Description
Hearty Chicken and Noodles comfort brings classic midwestern warmth straight to dinner tables. Creamy, rich flavors meld perfectly, inviting home cooks to savor each comforting spoonful with pure satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Noodles and Broth:
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4–5 cups egg noodles
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Immerse chicken in simmering water at 165°F, cooking thoroughly until meat easily pulls apart, then delicately shred using two forks.
- Without cleaning the pot, sauté aromatic vegetables – diced onions, julienned carrots, chopped celery, and minced garlic – until translucent and fragrant, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Pour rich chicken broth into the vegetable mixture, introducing fresh thyme, a single bay leaf, and seasoning with salt and cracked black pepper. Allow the liquid to gently simmer for 12-15 minutes, developing complex flavors.
- Reintroduce the tender shredded chicken into the bubbling broth, then carefully fold in egg noodles. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles reach perfect al dente consistency.
- Remove bay leaf, taste for final seasoning adjustments, and ladle the steaming, comforting one-pot meal into warmed serving bowls, garnishing with optional fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Optimize chicken tenderness by poaching slowly in broth instead of rapid boiling to prevent tough meat texture.
- Enhance flavor depth by using homemade chicken stock or adding a splash of white wine during vegetable sautéing for complexity.
- Consider gluten-free adaptation by substituting regular egg noodles with zucchini noodles or gluten-free pasta alternatives.
- Boost nutritional value by incorporating additional vegetables like spinach or kale during the final cooking stage for extra vitamins and minerals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg