Description
Chicken and buttered noodles is what happens when you combine tender chicken with pasta coated in rich, melted butter for a dish that’s simple yet deeply satisfying. Tossing everything together in one pan means less cleanup and more time enjoying comfort food that tastes like someone really cares about feeding you well.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Seasoning:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Pasta and Cooking Base:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces small pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
Finishing Touches:
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp paprika in a medium bowl, then coat your 1 lb of cubed chicken breasts thoroughly in this mixture.
- Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet to medium temperature and place your seasoned chicken inside, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes total while flipping halfway through until the pieces turn golden and reach full doneness.
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, then add 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder followed by your 8 oz of small pasta shells.
- Cook your pasta to al dente texture based on the package instructions, then drain it while keeping 1 cup of the cooking liquid set aside for later.
- Return the empty pot to medium heat and add 1/2 cup (1 stick) of salted butter, letting it melt completely before stirring in 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder and 2 tsp minced garlic.
- Let your garlic mixture cook for 1 minute at medium heat to release its flavors.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of your reserved pasta water and mix everything together until combined.
- Add your drained noodles and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese back to the pot, tossing gently until the noodles are evenly coated, and add more pasta water if your sauce needs loosening.
- Gently fold in your cooked chicken pieces and taste the dish, adjusting salt and pepper as needed for your preference.
- Transfer everything to a serving dish, sprinkle chopped parsley on top with extra parmesan if desired, and serve while still warm.
Notes
- Cut your chicken into even-sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate and stays tender throughout the cooking time.
- Save that pasta water before draining because the starch helps create a silky sauce that coats the noodles better than water alone.
- If your noodles seem dry after tossing, add the extra pasta water a little at a time rather than all at once, since the sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.
- For a lighter version, use half the butter and add a splash of chicken broth to keep the sauce creamy without the extra richness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: More Fried Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 484 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 921 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg