Chicken Tetrazzini

[Thanks for the Crepes]

This quote comes from "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker, last copyright date 1997:

"This dish [Chicken Tetrazinni] was created nearly a century ago by the great French chef Auguste Escoffier in honor of the legendary opera star Luisa Tetrazinni."

My well-tested recipe comes from the "Betty Crocker Cookbook", last copyright date 1976:

Chicken Tetrazinni

1/4 c butter or margarine (use butter, of course, and I’ve also used chicken fat)
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt (this will depend on the salt level of your broth)
1/4 t pepper
1 c chicken broth
1 c whipping cream (I use 2 % milk, and it’s delicious)
2 T sherry (I use 1/4 c good chardonnay)
7 oz [dry] spaghetti cooked and drained
2 cups cubed chicken or turkey
1 can (3 oz) sliced mushrooms drained
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. I like to cook this for a while until it’s smooth, bubbly, and has turned into a light blond roux. Remove from heat and stir in broth and cream or milk if that’s what you choose to use. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils and simmer 1 minute. Stir in wine, spaghetti, chicken and mushrooms.

Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan evenly. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly. If it hasn’t browned, they say to briefly broil it, but mine always browns nicely by the time it boils. Your oven my be different.

They say 6 servings, but we get more like 4 in my house, and we are older and not heavy eaters any longer. Might be different if you used cream, but my husband has a stent, so ...

This is a creamy umami bomb with homemade broth, chicken, mushrooms and Parm! I like to add a little more (like a 1/4 c each of broth and milk) because I like it creamy. I’ve also made it with fresh sliced sauteed mushrooms, and it’s even better, but very delectable even with canned ones. I’ve also made it with a chicken bouillion cube when I was younger, before I learned that making your own stock was worth it, and it’s still a good dish.

It’s been too long since I made it. I bought a fresh roasting chicken today, so I know what’s happening with some of the leftovers.

I hope if you make this that you will enjoy it as much as I have over 40 years. 

Edited April 23, 2016 by lesliec
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