Smoked Chicken Tetrazzini

Some weekends are made for getting out of the house, while others are perfect for staying in, taking it easy, and making something that takes a little more time.  This smoked chicken tetrazzini is my take on the classic comfort-food casserole, with smoky chicken, mushrooms, onions, and a creamy sauce topped with crispy breadcrumbs and Parmesan.  It takes a little more work than one of my typical weeknight meals.  Still, it’s exactly the kind of dish I enjoy making when I have a lazy weekend afternoon to spend in the kitchen.  You can also make it with rotisserie chicken or leftovers from my Whole Smoked Chicken recipe if you want to make things a little easier. 

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Ingredients:

3 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1.5 LBS)

8 TBSP butter

1 LB portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 large Vidalia onion, finely diced

8 cloves of garlic, finely diced

½ LB mozzarella, chopped into 1-inch cubes

⅓ cup AP flour

4 cups of 2% (or whole) milk

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 LB dried pasta

**Note: I used casarecce noodles in this dish, but you can use penne, ziti, rotini, macaroni, or whatever noodles you prefer. 

¾ cup frozen peas

1- 1.5 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese, crumbled into small bits

½ cup seasoned bread crumbs

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil 

Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Recipe:

  1. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and sauté for 6-7 minutes until they start to turn golden.  

  2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.

  3. Put the mushroom and onion mixture in a large bowl.  Add the previously cooked chicken and chopped mozzarella to the bowl, then toss to combine.

  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  5. Add 3 more tablespoons of butter to the sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and whisk frequently until it becomes a roux, about 2 minutes.

  6. Pour the milk, cream, and chicken stock over the roux and bring to a medium-high heat.  Whisk the sauce frequently to keep the milk and cream from scalding until it starts to bubble.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue whisking intermittently until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

  7. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

  8. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 9-10 minutes.

  9. When the pasta is ready, add ¼ cup pasta water to the bowl with the other ingredients.  Drain the pasta, then add it to the bowl along with the frozen peas.

  10. Pour the sauce into the bowl with your other ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated.

  11. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray, then pour in the pasta mixture.

  12. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and set aside.

  13. Cover your pasta mixture with seasoned breadcrumbs and parmesan, then drizzle the melted butter over the top.

  14. Once the oven is preheated, bake the casserole dish uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned.

  15. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!