Chicken Tetrazzini Lightened Up

I’m always happy to come across a lightened up comfort food recipe! 

Here’s a mouth-watering tetrazzini casserole, minus the traditional heavy ingredients of cream, butter, and a plethora of cheese:  translating, 420 calories, versus nearly 700 per serving.
 

The creamy key to holding this dish together is the light béchamel sauce of evaporated low-fat milk, light cream cheese and Parmesan.  I substituted Activ spread for butter, then tossed it all with chicken, lots of veggies and pasta for savory goodness.

This is a Cooking Light recipe, which suggests poaching a few chicken breasts, if you don’t have leftover chicken ~ that’s exactly what I did.

The recipe calls for a topping of torn pieces of a French bread baguette ~ I crumbled a few crisp croutons for the job.

It added ½ cup white wine; I omitted it, and raised the chicken stock from 2½ cups to 3 cups. 

It included 2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms, I used canned instead.

This is a great delicious twist on tetrazzini.  We really liked it and I hope you give it a try and like it also! 

It’s a keeper!

Chicken Tetrazzini                  

Adapted

Ingredients:

10 ounces linguine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (15-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 cup chopped onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons Promise Activ light spread

¼ cup flour

3 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk

2.5 ounces grated Parmesan, divided

1 ounce 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1 cup frozen green peas

Cooking spray

1/3 cup crushed croutons

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well, set aside.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add mushrooms, onion, garlic and thyme, sauté 3 minutes.

Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in the saucepan.

Stir in flour, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Gradually add stock and milk, bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper.

Combine mushroom mixture, milk mixture, chicken and peas, and cooked pasta, tossing to combine.

Spoon all into a 13” x 9” baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine crouton crumbs and remaining Parmesan, sprinkle over pasta.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

6 servings

ENJOY!