Chicken Tetrazzini

nytime the temperatures plunge into single digits, I lose interest in eating better in favor of hot, satisfying comfort food. This recipe has been a hit with my local peeps, and I think its worth the calories wherever you live. I did exclude the mushrooms, FYI, because though I love them, not everyone in my circle of friends is a fan. I also cooked the chicken in advance for another dish, so this attempt required far less butter.

For the most part, though, I followed this recipe as written, and it was indeed tasty. At first, I tried substituting skim milk and fat-free half-and-half, which never came together as a bechamel sauce. Once I switched over to the big league version of these ingredients, this came together as an absolutely Maury-worthy culinary moment:



Chicken Tetrazzini

Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis



Ingredients

* 9 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 cups whole milk, room temperature
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 12 ounces linguine
* 3/4 cup frozen peas
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.