Chicken and noodles is a delicious weeknight casserole dinner that's made quick & easy on top of the stove. It's full of egg noodles, chicken, and veggies in a creamy sauce. Think of it as an easy version of chicken pot pie! You can also add breadcrumbs and bake until crispy!
Add the chicken stock, chicken, and 1 stalk of celery to a saucepan. (omit this and the next step if using cooked chicken)
Simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
Drain the stock, reserving ½ cup for this recipe and saving the remaining stock for another recipe.
Dice or shred chicken, as desired.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy, iron skillet.
Add the sliced celery, onions, and carrots.
Saute until tender.
Add the cooked chicken to the skillet.
Add the remaining ingredients except the breadcrumbs and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir often to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
If the dish is too "saucy" let simmer a little longer, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced.
Taste and add salt if needed.
Sprinkle with cracked black pepper - I like a generous amount!
Stir in parsley if desired.
Serve as is...or sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and place under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.
Homemade White Sauce (If you don't have or don't want to use cream soups)
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Use immediately or refrigerate.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in flour and salt until smooth.
Cook over low heat for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
Add the milk and whisk until smooth.
Cook, whisking occasionally, until thick.
You can add chicken bullion or use half milk and half chicken broth if you like.
Notes
Storage:May be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months if made with the cream of chicken soup.Tips
Poach the chicken breast in a good chicken stock with a piece of celery in it - this gives it more flavor that any other cooking method. Be sure to keep the stock for other recipes
Frozen peas work best in this recipe. Canned peas are too mushy
While most pasta dishes call for a la dente pasta you'll want to cook these noodles until they are very tender. I like to cook them a la dente then simmer them in the sauce for a few minutes
I like to add about a half teaspoon of herbes de Provence. It gives the recipe a great flavor but that's completely up to you - it's not traditional
It's a great way to use up leftover chicken
If you hold it in the fridge overnight you will want to add a little milk or cream when you warm it up because the noodles will soak up the liquid
You can dice the cooked chicken breast or shred it, depending on what texture you prefer. I like it shredded because it soaks up more sauce that way