Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Spaghetti or Linguine (broken in half)
  • 4 cups Cooked Chicken, shredded or cubed
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
  • 3 cups Chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella or Gruyère
  • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat and Prep. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil your 1 lb of pasta in heavily salted water, but pull it out 2 minutes earlier than the al dente instructions on the box. Note: It should still have a firm bite in the center.
  2. Drain and Oil. Drain the pasta and toss it with a drizzle of olive oil. Note: This prevents the strands from turning into a giant gluey brick while you make the sauce.
  3. Sauté Mushrooms. Melt the 1/2 cup butter in your skillet over medium heat. Sauté the 8 oz of mushrooms until they are golden brown and the pan is dry.
  4. Aromatics. Add the diced yellow onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic to the mushrooms. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
  5. Build the Roux. Whisk in the 1/2 cup flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it smells slightly nutty and looks like wet sand.
  6. Liquid Gold. Slowly stream in the 3 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of heavy cream. Whisk constantly until the sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon.
  7. The Big Mix. Fold in the 4 cups of chicken, the undercooked pasta, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Stir in the 1/2 tsp nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  8. Assemble. Transfer everything to your 9x13-inch dish. Top with the remaining Parmesan, the 1 cup of Mozzarella, and the 1/2 cup of Panko.
  9. The Bake. Slide it into the oven for 25–30 minutes until the edges are aggressively bubbling and the top is golden brown.
  10. Garnish and Rest. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving to let the sauce set. > Chef's Tip: If your sauce looks too thick before adding the pasta, splash in a little bit of the pasta cooking water. The starch in that water helps keep the sauce emulsified and creamy rather than pasty.