Old Fashioned Chicken and Noodles
This is a great main dish, real comfort food. The recipe was never really written down, so one evening I followed Mrs ~t~ and recorded her recipe and technique for you to enjoy here.
FOR THE CHICKEN & STOCK - Using a Whole Chicken or Chicken Pieces
A whole chicken can be cooked two ways. You can use a stock pot, or a pressure cooker. Chicken pieces cook so fast in a stock pot I don't recommend using a pressure cooker on them. The cooking methods below involve letting the meat rest in hot broth, so its okay if the meat is slightly underdone before sitting in the hot broth. The "rest finish" will complete the cooking and also helps keep the meat moist and tender.
Stock Pot - Whole Chicken: Add 2 cans of chicken broth, 1 can full of water, 1 tablespoon of chicken soup base, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 bay leaves. Add the bird, then adjust the water level as needed so the bird is mostly covered. The total amount of liquid should be 6 to 8 cups. Cook at a simmer or low boil until the meat is just tender. Remove the pot from the burner and allow the chicken to rest in the hot broth for 20 or 30 minutes. Remove the meat from the bones and shred, reserve for later. The bones can be returned to the stock and simmered an hour.
Stock Pot - Chicken Pieces: If you prefer to use chicken pieces, they are actually easier to prepare. Start with some boneless chicken breasts and a couple of boneless thighs if you like. Sprinkle them with kosher salt, refrigerate for 2 hours. Using 2 cans of chicken broth and 1 can of water, bring the liquid up to a simmer. Add additional water and chicken soup base so your total liquid is 6 to 8 cups. Add your boneless chicken and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes only. Remove the pot from the burner, cover and allow the chicken to rest in the hot broth for about 30 minutes. (this is a great way to prepare chicken for chicken salad)
If you want to use bone in split breasts the simmer time is about 8 minutes. For chicken quarters, full breasts, or chicken halves, the simmer time is 10 to 12 minutes. In all cases, cover and allow the meat to rest in the hot broth for 30 minutes.
Pressure Cooked - Whole Chicken: Add Add 2 cans of chicken broth, 1 can full of water, 1 tablespoon of chicken soup base, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 bay leaves. Process the bird for 25 minutes (35 minutes if you use a stewing chicken) and use a natural release. Remove the meat from the bones and shred, reserve for later. Discard the bones. The stock will be concentrated, so add 2 or 3 more cups of water and simmer about 15 minutes. This will give you enough broth to cook the noodles.
PREPARE THE MEAT & BROTH
Remove the chicken and discard any bones and skin, allow to cool enough to handle, then shred the meat and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve.
FOR THE NOODLES
This amount of noodles makes 6 to 8 servings and will only require about 1/2 of the chicken.
3 cups of flour
3 eggs
1-1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of milk (you may not need all of this)
Mix the salt into the flour, add the eggs and begin to mix together. Add some milk and continue to mix until the dough comes together. Knead until smooth and let it rest about 10 minutes. Knead again for about 3 minutes and rest a second time for 5 minutes. Roll out the dough and let rest about 15 or 20 minutes. Cut to size, then dust with flour.
FOR THE CHICKEN AND NOODLES
Heat 6 to 8 cups of stock to a low boil, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Add some chicken until the amount looks right (you will not use all the shredded chicken), lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes. Return to a boil and serve. They can simmer a few minutes if the noodles are not tender.
Serve with boiled potatoes.
