Recipe

Chicken Tetrazzini (Chicken & Mushroom Pasta Bake)

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Serves: 4

This pasta bake, with its creamy sauce and earthy mushroom flavour, will soon become a family favourite. Ready to go to the dinner table in about an hour, this is a reliable recipe to add to your weekly meal plan.

Ingredients

1 lb (0.5 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup (125 mL) water, boiling
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) sea salt
1 tsp (5 mL) black pepper, freshly ground
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 oz (15 g) dried mushrooms (porcinis or chanterelles)
1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
1/2 lb (0.3 kg) whole wheat spaghetti
1 can evaporated milk, partly skimmed, 2% MF
1/2 cup (125 mL) Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup (60 mL) basil, fresh

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 400ºF. Put dry Porcini mushrooms in bowl and add boiling water to just cover. Set aside and soak for a few minutes.
2 Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces removing any visible fat.
3 Heat olive oil in a saucepan, big enough to hold all the ingredients, over medium high heat. Brown chicken pieces on both sides and season with salt and pepper.
4 Add the mushrooms with the soaking water to the pan along with the minced fresh garlic, sliced mushrooms and wine. Turn down the heat. Simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced by one-third (about 20 minutes).
5 Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in unsalted boiling water according to package cooking time. Drain well.
6 Add canned milk to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and season with freshly minced basil. Add the drained spaghetti to the creamy chicken sauce and toss well.
7 Transfer to a 23 x 33 cm (9x13”) ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes in the oven until bubbly and golden brown.
8 To serve, divide among four plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves.