Creamy Herb Chicken — The First Post-Easter Weeknight Dinner

Easter Sunday went the way I had hoped, again. The lamb shoulder slow-roasted at 275 for five hours and came out fork-tender enough to pull apart with a fork. The mint-and-lemon gremolata was the bright sharp contrast the rich lamb needed. Six people at the table for the second annual. Mr. Briggs gave a small toast about the recipes that find their way back home, the same line as last year, which I have decided is now the toast for our table at our holidays. Mama held my hand for the toast.

And the recipe Sunday after Easter was creamy herb chicken because the schedule was tight (post-Easter cleanup plus AP-test-prep for the May exams) and because the recipe was a one-pan dinner that does not require leftovers planning.

The recipe is from Cafe Delites. Chicken thighs seared in a hot skillet, removed; the same skillet builds a cream sauce from the rendered fat, butter, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, fresh thyme, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. The chicken returns to the sauce.

The math: chicken thighs $2.79, heavy cream $1.49, butter, garlic, fresh thyme $0.99, fresh parsley $0.99, chicken broth from bouillon, salt, pepper, lemon. Total: about $6.85 for a dinner that fed Mama and me Sunday and Monday.

The technique is the sear-then-sauce. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side-down for eight minutes, flip and cook three more, remove. In the same pan, melt butter, add four cloves of minced garlic, ninety seconds. Pour in three-quarters of a cup of chicken broth and a half cup of heavy cream. Simmer two minutes to thicken slightly. Add the chopped thyme and parsley. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Return the chicken thighs, skin-side-up, simmer two more minutes. Serve over rice.

Mama said, when she ate this Sunday night, baby, this is the kind of dinner the women on the cooking shows pay editors for. The kitchen has continued to produce the kind of dinner that the women on the cooking shows produce.

The recipe is below. The trick is the same skillet for the sear and the sauce — the rendered chicken fat is the flavor base for the cream sauce.

Creamy Herb Chicken and Noodles

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken. Place chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18–20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F internally. Remove chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Reserve the broth in the pot.
2. Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
3. Sauté the vegetables. In a separate large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Add garlic, thyme, parsley, and rosemary, and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Build the broth base. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the reserved chicken broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil.
5. Cook the noodles. Add egg noodles to the pot and cook according to package directions, about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together.
6. Finish the dish. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3–4 minutes until everything is heated through and the broth has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 980mg