Returning from vacation is no fun. Normally it is bad, but this time I literally felt like I jumped into a deep pool of cold water – I can hardly catch my breath. I am just hoping that Friday gets here quickly – I am definitely looking forward to getting back to the kitchen – although I haven’t had a minute to think about what I will make. That is a good problem to have.
We ate extremely well last week – so well, that when I went to the cafeteria yesterday (I actually had 10 minutes of free time to run downstairs), nothing looked appetizing. I hate that. I ended up with a salad – which worked out fine – but as I walked upstairs, I thought about the amazing Asparagus Souffle I had for lunch the previous Monday. Every bite was perfect – and just melted in my mouth. I can’t wait to go back for more.
Before we left on vacation, my husband was travelling for work – which means break out the pasta and the dairy. This time I let the girls make all the decisions, and I must say they did quite well picking out our dinners – this one from Cooking Light. Chicken Tetrazzini is one of those dishes that I often crave. There is nothing quite like a big casserole of noodles, chicken and a tasty white creamy sauce. The girls were not thrilled with the peas, but they ate most of them anyway because the rest of the dish was so delicious. This was a little more involved than I thought it would be – but completely worth it. The best part, this definitely serves a crowd – we invited our neighbors over at the last minute, and we still had leftovers. Exactly what I could use this week…
Ingredients
- 10 ounce uncooked linguine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk
- 2.5 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1 ounce 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add stock and milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion, garlic, and thyme; sauté 3 minutes. Add wine; cook 1 minute. Combine milk mixture, mushroom mixture, pasta, chicken, and peas; toss to combine. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Place bread in a food processor; drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Process until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano; sprinkle evenly over pasta. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Top with parsley.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Chicken Tetrazzini
First Look, Then Cook 
How you managed to get a blog post up so soon after your trip is amazing to me! I’m still recovering and haven’t had a chance to really be in the kitchen. I know exactly what you mean about feeling like you jumped into ice cold water. You’ll have to let me know about your trip. I’m sure it was amazing (and delicious!). Here’s to a speedy recovery and return to the routine.
How was your trip? I have not had chicken tetrazzini in ages. That sounds really good! Have a super weekend. BAM