Recipe Background
Homemade chicken noodles combine comfort and convenience with a slow-cooked twist perfect for a cozy gathering.
The first time I made homemade chicken noodles was during a snowstorm in my second year of college. Our heater was struggling, and the whole place felt like the inside of a fridge. My roommates and I had just moved into a new house off-campus, and it was our first winter without campus dining. We were a hodgepodge group of students, each with our own culinary inclinations, but that snowstorm forced us together into the kitchen to find warmth and sustenance.
As luck would have it, we had three chicken breasts and a bag of Reames® Homestyle Egg Noodles kicking around in the freezer. I suggested trying out my mom's slow cooker chicken noodles, a dish she swore by during our own New England winters. We layered the chicken with onions, added low-sodium chicken broth for richness, and reached for the trusty condensed cream of chicken soup. This made the broth creamy without needing heavy cream or a roux. As the aroma filled the kitchen, I tossed in a sprinkle of dried thyme and a colorful mix of frozen veggies for both nutrition and cheer.
A couple of chef-y tips along the way: shred the chicken with two forks right on the cutting board before it cools, and watch those noodles—overcooking can turn them into mush. As we huddled around the table with our bowls, the flavors melded, warming us from the inside. The experience taught us the importance of food beyond taste—its role in comfort and connections. It's no surprise that snowstorm became a fond memory, etched in warmth and shared indulgence.
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 small onion diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables of your choice
- 1 (24-ounce) bag frozen egg noodles such as Reames® Homestyle Egg Noodles
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Directions
- Season the chicken breasts with the salt and the pepper.
- In a slow cooker, add the chicken breasts in a single layer, then add the onions over top.
- Add the chicken broth, the condensed cream of chicken soup, more of the black pepper, and the thyme leaves to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high until the onions are tender and the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3 hours.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and using two forks, shred them.
- Transfer the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker.
- Add the mixed vegetables and the egg noodles to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cook on high until the noodles are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
- Add the parsley and stir to combine.
- Serve.
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