Recipe Background
Homemade Supper Tetrazzini: a comforting dish with chicken and vermicelli, perfect for welcoming friends into a new home.
The first time I crafted this comforting homemade supper tetrazzini, I was a fresh face in a bustling new city, trying to find my footing. I had just moved into a quirky apartment with creaky floorboards that whispered stories of past tenants. My friends were due to come over to christen the place. The fridge was a hodgepodge of leftover items, a reflection of my limited moving budget. Pulling out a jar of mushrooms, remnants of last week's ambitious salad, and a bottle of slightly coveted dry white wine, I hatched the idea for this dish. Vermicelli was my go-to pasta of choice, always present in my pantry. Its long strands have a way of weaving through life’s ups and downs, much like the friends I anticipated at my table that night.
As the evening unfolded, the air filled with the nutty aroma of freshly grated parmesan and the comforting scent of chicken simmering in bouillon-infused milk. I stood at my stove, apron slightly askew, stirring flour into melted butter, whisking with determined vigour. A tip I quickly learned was whisking steadily until the mixture achieved that perfect, satiny smoothness. Adding just the right amount of seasoned black pepper gave it an unexpected warmth. The almonds, slivered with a patient hand, awaited their moment to crown the dish. When the tetrazzini emerged from the oven, golden and bubbly, it brought with it a sense of accomplishment. We gathered around, bowls in hand, savoring the rich tapestry of flavors that warmed us from the inside.
To this day, I’m reminded of that first dinner with my friends whenever I prepare this dish. It was a little celebration of newfound independence seasoned with laughter and shared stories, solidifying it as a staple in my cooking repertoire.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces vermicelli
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
- 1 teaspoon seasoned black pepper
- 2 cups parmesan cheese freshly grated, divided
- 4 cups chicken cooked and diced
- 1 (6-ounce) jar mushrooms drained and sliced
- 3/4 cup almonds slivered
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the vermicelli to al dente, according to the package directions.
- In a large Dutch oven over low heat, melt the butter.
- Add the flour to the melted butter, while whisking constantly, and cook until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to medium.
- Gradually add the milk and the wine to the flour mixture, while whisking constantly, and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the chicken bouillon granules, the seasoned black pepper, and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Transfer the Dutch oven from the stovetop to a wire rack.
- Add the cooked chicken, the mushrooms, and the cooked pasta to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
- Evenly spoon the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle the top with the almonds and the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes.
- Serve.
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