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 