Few dishes carry the weight of American comfort food tradition quite like Chicken Tetrazzini — a baked pasta casserole that has anchored church potlucks and family reunions across the Midwest and South for generations. This version strips the recipe back to its most essential, budget-friendly ingredients while leaning on a clever piece of kitchen science: starchy pasta water in place of a heavy flour roux. The result is a velvety, deeply savory casserole crowned with a shatteringly crispy Parmesan crust.
En bref
- —No flour roux — pasta water creates the creamy sauce
- —A high-heat blast gives the Parmesan topping its crispy crust
- —Low-sodium broth keeps the dish lighter without sacrificing flavor
A casserole rooted in potluck tradition and farmhouse kitchens
Chicken Tetrazzini has long been one of those dishes that needs no introduction at a communal table. Its reputation was built in the church halls and reunion pavilions of the American heartland, where a bubbling baking dish arriving at the buffet line was enough to draw a crowd before the lid even came off.
