Easy Weeknight Chicken Tetrazini

When I was visiting Arizona, a good friend of mine had me over for dinner and offered me a glass of white wine while she was cooking chicken tetrazini. I'm pretty sure I hadn't eaten for most of the day and it was the middle of summer, so it was probably somewhere around 110 degrees. Knowing the wine was going to go straight to my head because of that combination, I asked my friend if I could have a piece of French bread, discreetly trying to stave off the illuminating effect that wine has on me on an empty stomach.

No such luck. I lit up like a blazing torch and I could feel the red splotches spreading heat in bizarre patterns across my chest, neck, and face. I said nothing because this is a normal thing for me. I'm pale. I splotch. It happens. So I just sat there and breathed in the heavenly aroma of onions, garlic, and mushrooms simmering in white wine, and enjoyed conversation with my friend, who I hadn't seen in quite some time.

When my friend turned around, she just about screamed at me and thought I was having some sort of allergic reaction and was going to pass out. I told her I was fine, that it was just because I was drinking wine on an empty stomach. She shoved more bread at me and then made me go stick my head in the freezer.  To this day, this is the memory that comes to mind when I think of chicken tetrazini, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face.

I never looked up a recipe for the dish. I don't know why. I guess I just like to play. But over the course of some experimenting, I have concocted a yummy chicken tetrazini recipe that takes out some of the steps. It's great for the working woman who does not want to spend a ton of time preparing a meal after she gets home from a long day.

Again, I don't really measure anything, and a lot of the seasoning is up to individual taste. I will give you the ingredients and the steps, and the rough estimate of measurements, and you can customize it :) This recipe is for 2-4 depending on how hungry you are lol.

EASY WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN TETRAZINI

extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
about 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
about 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
about 1/2 teaspoon of herbs of Provence
sea salt
ground black pepper
about four cloves of chopped or minced garlic (2 generous teaspoons if it is in a jar)
a quarter of a cup or so of diced onion
1 can Progresso Recipe Starters Portobello Mushroom
about a cup of sliced crimini or baby bella mushrooms
half a package of frozen peas
white wine
bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the powdery kind you put on pizza)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 package of linguine

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Pour some olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet. Add the chicken, onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, herbs of Provence, sea salt and pepper and saute on medium heat for about a minute. Add about a cup of white wine. I like to use Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Simmer uncovered on medium heat until the wine reduces by about half and the chicken is pretty much cooked. Don't forget to give it an occasional stir.

When the wine reduces, add about 3/4 the can of Progresso Recipe Starters Portobello Mushroom. Add the mushrooms and peas. Turn heat a little bit lower and heat through. Meanwhile, fill a pot with water, add some salt and a little bit of olive oil. Bring to a boil and add your linguine. Cook until tender, then drain and add the noddles to the skillet. Add the powdery grated Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg.

Give your sauce a taste and adjust the spice level to your tastes.

Transfer the noddles and sauce to a baking dish and sprinkle the top with the fresh grated Parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake until it starts to turn a little golden. Usually about ten minutes.

Remove from oven and enjoy with a glass of the same wine you used to cook with!