Shortcut Chicken and Noodles

If this dish could carry me into the past I’d be sitting at my first grade lunch table. A long forgotten time when “lunch ladies” did the cooking and chicken nuggets were never on the menu.

I think of other times before mine. Imaginary great grandmothers stretching a Sunday chicken dinner and neighbors sharing a meal together decade after decade.

Our schools might not serve good old-fashioned comfort food anymore, but I’ve got my daughter loving chicken and noodles by making it at home. Sometimes from scratch, but more often these busy days with a few shortcuts.

A rotisserie chicken, canned broth and thick store bought noodles makes quick work of an old nostalgic favorite with little compromise in flavor. A meal worth repeating over and over again,

Shortcut Chicken and Noodles
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A rotisserie chicken and store bought noodles makes this a fairly easy weeknight meal to throw together.

1 rotisserie chicken
1 package homemade style egg pasta or wide egg noodles
4 tablespoons butter
2 large carrots, cut into half moons
2 large celery sticks, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 (14.5 ounce) cans lower sodium MSG free chicken broth

1. Remove chicken from the carcass and discard skin. Shred meat into bite size pieces. Set aside.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions in salted water. Strain out water and lightly coat noodles with olive oil to keep from sticking together.

3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until melted and foamy. Add in carrots, celery, onion, thyme, salt and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are mainly softened.

4. Sprinkle flour over vegetables. Stir often for 3 minutes to cook the flour. Deglaze pan with some of the broth. Add the rest of the broth and bring to a high simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened to taste. Add in the chicken and cook until warmed through.

5. To serve, place noodles in individual bowls and top with chicken mixture.

Note: For even deeper flavor, if your chicken has any fat or juice in the bottom of the plastic dish go ahead and throw it in the pot after the flour.

Recipe and photograph by Laura Flowers.