Chicken Tetrazzini

(from Aletia Thompson)

Sweet Sister-friend! Oh my, my mouth is watering over this recipe… I’ve had this dish a few times at Aletia and Frank’s house, and at LT and Woody’s house. Not only am I delighted to receive this recipe to share with you, but it’s another fab tribute to the Butter Babes because of the large amounts of BUTTER, bien sur.

While there are a lot of ingredients, do not let them bog you down. If I can make this, anybody can. I guarantee your friends and family will request this over and over and over again. It’s definitely in the comfort food category. Plus, this would be a lovely dish to take to someone in need of a meal. (Maybe make it in two square pans instead of a 9 x 13: one for you and one for someone else.)

And now, from Aletia:

Ingredients
First Step:
1 box of pasta (I like using fettuccine noodles…make sure not to overcook them since you’ll be baking the dish in the oven for 25-35 min.)
3-4 Tablespoons of BUTTER
6-10 Portabella Mushrooms or Button Mushrooms, chopped very fine
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon salt

Second Step: Alfredo Sauce:
Freshly minced garlic
1 heaping Tablespoon of Chicken Base Bouillon (organic)
3-4 Tablespoons of BUTTER
3 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
¼ teaspoon of Paprika
1 ½ teaspoon of Salt
¼ teaspoon of Pepper
1/8 teaspoon of Nutmeg (optional)
Dash of Onion Salt
Dash of Celery Salt
2 Cups of freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese
3 Tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Can Cream of Chicken with Herb Soup
2 ½ Cups of Chicken Broth
1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Roasted Organic Chickens (I usually pick these up at my local grocery, already roasted and ready to take home.)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 25-35 minutes, leaving the aluminum foil on until the last five minutes of baking.

First Step:

  • Cook pasta in heavily salted water.

  • While pasta is cooking—I heat my iron skillet up and add 3-4 Tablespoons BUTTER.

  • When BUTTER is melted, I add my finely chopped mushrooms and cook on lower heat, adding ½ teaspoon salt and the lemon juice.

  • Continue stirring often while cooking on very low heat until pasta is ready and drained.

  • Add pasta to iron skillet with the BUTTER/mushroom/lemon sauce and mix thoroughly.

  • I generously add lemon/garlic pepper, covering with foil and set aside.

Second Step: Alfredo Sauce

  • Melt 3-4 Tablespoons BUTTER and remove from heat.

  • Stir in 3 Tablespoons flour until thoroughly mixed (3 minutes or so).

  • Put back on low heat and add all the spices (I usually mix together in a small bowl) to the BUTTER/flour rue.

  • Add 2 ½ cups of chicken broth and turn up heat while whisking until thickened (5-10 minutes.) You can increase heat to medium high which helps thickening to occur faster.

  • Continue to whisk and add whipping cream.

  • Add 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken base bouillon, and garlic.

  • Add 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese.

  • Add 1 can cream of chicken soup and whisk until blended well on low heat.

Final Step:

  • Remove skin from the two chickens and pull meat off in bite-size pieces, adding it to the Alfredo Sauce.

  • Stir with spoon until well mixed.

  • Remove the aluminum foil from the pasta/mushroom/lemon mixture and slowly add to the warm Alfredo Sauce, mixing together. Add back into the casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil.

  • Bake at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

  • You can add some freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese on the top if you like. (Perhaps the amounts of cheese rival the BUTTER in this heavenly delight.)