Lunch / Dinner
Chicken Tetrazzini with Cheddar & Pimentos
Named after an Italian opera singer, this one-dish diva features chicken, Cheddar, and a sherry-cream sauce. It’s sure to inspire requests for an encore performance.
When it comes to tetrazzini, there are some things you can always count on — spaghetti, almonds, and a creamy sauce are all common components of the casserole favorite. Made with any type of protein from chicken to seafood, tetrazzini is an ideal dish to modify, depending on your personal tastes. Everything from the cheese to the nuts can be substituted, in favor of other options.
In this version, sharp Cheddar joins the more traditional Parmesan for an extra cheesy bite. And pimentos deliver bursts of sweetness that really amp up the pepper flavor.
Boil the spaghetti before adding it to the casserole, so it can fully absorb the sauce. And cook the rest of the ingredients in one large saucepan, then transfer them to a baking dish, for a fully incorporated, flavorful meal!
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Tip
You can assemble this dish a day ahead and store it, covered, in the fridge. Bake it, covered with foil, 25 minutes, then uncover and bake it 20–25 minutes more.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°. Coat a 3-qt. baking dish with nonstick spray.
Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.
Sauté celery and onion in butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and bell pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour, then milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add Cheddar, pimentos, Worcestershire, and nutmeg, stirring to melt Cheddar. Stir in sherry and season with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes.
Add chicken, almonds, and spaghetti to the saucepan; transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake tetrazzini until bubbly, 15–20 minutes.
Stir milk into the mushroom-flour mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
To give them extra flavor and crunch, lightly toast the almonds before adding them to the dish.
Spaghetti is the traditional pasta in tetrazzini, but you can substitute any other long strand pasta instead.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 577
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 941mg 39%
Carbs 40g 13%
Fiber 5g 20%
Protein 33g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.