Hearty Chicken and Noodles

An easy, filling family dinner, these Hearty Chicken and Noodles have tasty ingredients and are 100% comforting!

A CREAMY AND COMFORTING MEAL

Now that the cold weather has set in and we are in the midst of winter, all I can think of is comfort food. This Hearty Chicken and Noodles is one of my favorite one pot meals to make that feeds a crowd and is super easy to put together. With vegetables, chicken and pasta you really can’t go wrong with this one, everyone flocks to the table when this is made. With an array of seasonings, there is so much flavor that you will want to out this Hearty Chicken and Noodle Recipe on your menu rotation!

Serving spoon holding up some Hearty Chicken and Noodles out of dutch oven.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What are dry wide noodles?

They are egg noodles but instead of curly they are straight. Sometimes they might be called “Amish Noodles” or “Homestyle Noodles”. They are usually found near the other egg noodles at your grocery store. If you can’t find them, just go with regular egg noodles.

What kind of chicken should I use?

If you want to be quick, then you can use a rotisserie chicken. Just pull off the meat and shred it or cut it up into chunks. Otherwise you can bake, boil or grill some chicken breasts and shred them.

How do you thicken chicken and noodles?

You can do it a couple of ways. For this recipe we whisk together about 1 cup of milk with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a pan over medium heat. Do this for 3-4 minutes then add this mixture to your chicken and noodles then turn the heat up on the chicken and noodles and it will begin to thicken. Or, you can whisk together about 3 tablespoons of water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth. Add this to your chicken and noodles and turn up the heat to thicken.

Should I cook noodles separate for chicken and noodles?

No. It is not necessary. However, if you want your chicken and noodles to be more “soupy” rather than thick, then you could cook them separately then add them to the pot.

Is chicken and noodles healthy?

Well that depends on what you define as “healthy”. That means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I can tell you that it is a well-rounded meal of carbohydrates, protein and fresh vegetables.

How do I store leftover chicken and noodles?

Chicken and noodles will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze it. Let the chicken and noodles cool and place in a freezer container. This will keep for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove to the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Pinterest image of spoon holding up some of the chicken and noodles out of the bowl.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

shredded chicken
chicken broth
carrots
bay leaf
thyme
salt and pepper
celery
onion
garlic
dry wide noodles
milk
all-purpose flour
frozen peas

Ingredients needed: shredded chicken, chicken broth, carrots, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, celery, onion, garlic, dry wide noodles, milk, all-purpose flour, frozen peas and parsley.

HOW TO MAKE HEARTY CHICKEN AND NOODLES:

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook carrots with 1 ½ cup broth, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper, and thyme until carrots are tender. Add into the pot the remaining chicken broth, celery, onion and garlic and let come to a boil.

Carrots, broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, celery, onion and garlic added to dutch oven.

Next add the dry wide noodles to the pot and cook for 5 minutes uncovered. Then after 5 minutes stir in 1 cup of milk and the frozen peas.

Noodles, milk and peas added to dutch oven.

In a separate pan mix the remaining milk with the all purpose flour over medium heat and slowly whisk the milk and flour together to remove the lumps. Do this for about 3-4 minutes. This is going to be used to thicken the chicken and noodles. Add this milk and flour mixture to the pot with the noodles, vegetables and broth. Finally add the cooked shredded chicken.