Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini

A childhood favorite of many is hearty and dense chicken tetrazzini with lots of cream and butter. Instead, try my Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini made with whole grains and lighter ingredients! First, you will need to cook some healthy, lean chicken breast by poaching it in a flavorful liquid. Then, sauté your vegetables until tender. In the same pan, add some flour, chicken broth, and milk to create the sauce. Add your cooked chicken and pasta to a baking dish and mix with the sauce. Finally, bake everything together until it’s hot and bubbly. My Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini makes for the perfect healthy throw-back meal!

Recipes Similar to Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini:

Healthy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Chicken with Feta Cheese and Spinach

Easy Honey Garlic Shrimp

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

What Makes This Dish Healthy?

Chicken Tetrazzini is traditionally a cream-based sauce with vegetables, chicken, and pasta. It was a leftover favorite growing up, using up any chicken or turkey meat from the night before. This dish is super healthy because I use lean poached chicken breast, which has little fat and calories. My lightened-up sauce uses skim milk, reduced-fat cream cheese, and light butter. For more whole grains, I like to use whole wheat pasta and whole wheat flour in the sauce. Any way you slice it, this is the healthiest Chicken Tetrazzini out there!

Who knew you can make pasta dishes that are healthy and delicious? If you love pasta, try my Tex Mex Casserole with Pasta!

Ingredients in Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini

• 1 (13.25-ounce) box whole-wheat spaghetti, dry
• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (8-ounce) container white button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat white flour
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1½ cups skim milk
• 4 ounces ⅓-less fat cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen peas
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

How to Make Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the chicken in a pot large enough to hold them all, and fill the pot with enough water (or chicken stock) to cover the chicken by about 1-2 inches. Add 2 dried bay leaves, fresh parsley stems and whole peppercorns to flavor the cooking liquid if desired, then bring to a boil over high heat.

When the water comes to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reads 165ºF.

Using tongs, remove the chicken and reserve on a plate. When it is cool enough to touch, shred it and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the celery, onions and mushrooms.

Cook until the vegetables are soft and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute; the mixture will be very thick at this point.

Add the wine to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. If using a gas burner, remove the skillet from the heat before adding the wine, then place it back on the burner.

Whisk in the chicken broth and milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes until it thickens.

Stir in the cream cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder until smooth and incorporated.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions for al dente.

Add the cooked spaghetti, chicken and frozen peas to the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss with tongs to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and cover with cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly.