Chicken Tetrazzini

This Chicken Tetrazzini is another family holiday favorite.  While it looks like it takes two days to make, the good news is that it’s all made ahead of time.  When you have 20-30 minutes for dinner, this is a big advantage;  just mix and bake and serve.  Plus it’s delicious.

Day before – in deep kettle place chicken, water, 2 teaspoons salt, onion salt, celery salt.  Simmer chicken covered until fork-tender for 1 -1 ½ hours (as it cooks add water if needed).  Remove bird to bowl when cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones in big pieces.  Cut breasts into thirds.  Refrigerate all at once.

From kettle remove and reserve 2 ½ cups chicken broth.  To rest of broth add 3 quarts of water, 2 tablespoons salt.  When this liquid boils slowly add spaghettini (so water won’t stop boiling) and cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Drain and place spaghettini in 12”x8”x2” baking dish.

Meanwhile in medium skillet heat 3 tablespoons butter, add mushrooms and sprinkle with lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt.  Sauté mushrooms until soft but not brown stirring occasionally.  Toss them and their butter with spaghettini, then refrigerate covered.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter then remove from stove.  Mix in 2 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.  Slowly stir in 2¼ cups broth reserved (½ cup sherry may replace ½ cup chicken broth if so desired).  Heat on medium until thickened.  Add 1 cup heavy cream, pour over chicken and refrigerate covered.

Next day, one hour before serving heat oven to 400° with fork stir up chicken and sauce then pour as much of sauce as possible over spaghettini, then sprinkle with parmesan and paprika.  Bake 25 minutes or until hot.