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baked spaghetti with cooked skinless chicken thigh pieces, sliced mushrooms and green peas in a pale sauce under a thin golden breadcrumb crust in a plain baking dish
Andre Lewis

Chicken Tetrazzini

Mushrooms need time to lose their water before flour and milk turn their browned base into the tetrazzini sauce. Keep the spaghetti a little firm before baking because it will absorb more liquid under the lid. The crumb topping only needs the final uncovered stretch to turn golden. Beneath that crust, the casserole should stay spoonable, with chicken, peas and mushrooms visible among the strands instead of a dry block you have to cut.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dry spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt for chicken and sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Cook spaghetti in water with the tablespoon salt until 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain.
  2. Meanwhile, season chicken with its salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook chicken for 7 to 8 minutes until at least 165°F; transfer to a plate. Cook mushrooms and onion in the skillet for 7 to 8 minutes until their water evaporates.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in sherry, broth and milk and simmer for 4 minutes until lightly thickened, then fold in chicken, peas, Parmesan and spaghetti.
  4. Transfer to a deep 9-by-13-inch, 4-quart baking dish. Melt remaining butter, toss with panko and scatter over the surface; cover the dish loosely with foil.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover for 10 to 12 minutes until the crumbs are golden and the center reaches 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.