Ground Turkey Tetrazzini

Classic chicken tetrazzini is rich, creamy, cheesy, and very inviting. This recipe is all that—plus easy to put together by cooking the ground turkey and vegetables together and simply adding the cooked pasta and sauce to the pan once the turkey mixture is cooked.

Pour it into a dish, bake a little while, and take this warm, scrumptious, homey dish to the dinner table.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• olive oil for oiling dish, plus 1 tbsp
• 6 oz dry spaghetti
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 12-oz can evaporated milk
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 1 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 12 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup finely ground fresh bread crumbs

Tetrazzini Vegetables and Herbs

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil a 3-quart baking dish.
2. Cook the spaghetti in a pot of boiling, salted water 8 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes.
4. Slowly whisk in the broth and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking often, 5 minutes.

Sauce Beginning to Cook

1. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and the cream cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
2. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground turkey, mushrooms, onion, wine, and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, breaking up the meat, until just cooked through and the liquid is absorbed, 10-11 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked spaghetti, peas, parsley, and sauce.

Turkey Mixture Beginning to Cook

Cooked Turkey Mixture

1. Pour the turkey-sauce mixture into the oiled baking dish. Scatter the fresh breadcrumbs and remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
2. Bake until bubbly and browned on top, 25-30 minutes. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.

Tetrazzini Ready for Topping

Tetrazzini Ready to Bake 

Baked Tetrazzini

To serve, divide the tetrazzini among 5-6 shallow bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

Ground Turkey Tetrazzini

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Edamame

Simple, downhome comfort food never takes a backseat to fancier cooking—and it’s always a welcomed sight on the dinner table.

Creamy and cheesy, this dish is as satisfying as it is flavorful—and not as heavy as it may sound. Lean chicken breast, fresh broccoli, nutritious edamame, and fat-free milk add lighter, more healthful options to an otherwise classic, old-fashioned casserole.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• olive oil for oiling dish, plus 2 tbsp
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded into bite-sized pieces
• 2-1/2 cups small broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup frozen, shelled edamame
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Vegetables and Garlic 

Shredded Chicken

Shredded Mozzarella 

Finely Shredded Parmesan

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and lightly oil an 11 X 7-inch baking dish.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.
3. Add the cooked chicken, broccoli, and edamame and season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the chicken mixture with flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Onion and Garlic Beginning to Cook

Chicken and Vegetables Added

Flour Added

1. Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly add the milk, stirring to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3-4 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 the shredded mozzarella. Pour the mixture into the oiled baking dish and scatter the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on top. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Milk Added 

Thickened Mixture

Ready for Cheese Topping 

Ready to Bake

1. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly and the top begins to brown, 20-25 minutes.

Baked Casserole

Remove and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Edamame

Korean Shrimp Skewers with Gochujang Dipping Sauce

Shrimp skewers make a fast, tasty casual dinner in very little time. For this recipe, I gave the shrimp a crispy panko coating simply to add a little crunchy texture. 

The big flavor here comes from the sauce. I think Korean cuisine is one of the most flavorful in the world, primarily because there’s nothing shy or timid about it. Big, bold, sassy, mouth- (and eye-) watering taste—that’s Korean. And the hot red pepper paste called “gochujang” is one of the reasons.

For more on gochujang, check out Baked Chicken Wings with Spicy Korean Barbecue Sauce.

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 appetizers

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup panko, or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 20 medium-small shrimp (31-33 count), peeled and deveined
• 2 large eggs, whisked

Sauce Ingredients 

Peeled, Deveined Shrimp

Preparation

(If using wood skewers, soak in water 20-30 minutes before using.)

1. Heat a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry 2 minutes.
2. Add the gochujang and next 4 ingredients (through sesame oil). Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds. Keep warm or re-warm gently before serving.

Garlic and Ginger 

Sauce Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Sauce

1. Spread the panko in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place the cornstarch in a sealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Remove the shrimp, shaking off excess cornstarch, and dip in the egg.
3. Letting excess egg drip off, press the shrimp into the panko mixture, coating both sides. Thread 5 shrimp onto each of 4 skewers.

Breaded Shrimp

1. Heat a large skillet (large enough to hold the skewers flat) and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Fry the shrimp skewers until golden brown and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Shrimp Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Skewers 

Plate the skewers and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Divide the gochujang between 2 small bowls and serve alongside the skewers. 

Korean Shrimp Skewers with Gochujang Dipping Sauce

Pancetta and Mushroom Baked Pasta with Romano Béchamel

Baked pasta doesn’t always mean lasagna or stuffed shells. Simply layering any kind of pasta with cheese and sauce then baking it results in that warm, toasty flavor and chewy bite of typical baked noodle dishes.

