Chicken Mushroom Fettuccine

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 lb. fettuccine
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
French fried onions, crushed



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 2 qt. baking dish with nonstick spray.  Cook fettuccine in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, or according to package directions.  Drain.  In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat heat oil.   Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, abut 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  To the skillet add mushrooms and scallions.  Cool until most of the juices have evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook, stirring until the flour is no longer visible, about 30 seconds.  Whisk in the milk and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer stirring frequently until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Remove the sauce form the heat and stir in the fettuccine, chicken, Parmesan, salt and pepper.  Pour mixture into baking dish.  Sprinkle to evenly with the 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.  Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.  Evenly add the French fried onions.



Martha:  I had been to the grocery store and found a package of 2 very large Portobella mushroom tops marked down to $1.50.  I couldn't pass it up but knew they needed to be used quickly so I started looking for a really good recipe that would include them.  I found a version of the recipe above in a Weight Watchers cookbook and it sounded really good.  I made a few changes.  The original called for dried porcini mushrooms as well as fresh.  I eliminated the dried.  It called for sherry which I omitted.  There was to be water left from soaking the dried mushrooms to be used, I simply increased the broth to take the place of the mushroom water and sherry.  I also increased the cheese to 1/2 inside the dish and added the cheddar to the outside.  Plus I added the French fried onions.  This dish came out simply delicious.


Food Tester Carol:  Portobello mushroom pieces mixed with chicken, scallion and cream sauce are a dreamy classic dish to serve a casual family on the run or guests who want to eat slowly and talk about their day.  Either way, it's perfect for serving and absolutely delicious.  What is it about Portobello mushrooms, chicken and pasta?  The Portobello is an equal partner and if you see them firm and fresh in your market, you can count on them to move a meal to the next level.