Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Heat a large pan/skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with garlic salt, black pepper and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Place breasts in heated pan and brown about 5 minutes on each side (more or less time depending on breast thickness). Remove from heat and cut up into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

2. Cook the pasta to “al dente” according to package directions

3. While pasta is cooking, brown bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s crispy, remove bacon from pan and set aside to drain on a paper towel.

4. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from pan. Heat pan over medium heat and add mushrooms and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Saute until mushrooms have given up most of their juice (about 5 minutes). Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside. (NOTE: if you use canned mushrooms then don’t use lemon juice to saute them).

5. In same pan melt butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour, salt and pepper and cook until smooth and bubbly (about 1 minute), stirringly frequently.

6. Slowly stir in broth (to avoid lumps) and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until it is slightly thickened (3-4 minutes).

7. Stir in half-and-half and 3/4 cups parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly until sauce begins to thicken again. Add mushrooms, bacon (roughly chopped), chicken and drained/rinsed angel hair pasta to cream sauce. Toss to coat.

8. Pour pasta and sauce mixture into a greased 9×13 baking pan. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the top.

9. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until it begins to bubble and become LIGHTLY browned.