Cheesy and Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini

Boneless chicken breast meat adds flavor to this lovely casserole of cooked fettuccine pasta in a creamy sauce brightened with cubes of red bell pepper. Three different cheeses top the dish.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 478 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup milk
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons margarine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• cooking spray
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch dried thyme, or to taste
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms (Optional)
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
• ½ pound fettuccine pasta
• ½ red bell pepper, cubed
• 10 tablespoons shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 10 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the fettuccine, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir chicken strips in the hot oil until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl, leaving pan drippings in skillet. Melt margarine in the hot skillet; cook and stir mushrooms, onion, and garlic in skillet until mushrooms have softened and given up their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir red bell pepper into mixture and sprinkle with flour. Stir to coat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Step 4

Slowly mix chicken broth into vegetables, stirring to form a thick sauce; mix cream and milk into sauce. Simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Mix 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, thyme, salt, and black pepper into sauce and simmer until cheese have melted and combined with sauce.

Step 5

Spread half the cooked fettuccine pasta into bottom of prepared casserole dish, top with half the chicken and half the cream sauce. Repeat layers once more and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Swiss cheese, 2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over the top.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese topping is nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes.