazzini, it was, in fact, originally devised at the start of the 20th century as a tribute to renowned opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini. So why not channel your own inner diva and whip up this creamy, dreamy gourmet chicken tetrazzini dish in the comfort of your own kitchen? What better way to say "I love you" than with spaghetti?

To begin this elevated chicken tetrazzini recipe, first, you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want dried porcini mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, spaghetti, chicken breasts, and salt and pepper. To make the rich, creamy sauce, you will also need butter, olive oil, garlic cloves, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, cream, and grated Parmesan. For that restaurant finish, you might also want some chopped parsley as a garnish.

Soak the porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, or according to packet instructions, until rehydrated.

Drain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat a large pan of salted water until it is simmering.

Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.

Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan to a medium-high heat.

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper.

Pan fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes until browned. At this stage it doesn't need to be cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pan.

Add to the pan 1 tablespoon butter, the chestnut mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, and the crushed garlic.

Saute for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter along with the flour, stirring well to coat the mushrooms.

Add the chicken stock to the pan along with ½ cup reserved mushroom liquid, and stir well.

Pour in the cream and continue to stir until the mixture has thickened.

Add the chicken and ¼ cup Parmesan to the pan and mix everything together.

Place the spaghetti into an oven-safe dish.

Pour the mushroom and chicken sauce over the top of the spaghetti.

Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.

Place into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and serve.

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If you are looking for a way to adapt this elevated chicken tetrazzini recipe, there are plenty of quick and easy swaps and switch-ups you can try to make this dish your very own. Tetrazzini dishes are most often made using turkey or chicken; however, you can also incorporate other meats such as crumbled sausage, bacon, or pork, for something a little different. Similarly, adding different types of mushrooms helps to add your own spin on this recipe. If you want to elevate it further, you can try incorporating chanterelles or morels, and there is always room for the humble button mushroom if you are looking for something a little more affordable. Spinach, peas, and zucchini are also great additions if you are looking to add some more color and nutrition to this pasta dish.

To add extra depth to the sauce, why not add a splash of white wine or sherry? Additionally, to make things a little simpler, you can always swap out the chicken broth and cream and instead use a combination of cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup to make an equally delicious and rich sauce. Finally, if you are looking for a little more texture, add breadcrumbs to the top of the dish before baking for plenty of crunch.

There's often nothing better than enjoying the leftovers of a great dish the next day, when the flavors have had time to develop and your taste buds are ready for round two. This elevated chicken tetrazzini recipe is no exception, and you'll be pleased to know that it lasts well for 3 days in the fridge. Just remember to wait until it is cool before transferring it to an airtight container so that it is kept at its best when refrigerated. As this recipe contains cream, we don't recommend freezing the dish, as the freezing process will potentially cause the cream to break down, resulting in a less-than-optimal sauce.

To best reheat any dish with pasta, including this chicken tetrazzini recipe, it can easily be warmed up in the microwave in portions. Alternatively, you can simply return the tetrazzini to the oven covered with foil, and once the dish is piping hot and bubbling, it is ready to be enjoyed once again.

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