Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

How do you make this easy chicken Tetrazzini? 

Cook the pasta

1. Boil salted water (should taste like the sea). 
2. Cook pasta until just barely al dente. 
3. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Saute the veggies

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook mushrooms for 3 minutes.
2. Add onions and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden. 
3. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 
4. Transfer to a bowl with the chopped chicken.

Make the sauce

1. In the same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until lightly golden (about 1½ minutes). 
2. Slowly whisk in broth, lemon juice, Boursin, sherry, salt, and pepper until smooth. 
3. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Stir in lemon zest. 
4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the casserole

1. Return chicken, veggie mixture, parsley, and sauce to the pot. Stir well. 
2. Add reserved pasta water if you want a saucier texture. 
3. Spread evenly into a casserole dish and top generously with mozzarella and Jack cheese.

Bake and serve

1. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. 
2. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. 
3. Broil 1-2 minutes for golden spots if desired. 
4. Sprinkle with extra parsley and serve.

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If there’s enough left in the baking dish, simply cover it with plastic wrap. 
• Freezing: Freeze individual portions (once fully cooled) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven, covered with foil, to restore that freshly baked texture.
• Make-ahead: You can prep this whole dish and pop it into the fridge for 1-2 days until you’re ready to bake it. You may need to add some extra baking time if the chicken tetrazzini is fridge cold.
• Double the recipe: Make two pasta bakes by doubling up on the ingredients and store one (unbaked) in the freezer as a convenient make-ahead meal for those busy days! 
• Use freshly shredded cheese: Avoid pre-shredded cheese as this is often coated in anti-caking agents for a longer shelf-life. This prevents the cheese from melting as well and also dulls the flavor.
• Don’t overcook the pasta: I like to cook pasta for this recipe until al dente, shaving about 2 minutes off the recommended package directions as the pasta will continue to cook in the assembled casserole mixture in the oven. 
• Reserve pasta water: Reserving pasta water gives you a starchy, salted liquid that helps to adjust the consistency of the creamy sauce without flavor.
• Cook your own chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season 1.5 lbs chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side (halve large breasts lengthwise first). Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Variations:

• Veggie add-ins: Add thinly sliced zucchini rounds, chopped eggplant, or chopped artichoke hearts for additional flavor and texture, if you like.  
• Meaty twist: Use chopped bacon, ham, ground chicken, shredded or chopped turkey, or ground beef. 
• Crunchy toppings: A sprinkle of seasoned breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers over the top of the assembled pasta bake is great for a golden brown finish and for a slight crunch.
• Gluten-free chicken Tetrazzini: Use certified gluten-free pasta when making this dish. You will also need to make the butter-flour roux with a gluten-free flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent.  
• Spicy kick: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the white sauce for a lovely kick of heat in this pasta casserole.