Chicken Tetrazzini

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This recipe makes use of lots of butter.  Not for the faint of heart.  On the flip side, it makes 12-servings.  You can always opt cut everything by half, but it takes just as long to prepare this meal.  The dish is almost creamy in texture and deliciously rich and flavorful.  Of course it is . . . it has more than a stick of butter in it! 

1 lb. cooked thin spaghetti
4 cups rotisserie chicken (i.e. one chicken), pulled off the bone and cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb. fresh mushroom, cleaned and sliced (an extra half lb. won't hurt)
9 or 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon parsley (dried or fresh, finely chopped)
1 tablespoon thyme, dried
4 cups    whole milk
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Butter a large (9" x 12") casserole dish.

In a 12” skillet, over medium heat, saute sliced mushrooms lightly in 1 or 2 tablespoons butter.  Mushrooms should be slightly limp.  Remove mushrooms from skillet, including any liquid.

Melt remaining butter in pan and stir in the flour.  Cook on a medium flame, stirring constantly.  Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Cook until bubbly.  Stir in the milk and continue cooking until the liquid thickens (stirring constantly).  Bring to a boil for one minute (turn up heat if necessary), stirring constantly.  Stir in the wine, chicken, and mushrooms and mix well.  Pour into casserole dish and cover with the cheese.  Bake in a 400ºF oven for 25 minutes and conclude by broiling so the top browns slightly.

Serve with garlic bread and a side dish of vegetables.  Or just eat it straight out of the casserole. 

Note:  Instead of garlic and onion powder, an option is to use 1 large onion, finely diced (or grated) and 5 cloves of garlic, minced.  Add at the end, with the mushrooms.

 

Slice mushrooms medium thickness.

Cook in 1 or 2 tablespoons butter until limp

Butter mixed with flour in skillet.  Stir continuously until bubbly.

12 servings.  Good for a crowd or lots of leftovers.  Reheat in microwave.  About 1.5 minutes for a serving or two.  Even better, melt a bit of butter and reheat in a skillet, covered.  At the end, crank up the heat to caramelize the bottom.