Chicken Tetrazzini (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light)

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

This dish is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or turkey.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 (1-ounce) slice white bread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt butter in a large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, and mushrooms, and sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
4. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.
5. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife.
6. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be thick).
7. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.
8. Bring to a boil.
9. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Remove from heat.
11. Add 1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts.
12. Add pasta and chicken, and stir until blended.
13. Divide pasta mixture between 2 (8-inch square) baking dishes coated with cooking spray.
14. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form.
15. Combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.
16. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
17. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

Yield: 2 casseroles, 6 servings each (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)