Midwestern Chicken and Noodles

This is not chicken noodle soup. Across Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, Chicken and Noodles is a rich, thick, stew-like dish ladled over mashed potatoes — a double carbohydrate move that is taken entirely seriously at church suppers and family reunions. Wide egg noodles, often homemade, simmer in concentrated chicken broth until they absorb much of the liquid and become silky and dense.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.8kg (4 lbs), or equivalent bone-in thighs and drumsticks
• 2.4L (10 cups) water
• 2 medium carrots, halved
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, halved
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp fine salt

Noodles and finish:

• 340g (12 oz) wide egg noodles (or homemade flat egg noodles)
• 60g (¼ cup / ½ stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Creamy mashed potatoes, to serve

Instructions

1. Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot with water, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises in the first 10 minutes.
2. Simmer uncovered 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the chicken is completely tender and the broth is golden and flavorful.
3. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool 15 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids. You should have about 2L (8 cups) of broth.
4. Remove chicken from bones, discarding skin. Tear into generous pieces — not shredded fine, but rustic chunks.
5. Return broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are very tender and have absorbed much of the broth, leaving a thick, gravy-like consistency.
6. Stir in the chicken pieces and butter. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The dish should be thick — almost like a stew, not a soup.
7. Serve immediately over a generous mound of creamy mashed potatoes, garnished with parsley.

Cook's Notes: The potatoes under noodles sounds like a lot, but that's the authentic Indiana way — it's a complete meal. Leftovers thicken significantly overnight; loosen with a splash of broth when reheating. For extra richness, use half chicken broth and half whole milk in the final simmer.