Chicken Tetrazzini is an Italian-American dish that I became familiar with in my 20s - it’s been so often requested by the people in my life because it’s such a deeply comforting dish. It’s one of my most popular recipes, but after reviewing it recently, I thought it could use some simplifying and updating… so that’s exactly what I did. This version of the recipe is so easy, and no flavor is sacrificed to get there. 

People tell me this pasta tastes like Thanksgiving, and between the crispy breadcrumb topping and the gravy-like sauce, I can see why!

Giada’s Simplified Chicken Tetrazzini
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Giada’s Simplified Chicken Tetrazzini

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Category

Pasta

Servings

8

Prep Time

25 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Ingredients

    For the Pasta:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, about 2 pounds
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced into 1/3 inch slices
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 6 large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 pound pasta, such as mezzi rigatoni
  • 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

    • For the Topping:

  • 2/3 cup season breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Season generously with salt.
  2. Heat a large ovenproof braiser over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil and heat until the butter is melted. Dry the chicken thighs well on a paper towel and season them evenly with 2 teaspoons salt. Place the thighs, smooth side down, in the hot pan and cook until deep golden brown on the first side, about 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until cooked through, another 8 minutes. Remove the thighs to a plate to rest. Once the chicken has rested, cut it up into bite-sized pieces.
  3. To the chicken pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the mushrooms along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, another 8 minutes. When the mushrooms are browned, add the onion, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are fragrant and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour until a paste is formed. Add the white wine and stir until smooth and thick. Add the broth, milk and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and remove from the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water for 6 minutes. Using a pasta spider, remove the pasta directly from the water to the sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese and stir until fully combined. Gently nestle the chicken into the sauce to submerge.
  5. In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt and cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
nut free
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Organic Mezzi Rigatoni Pasta

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