Saturday, November 10, 2012

Chicken Tetrazzini

Last weekend was a very special weekend…it was my best friend, Tamara’s, baby shower.  She is the first out of our group of friends to have a baby so it has been a fun 8-ish months watching her belly grow.  Thankfully she doesn’t mind friends constantly touching her belly, which I do every time I see her.  Even after the shower a few of us were hanging out in the hotel room catching up and we each had a hand on her belly, just waiting for Baby Gibbs to make a move. 

Since I live in Chicago and Tamara lives in Cleveland it is hard for me to do the planning, so the Grandmothers to-be took the lead on the baby shower plans and I helped them where I could from afar (pintrest always has great ideas – see picture below of the Baby Boy Gibbs wish cards).  Phil’s Mom (Phil is Tamara’s husband and close friend as well) took the lead on figuring out a great main dish for our afternoon luncheon.   Despite the drama of changing locations last minute (Hurricane Sandy knocked power out at the Gibb’s house where it was supposed to be held) and then realizing there was no oven at the new location, Phil’s Mom rose to the challenge and made an AMAZING dish.  She found it on FoodNetwork.com and is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe.  It was such a hit people kept going back for 2nds, 3rds and 4ths throughout the afternoon.   She did say that she tried to decrease the fat a little by using 1-2% milk vs. whole milk and half & half instead of heavy whipping cream, but hey, do what suits your fancy. 


Ingredients
9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Fun Drinks: Mom's Champagne & Apple Cider

Wishes For Baby Gibbs – Thanks Pintrest For The Idea!!


 Wishes On The Wishing Tree

Tamara & Katherine



Recipe Source: Food Network

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