Ingredients

8 oz pasta (such as angel hair, rotini, or cavatappi – whole wheat is good!)
8-10 oz sliced mushrooms (or a jar of roasted red peppers, or frozen peas…)
6 Tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups water + 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon)
salt and pepper, garlic powder, & onion flakes
3-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika, for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. Boil water for the pasta and clean and slice mushrooms. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. In a skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter and saute mushrooms with a pinch of salt until golden, 5-10 minutes. Drain pasta and set it aside. Using the pasta pot, melt the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring for one minute. Whisk in half-and-half and chicken broth and cook, whisking occasionally, until it begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a sprinkle of garlic powder and onion flakes. Stir in chicken, sherry, and cooked mushrooms (or roasted peppers or peas) and heat through. Place pasta in a greased 9×13 pan and pour on sauce. Stir it lightly to mix and top with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of paprika. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

This recipe is from my friend, Jessica Britt! It does very well in the freezer – I often split it into two 8×8 pans and freeze one unbaked. Cool the prepared tetrazzini and cover with plastic wrap and a tight layer of foil. Refrigerate until it’s completely cold, then freeze. Don’t forget to label it! To use the freezer meal, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. (A half pan is enough for dinner for us and leftovers for one for lunch the next day!)