Turkey Tetrazzini

Name: Turkey Tetrazinni
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces spaghetti, (snapped in half); 6 tablespoons butter, (divided); 8 ounces white mushrooms, (sliced); 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 cup milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons Sherry; 3 cups chopped (cooked turkey or chicken); 1/2 to 1 cup frozen green peas, (defrosted); 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup homemade bread crumbs (or panko crumbs); 2 tablespoons butter, (melted); 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Posted on September 29, 2014March 15, 2017 by Christin Mahrlig

This creamy and comforting Turkey Tetrazzini is one of my favorite meals to make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It works equally well with leftover chicken and I often buy rotisserie chicken to use.

In my opinion, the mushrooms and peas are essential for a tetrazzini. They’re my favorite part and I’ll admit that whenever I dish myself up, I always dig for a few extra mushrooms. A splash of sherry and a pinch of nutmeg also add wonderful flavor to a tetrazzini.

That being said, Turkey Tetrazzini is very adaptable and forgiving and you can leave any of these ingredients out to suit your taste. Try adding broccoli or even green beans instead of peas or mushrooms.

Because when you have a creamy, cheesey sauce pretty much anything tastes good in it.

Quite a few Turkey Tetrazzini recipes use Condensed Soup to make preparation quick and easy and I make a lot of casseroles using condensed soup, including tetrazzini on occasion. But this one is from scratch with a creamy sauce made from butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. If you don’t like cooking with canned soup, this is a great recipe to try.

Like most casseroles, Turkey Tetrazzini can be made ahead of time. Another reason it’s a family favorite. Just get it all assembled, wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Take it out, discard the plastic wrap and add a few minutes to the baking time. You have yourself a hassle free weeknight meal.

Everyone will want seconds of this hot and creamy meal.

Turkey Tetrazinni

Course: Casserole

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 534kcal

Author: Christin Mahrlig

Turkey (or Chicken) Tetrazzini with peas and mushrooms and a creamy, cheesy sauce is always a family favorite.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti, snapped in half
6 tablespoons butter, divided
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Sherry
3 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken
1/2 to 1 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Topping

1/2 cup homemade bread crumbs or panko crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook to al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
While water is coming to a boil, add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until brown. Remove mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to skillet along with flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Gradually add the chicken stock, milk, and heavy cream, whisking well to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add salt, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, Sherry, and mushrooms.
Stir in turkey, peas and Parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Add cooked pasta to the skillet, or if not enough room combine both in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if mixture is too dry.
Transfer mixture to a greased 9X13-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Scatter on top of casserole. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. If desired, broil briefly to brown top.

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