Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions References

Ingredients

  • 1

    whole cut-up fryer chicken

  • 2

    whole carrots, diced

  • 2

    stalks celery, diced

  • 1/2

    whole medium onion, diced (optional)

  • 1 tsp.

    salt

  • 1/2 tsp.

    turmeric

  • 1/4 tsp.

    white pepper (more to taste)

  • 1/4 tsp.

    ground thyme

  • 2 tsp.

    parsley flakes

  • 16 oz.

    frozen "homemade" egg noodles

  • 3 tbsp.

    all-purpose flour

Directions

    1. Step1Cover chicken in 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
    2. Step2Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With two forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can, slightly shredding meat in the process. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes.
    3. Step3Remove bones from broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached.
    4. Step4Add the carrots and celery (and onions, if using) to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine and simmer for ten minutes to meld flavors.
    5. Step5Increase heat and add frozen egg noodles and chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
    6. Step6Mix flour and a little water. Stir until smooth. Pour into soup, stir to combine, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until broth thickens a bit. Test and adjust seasonings as needed.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (1)

The cast of characters: A whole fryer chicken, carrot, celery, onion (optional; I didn’t use it)…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (3)

And all of this business. I actually prefer using dried parsley flakes for this soup. One of the few circumstances where fresh isn’t necessarily preferred.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (5)

Now. You can certainly make your own noodles. They’re a cinch. If that’s the way you want to go, just cut them shorter than these if you do take this purely homemade route.

But.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (7)

But here’s where the “homemade” part of this recipe is in finger quotes, because I’m going to give you permission to use these. Let me tell you, my friends, if you haven’t ever used Reames frozen egg noodles, you’re missing out on one of the best store-bought, prepackaged foods there is.

Ingredients: flour, water, and eggs. That’s it.

I’ve made my own noodles, and I’ve used Reames. And I’d serve Reames to guests every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

***This is not a paid advertisement for Reames Egg Noodles, for Lord’s sake.***

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (9)

To my utter discontent, however, Reames recently changed their packaging. I hate it when products change their packaging; it makes me feel forlorn and lonesome, and I feel a sense of loss for the old look.

But they taste the same. And that’s a very, very good thing.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (11)

Okay! Let’s get the party started. Throw the chicken pieces into a pot.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (13)

Cover the chicken with about 4 quarts of water…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (15)

And bring the pot to a boil.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (17)

When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat to low. Simmer the chicken for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon. Keep the broth simmering on low.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (21)

Grab a couple of forks…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (23)

And use the forks to pull the meat off the bones. It should pretty much be done; if there’s a little pink or red left, don’t worry—it’s going back in the pot later.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (25)

Continue with all the chicken pieces, pulling as much of the meat off the bones as you can, slightly shredding the meat in the process. Cover the meat and set aside or stick in the fridge.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (27)

As you remove the meat, return the bones to the broth.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (29)

Simmer the bones for 45 minutes on low (you can be more thorough getting the meat off than I was. Sorry. Lazy.)

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (31)

While the bones are simmering, dice up some carrots.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (33)

Lop off the tips…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (35)

Then cut them in half, lengthwise.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (37)

Lay them all with the cut side down…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (39)

And cut each half in three long slices.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (41)

Then slice across the carrots to create a dice.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (43)

Easy as pie! I like to keep the dice pretty large because:

a) I love cooked carrots

and

b) This makes it easier for those who don’t like cooked carrots to pick them out and pipe down

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (45)

Dice up some celery, too. And include some of the inner stalks with the pretty leaves. That’s my favorite part.

You can also include a little diced onion, but I like to buck the rules of mirepoix and just go with carrots and celery.

I’m a rebel that way.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (49)

Remove the bones from the broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached. Then throw the carrots and celery into the pot.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (51)

Then use your freaky pink alien hand to add the salt.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (53)

Next, add turmeric. It adds flavor and color, color, color.

I’ve been on a real turmeric kick lately. Try it sometime! It’s magical.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (55)

Now add ground white pepper. I added quite a bit and it made the dish a little bit peppery/spicy, which we loved. But start sparingly and add more as you like. Also add in the ground thyme, and some of the chicken base if you’d like a little more intense chicken flavor.

But it really shouldn’t need it.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (57)

Finally, add the parsley flakes.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (59)

Stir this together and let it simmer for another ten minutes, just to let the flavors come together a bit.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (61)

Now grab a package of egg noodles. Crank up the heat to compensate for the coldness of the noodles.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (63)

Dump ’em right on in.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (65)

Stir to separate all the noodles.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (67)

Now throw in the chicken!

It’s starting to get real here, folks.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (69)

Simmer this on medium-low for eight to ten minutes.

Yum.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (71)

Now, ten minutes later, this is a delicious, wonderful, scrumptious, hearty chicken noodle soup. Just taste and check the seasonings and serve it in this state if you like.

But that’s not what I’m going for here.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (73)

What I’m going for is thick, beautiful chicken and noodles. Add some water to a little flour…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (75)

Stir it together until smooth…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (77)

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (79)

And pour it into the pot…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (81)

Let it simmer for five additional minutes, or until the broth thickens. Feel free to add a little more flour/water if needed, or if it gets too thick, add a little water.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (83)

Mmmm. You know you’re about to eat something yummy when the sides of the pot look like this.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (85)

And when the contents of the pot look like this.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (87)

Oh dear. This is comfort food. This is home.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (89)

This is what happens…

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (91)

When my daughter sticks her spoon in the pot while I’m trying to take photos.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (93)

I bring out The Claw.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (95)

And The Claw scratches and squeezes until the twelve-year-old punk whimpers and runs away.

And awww—look how cute! Matching mother-daughter alien hands!

Look. It’s a photography thing. Exposure and all that stuff. In order to properly expose the darker contents of the pot, my hand is always pink and freaky and bright white.

I’ll cover it sometime on Pioneer Woman Photography. It’s too painful for me to discuss here.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (97)

And anyway, I let her come back and have a bite.

I charged her five bucks, though.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (99)

And then I went ahead and took a bite.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (101)

And at that brief moment in time, everything was right in the world.

Enjoy this! It’s what life is all about.

Ree's Homemade Chicken and Noodles Recipe Is Thick and Hearty (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5801

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Birthday: 1996-05-19

Address: Apt. 114 873 White Lodge, Libbyfurt, CA 93006

Phone: +5983010455207

Job: Legacy Representative

Hobby: Blacksmithing, Urban exploration, Sudoku, Slacklining, Creative writing, Community, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.