Southern Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole

Southern Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or 4 cups diced cooked chicken
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 12 ounces thin spaghetti
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups half and half
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 ½ cups freshly grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup slivered almonds
• Chopped parsley for garnish, optional but suggested

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, add olive oil and chicken (season chicken breasts with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper) to a Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board to cool then dice chicken into bite-sized pieces Don't worry if it is still a little pink inside. .
3.  In the dutch oven, add 2 Tbsp butter, then sliced mushrooms, and sauté 3 min or until soft. Add diced onions and cook until onions are soft (5-7 min). Add minced garlic and sauté another 1-2 min. Transfer to a separate dish.
4. In the same pot, melt 1/2 cup butter (1 whole stick)  and add 1/2 cup flour whisking until lightly golden (1 1/2 min). Add half and half, chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Do not boil, rather simply simmer
5. Remove from heat; stir in diced cooked chicken, mushrooms mixture, mozzarella cheese, and hot cooked pasta.
6. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with slivered almonds.
7. Cover and bake at 350˚F for 30 min then remove the lid and continue baking for 15 min. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!