Tetrazzini

Classic Chicken Tetrazzini

A creamy American casserole of spaghetti, mushrooms, peas, and chicken bound with a rich Parmesan béchamel and baked under a golden cheese crust. Born in early-20th-century America and named for opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, it is pure weeknight comfort food.

Prep

20 min

Cook

35 min

Total

55 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •225 g (½ lb) spaghetti
• •60 g (½ cup) unsalted butter
• •200 g (7 oz) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
• •60 g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
• •900 ml (3¾ cups) whole milk, warm
• •250 ml (1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
• •60 ml (¼ cup) dry sherry or dry white wine, optional but traditional; substitute extra broth if omitting
• •150 g (1¼ cups) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, plus more for pasta water
• •2 g (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •2 g (½ tsp) ground nutmeg
• •350 g (12 oz) cooked chicken, poached or roasted, shredded or diced; turkey works equally well
• •150 g (1 cup) frozen peas, thawed
• •120 g (1 cup) shredded Gruyère or mild white cheddar, for the topping
• •30 g (½ cup) panko breadcrumbs, optional, for crunch

Steps

1. 1 Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes shy of al dente (it will finish in the oven), drain, and toss with 1 tsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. 2 Meanwhile, melt 30 g (¼ cup) of the butter in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt; sauté until they release their liquid and turn golden, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 In the same pan, melt the remaining 45 g (¼ cup) butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
4. 4 Slowly whisk in the warm milk, then the chicken broth and sherry. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5–7 minutes.
5. 5 Off the heat, whisk in 100 g (¾ cup) of the Parmesan, the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning; the sauce should be well seasoned.
6. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Butter a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) baking dish.
7. 7 Stir the cooked spaghetti, sautéed mushrooms, chicken, and peas into the sauce until everything is evenly coated.
8. 8 Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread level. Top with the shredded Gruyère, the remaining 50 g (about ¼ cup) Parmesan, and the panko if using.
9. 9 Bake uncovered until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is deeply golden brown, 20–25 minutes. The center should register at least 74°C / 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
10. 10 Let the casserole rest 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets; it will continue to thicken as it stands. Serve hot, straight from the dish.