Tetrazzini Casserole

I love a good casserole and this is one of my favorites. It's delicious, can be prepared ahead and is easy to throw together for a tasty weeknight meal. As an added bonus, it reheats beautifully so you can really look forward to leftovers. I typically make this recipe with chicken, but turkey is also a great option. If you have leftover roast chicken or turkey you'd like to use, this is a good way to make the best of it. But poaching some boneless chicken breasts in broth is an effortless way to prep your protein for this take on an old school classic.

 A good way to be sure you don't leave any ingredients out of a recipe is to
assemble them before cooking.

Don't be afraid to add ALL that raw spinach. You'll be surprised at how quickly it cooks down.

A generous sprinkling of good grated cheese ensures a nice crispy topping.

Tetrazzini Casserole

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts

4c chicken broth

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2c milk

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp dry vermouth

1 bag of baby spinach (6-8ounces)

1/2 lb spaghetti, cooked al dente (leftover pasta works great too)

salt and pepper, to taste

3/4c grated cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a 9"x12" casserole pan with non stick spray.

1. Pour the chicken broth into a stockpot, cover and bring to boil over medium heat.

2. Add the chicken breasts, cover, lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Once it's cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces. Reserve the broth.

3. While the chicken is cooking, warm the butter and oil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and onions. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent and the liquid from the mushrooms have evaporated.

4. Add all of the spinach, turning as it cooks down and reduces in volume. Simmer on allow heat until the liquid evaporates.

5. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk and flour with a whisk or fork until smooth. Add the milk mixture, 1/2c of the chicken broth and the vermouth to the saucepan. Stir for about 3-5 minutes until thickened. Add the chicken, the spaghetti and 1/2c of the grated cheese. Toss well.

6. Tumble the mixture into the prepared casserole pan and top with remaining grated cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is crisp and bubbly.

Enjoy!