Recipe Background
Grandma's Favorite Tetrazzini, a creamy and hearty dish, won over in-laws.
The creation of Grandma's Favorite Tetrazzini coincided with a particularly charming chapter in my culinary journey: the meet-the-parents meal with my future in-laws. Approaching this dinner was like tiptoeing on a tightrope, and I wanted a dish that was both comforting and impressive. With its creamy sauce enriched by a whisper of chardonnay, and the rustic charm of rotisserie chicken, Tetrazzini seemed the perfect choice. I still remember carefully slicing the mushrooms, envisioning them as currency in a bet for family approval.
The laughter-filled kitchen was an unexpected setting for culinary magic. As the sauce thickened with a gentle simmer, I stirred in thyme and parmesan, breathing deeply of its intoxicating aroma. A little tip I learned was to not rush adding the milk to the flour mixture; a slow, steady pour yields a smoother sauce. With linguine as the backdrop, each tangle soaked up the flavors beautifully. I'd always been fond of parmesan, but here it served as a unifying golden crust, assuring my nerves and signaling to my future mother-in-law that her child would never go hungry.
The meal warmed their hearts and affirmed my place within the family with each gooey, satisfying bite. Serving a Tetrazzini that evening was more than just putting food on the table; it forged an unbreakable bond through shared warmth and hearty laughter. My not-so-secret ingredient was the patience to let the bake rest a bit before serving, ensuring flawless slices and free-flowing compliments. I didn't just win a meal that day—I embraced a family and future.
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package linguine broken in half
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 (16-ounce) carton white mushrooms sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- coarsely ground salt to taste
- coarsely ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry white wine such as chardonnay
- 3 cups parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas thawed and drained
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly coat two 8-inch baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine about 2 minutes less than al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the water from the linguine and return it to the pot.
- While the linguine is cooking, in a large saucepan over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the mushrooms, the salt, and the black pepper to the melted butter cook, tossing frequently, until they are tender and browned, about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked mushrooms into a bowl.
- In the same saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining butter.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, whisking constantly, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the milk, the chicken broth, and the wine to the flour mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Reduce the heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add 2 cups of the parmesan cheese, the thyme, the salt, and the black pepper to the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted.
- Add the cheese sauce, the shredded chicken, the peas, and the cooked mushrooms to the cooked linguine and toss to combine.
- Add 1/2 of the tetrazzini to each of the prepared baking dishes and evenly sprinkle them with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- If serving both casseroles immediately, bake both of the tetrazzinis until the tops are lightly browned and the casseroles are heated through, about 30 minutes. Optionally, freeze 1 of the casseroles for future use.
- Transfer the baking dishes to a wire rack and let the tetrazzini stand, about 10 minutes.
- Serve.
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