I think the highlight of this recipe is the béchamel sauce—simply a white sauce made with a basic roux and milk. Here, I added finely grated Romano cheese for an extra rich, creamy sauce to top the pasta mixture. It’s easy to make, and one taste will tell you it was worth the extra step.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

For the Romano Béchamel 

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 3 tbsp flour
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese

For the Pasta

• 7 oz mini penne
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for oiling dish
• 1/3 lb pancetta, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 12 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Chopped Pancetta

Preparation

For the Romano Béchamel 

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour a little at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Whisk until the roux is a light gold color, 5-6 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the Romano cheese.
3. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Whisk until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool 10 minutes.

Roux Beginning to Cook

Cooked Roux 

Sauce Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Bechamel

For the Pasta

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water 7 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pancetta, garlic, and shallot and cook 6 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, 7-8 minutes.
5. Add the drained pasta and parsley to the pan and stir well to combine.

Pancetta Mixture Beginning to Cook

Mushrooms Added 

Pasta Mixture

1. Lightly oil a 13 X 9-inch baking dish. Spoon 1/2 of the pasta mixture into the dish and spread to an even layer. Scatter the provolone cheese on top.
2. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture into the dish, spreading to an even layer. Pour the béchamel sauce overtop and sprinkle with dried oregano.
3. Bake uncovered until bubbly and beginning to brown on top, 30-35 minutes. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.

1st Layer of Pasta with Provolone

Pasta Ready for Sauce 

Pasta Ready to Bake 

Baked Pasta

Divide among 4-5 pasta bowls and serve hot.

Pancetta and Mushroom Baked Pasta with Romano Béchamel

Chicken Milanese with Charred Tomatoes

Recipe updated February 2015

Milanese-style chicken is very similar to chicken scaloppini and chicken piccata—and some folks use the terms interchangeably. The similarity is in the preparation: small pieces of boneless chicken (usually breast) are pounded thin, breaded with a light coating of dry breadcrumbs, and fried in a little oil or butter, or both.

There’s often an accompanying sauce, and these vary widely, but light ones serve to complement the mild chicken without drowning it. For this recipe, the “sauce” isn’t very saucy. I simply blistered whole grape tomatoes in a hot skillet with a little white wine, then tossed them with olive oil and seasoning to top the chicken. The juices from the charred tomatoes, wine, and oil provide moisture, but they don’t overpower the flavor of the chicken itself.

Adding finely grated cheese to the breadcrumbs packs an extra layer of flavor into the otherwise mild chicken breast. Here, I used Romano, but Parmesan or other hard Italian cheeses will work well too.

Note: I started with very small chicken tenders, two to three ounces each, and pounded them out to wider, very thin pieces. You can also use small boneless breast halves (about 5 oz each) and butterfly them before pounding. Butterflying helps in pounding the chicken very thinly. Here’s how: 

Lay a chicken breast half on a cutting board. Holding a very sharp knife parallel to the board, cut into—but not through—the thick side of the meat until you can open the top layer like opening a book. Place the butterflied breast between sheets of wax paper and pound to about 1/3-inch thickness. (if you use butterflied breast halves, increase the cooking by 2 to 3 minutes.)

Boneless Breast Halves 

Lay the Knife Parallel to the Board

Open the Breast Like a Book

Pound to Even Thickness

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko (or other fine, dry breadcrumbs)
• 1/3 cup finely grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lb chicken tenders (about 8 2-oz pieces total), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
• 2 eggs, whisked
• olive oil, for brushing, plus 3 tbsp, divided
• 1-1/2 cups small grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• steamed asparagus, for serving (optional)

Pound the Tenders 

Charred Tomato Ingredients

Preparation



1. Place a wire rack over a large, rimmed baking sheet.
2. Combine the panko, grated cheese, and oregano in a large baking dish.
3. Dip the chicken tenders in the whisked egg, letting excess drip off. Press into the panko mixture, turning to coat both sides. Place on the wire rack and refrigerate 20 minutes (to help the coating adhere and turn crisp during cooking).

Whisked Egg and Panko Mixture

Breaded Chicken

1. While the chicken chills, heat a large cast-iron skillet (you’ll use it to cook the chicken too) over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil.
2. Add the tomatoes and sear, stirring a few times, until lightly charred and beginning to pop, 10-12 minutes total. Slowly add the wine (it will sizzle and pop) and stir, scraping up charred bits, 1 minute. 
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil, parsley, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Do not wipe out the skillet.

Tomatoes Beginning to Char 

Wine Added

Charred Tomatoes

Charred Tomato Mixture

1. Re-heat the skillet over medium heat and add the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
3. Add the tomato mixture to the skillet and stir until warm throughout, 1 minute.

Chicken Beginning to Cook

Cooked Chicken

Tomatoes Added

Serve the chicken and tomatoes with a side of steamed asparagus, if desired.

Chicken Milanese with Charred Tomatoes