Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole with Cauliflower Recipe

With just a little day-before prep work, this creamy casserole comes together with mushrooms, poached chicken and cauliflower.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Show: Rachael Ray's Week in a Day
Episode: A Chicken in Every Pot

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 small head cauliflower
8 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
8 ounces assorted fresh mushrooms or white mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large or 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 to 4 cups shredded Poached Chicken Breasts, recipe follows
1 cup panko
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Poached Chicken Breasts:

4 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (for all white meat) or 3 whole 4-pound chickens (for a mix of white and dark meat)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
8 cloves garlic, smashed
4 large bay leaves
4 carrots, coarsely chopped
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 lemons, sliced
2 onions, quartered
Herb bundle of fresh parsley, rosemary and thyme tied with kitchen string
Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a pot and season with salt.

Add the cauliflower, cover and steam until just tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and cut into florets. Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles to just shy of al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and browned. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute.

Deglaze with the sherry, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper and a few grates of nutmeg. Combine the cauliflower, noodles, chicken and sauce.

Transfer to a casserole dish. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small pan, then drizzle over the panko in a bowl and toss to combine. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole.

Bake until hot, bubbling and golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley. Divide among plates.

Cook's Note: The unbaked casserole (without the breadcrumbs) can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal.

Poached Chicken Breasts:

Put the chicken in a very large stockpot or divide between 2 pots if necessary. Add the peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, lemons, onions and herb bundle and sprinkle with salt.

Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook at a rolling simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the liquid and let cool. Strain the stock. (You should have 5 to 6 quarts stock.)

Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, and shred the meat using your hands or 2 forks.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray