Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

Tetrazzini is a handy recipe to keep on hand for when you have leftover chicken or turkey. I suppose you could use any poultry, really, duck, goose, even wild game poultry. However, usually tetrazzini is made with chicken or turkey meat.

(Photo Attirbuted to Author: CityMama -Stefania Pomponi Butler)

The dish originated in San Francisco, just after the turn of the 20th century, created by Ernest Arbogast, the chef at the Palace Hotel. It is supposedly named after Luisa Tetrazzini, an Italian opera star who was a longstanding resident at the Palace.

There are lots of variations on the dish, but this one is quite mainstream. I put peas in my tetrazzini, some do not, preferring peas as a side dish.

Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe-

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti, broken into short (2″ to 3″) pieces
2 cups chicken or turkey meat, chopped into small bits
4 oz. canned, sliced mushrooms
6 oz. frozen sweet green peas, thawed just enough to separate
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. freshly ground coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black peppercorns
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
2 or 3 tbsp. good quality sherry (do not use cooking sherry!)
3/4 cup freshly grated, good quality, aged Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Using a firm stick of butter, lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lightly salted. Add in the spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft, then drain.
While the pasta cooks, using a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper, slowly. Cook until smooth, stirring constantly.
Cut off the heat, and then gradually stir in the heavy cream and broth.
Turn the heat back on, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil for one minute, stirring continuously.
Next, add and stir in the sherry, then add and stir in the cooked spaghetti, chicken, mushrooms, and peas. Cook on low heat for just a couple minutes, stirring now and then, to fully mix and incorporate all the ingredients.
Now pour the mixture into the baking dish, and top it off with a generous layer of Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until is is bubbling and has turned a nice, light brown color.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand and “set up” for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve your tetrazzini!

Note: for many more great recipes from the West Coast of America, click here.