Chicken Breast with Egg Noodles
A comforting one-pot chicken and noodle dish featuring tender shredded chicken, soft egg noodles, and a rich, creamy chicken broth. The stovetop method produces a thick, savory sauce as the noodles finish cooking in the covered pot, while a slow cooker variation offers an alternative hands-off preparation.
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Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 boneless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Final Assembly
- 12 ounces egg noodles
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Pour the chicken stock and water into a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, then stir until evenly combined.
- Add the chicken breasts and melted butter to the seasoned broth. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the liquid reaches a boil.
- As soon as the broth begins boiling, lower the heat to low. Keep the pot covered and cook the chicken for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken breasts from the broth to a plate or other suitable surface and allow them to cool.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, either shred it using two forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Set the prepared chicken aside.
- Add the cream of chicken soup to the broth remaining in the pot. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth and evenly blended.
- Bring the creamy broth back to a boil. Add the uncooked egg noodles along with the shredded or chopped chicken.
- The noodles do not need to be completely covered by the liquid at first. As they soften during cooking, they will gradually settle into the broth.
- Once the mixture returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 2–5 minutes, or until the noodles are approximately halfway cooked. At this stage, they should still be too firm to eat but flexible enough to bend in half without snapping.
- Turn off the burner while leaving the pot covered. Allow the dish to stand until the noodles are fully tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Depending on the thickness, size, type, and quality of the egg noodles, this final covered resting period may require anywhere from 5–20 minutes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the chicken stock, cream of chicken soup, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to a large slow cooker. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Place the chicken breasts and melted butter into the broth mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours or on High for 2–4 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and leave it to cool. If the slow cooker is not already set to High, increase the temperature to High while the chicken cools.
- Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with two forks or cut it into bite-sized portions.
- Return the prepared chicken to the slow cooker and add the uncooked egg noodles.
- Stir gently so the noodles are coated with the broth mixture. Cover and continue cooking for 20–40 minutes, or until the noodles reach the desired tenderness.
- During this final cooking period, gently stir the mixture once or twice to encourage the noodles to cook evenly.
Notes
The stovetop noodles finish cooking with the heat turned off and the pot covered, allowing them to absorb the broth while the sauce thickens.
Final noodle cooking time can vary considerably according to the noodle variety, thickness, size, and quality.
When using the slow cooker method, gentle stirring helps prevent the noodles from cooking unevenly.
Final noodle cooking time can vary considerably according to the noodle variety, thickness, size, and quality.
When using the slow cooker method, gentle stirring helps prevent the noodles from cooking unevenly.