Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 8 Servings

If you love a good chicken and pasta bake swathed in a rich and creamy sauce, chicken tetrazzini will be right up your alley. Chances are that you’ve likely heard of this crowd-pleasing casserole, even if you have yet to make it. And what you need to know is that it’s the MVP of creamy, comforting casseroles. This version is mixed with linguine pasta, juicy shredded chicken, buttery mushrooms, and peas, all swimming in a luxe sauce and topped with a blanket of toasted panko and Parm.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (scant 1/3 cup store-bought or 1/2 cup grated on the small holes of a box grater)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for the pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces cooked boneless chicken (about 3 cups)
1 pound dried linguine
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Dice 1 medium yellow onion and mince 3 garlic cloves. If needed, finely grate 1 ounce Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 lightly packed cup).
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out the pot if there are still breadcrumbs inside.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and onions start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the Dutch oven. When melted, add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, stir to coat the vegetables (it will be a little clumpy), and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, the remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and stir until no lumps of flour remain. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop or shred 12 ounces cooked chicken (about 3 cups).
Add 1 pound dried linguine to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions, about 7 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta, chicken, and 1 cup frozen peas to the sauce. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Add the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the cooled panko, and stir to combine. Scatter evenly over the casserole.
Bake uncovered until lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.