Creamy Chicken and Noodles Recipe

Creamy Chicken and Noodles is the ultimate in comfort food! Loaded with egg noodles, tender chicken, and a creamy sauce this is an easy chicken recipe guaranteed to be loved by even the pickiest of eaters!

If you like this recipe, you should definitely check out my Beef and Noodles Recipe, my Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings and my Homemade Egg Noodles Recipe!

Why You’ll Love My Chicken and Noodles Recipe

• From Scratch! This is a cozy comfort food recipe that tastes like something straight out of your Grandma’s kitchen. No condensed cream of chicken soup here!
• Family Friendly. Just like chicken noodle soup, this is a recipe that everyone can agree on. Heartier than a soup makes it a perfect, filling dish.
• Easy Ingredients. This recipe is a true everyday dinner with easily accessible ingredients that’s done in under an hour, but tastes like it’s simmered all day!
• Flavor packed. I have seasoned this to perfection every step of the way. No bland chicken noodles here!

What You Need/Ingredients

All of these ingredients are staples in many kitchens, so hopefully you have everything on-hand to make this for dinner tonight! For the FULL recipe list scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• Chicken: You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe. You can also use a store bought rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
• Seasonings: Montreal Chicken Seasoning or seasoned salt, kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and parsley to garnish. 
• Vegetables: Diced onion, carrots, and celery. minced garlic, and minced garlic. Chicken broth
• Liquid: Water, chicken broth, heavy cream
• Fats: Olive oil and butter
• Egg noodles
• All purpose flour

How To Make Chicken and Noodles

The recipe starts a lot like chicken soup, but you boil the noodles in the broth which absorbs the liquid and flavor, while also creating a starch in the broth aiding in the creaminess. This along with the addition of an easy roux to thicken it up gives you a hearty base. 

Cook the chicken: In a large Dutch oven (like a Le Creuset) bring both the broth and the water to a boil. Season your chicken and then add it into the boiling liquid to simmer for 20 minutes or so. If you get a lot of foamy impurities rise to the top, just scoop them off. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the liquid and cut or shred it up.

Sauté your veggies: While the chicken is cooking sauté the onions, carrots, celery in olive oil and season them with thyme, salt, and pepper until they’re soft.

Assemble: Add the chicken, sautéed veggies, and dry noodles into the broth you have created. Bring it back to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the noodles are soft.

Make the roux: Using the same skillet you cooked the vegetables in (no need to clean it yet) melt your butter and then whisk in all purpose flour cooking for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t skip this step, as it cooks the “flour taste” out! Then slowly ladle in 1 cup of the hot broth, whisking until smooth. Add in the heavy cream, continuing to whisk and then add this into the soup. This step is what thickens up your soup, making it more of a creamy sauce. 

Finish: Bring the chicken and noodles back to a boil, stir, and immediately remove the pot from the heat. Garnish with parsley and serve in bowls!

What Type of Chicken Do You Use?

I like to use either boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs. OR a combination of both. You can absolutely use bone-in chicken, it’s just an extra step picking the chicken off the bones, as opposed to just shredding it that I like to avoid.

What is a Roux?

The step that makes this thick and creamy is the addition of a simple roux to the broth. Roux is a mixture of flour and fat, in this case butter, that you can add to sauces to thicken them. In this roux I add a little of the seasoned broth to thin it out as well as a little heavy cream. This makes incorporating it back into the broth easier, creating a smoother sauce.

You could also use a slurry (which is equal parts water and cornstarch) in place of cooking a roux, but the flavor the roux imparts is part of the perfection of this recipe!

Tips

• Use rotisserie chicken instead! The only alternation you will need to make is use ALL chicken broth (stock) in place of the combination of broth and water. Since you lose the flavor the chicken adds to the broth using all broth instead of a combo is a simple fix!
• Can You Use Another type of pasta? You can use any type of noodles for this recipe, but the wide egg noodles pair perfectly with the chicken and sauce in flavor and texture.
• What If your chicken and noodles is too thin and soupy? Too thick? If your sauce is too thin for your liking, simple simmer a little longer. It will thicken right up! If it’s too thick add in a few more splashes of chicken broth and stir!

Can You Make Chicken and Noodles in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, absolutely. You would just have to alter your steps slightly:

1. Decrease the water amount to 4 cups. Add the broth and water and seasoned chicken into the slow cooker.
2. Sauté your onions to soften them and add them into the broth.
3. Add your raw celery, carrots, garlic, and seasonings into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours until the chicken is tender.
4. Remove the chicken, shred it and add it back to the slow cooker.
5. Add the noodles, cover and cook for about an hour, or until the noodles are tender.
6. You will still need to make the roux to thicken it up. So follow the steps as written in the recipe.
7. The sauce might be a little thinner than if cooking this on the stove top, as the liquid won’t evaporate the same in the slow cooker, as it does on the stove top. This is why I decreased the amount of water slightly. It will still be great though!

How To Store

This is a great make-ahead dish as well, perfect for storage for months in the freezer!

In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

In the freezer: Store airtight for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over night and warm on the stovetop.

Looking For More Chicken Comfort Food? Try These Recipes:

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