Ingredients:

  • 2 kg Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)
  • 30 g Unsalted Butter (for searing)
  • 15 ml Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 Carrots, diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 5 ml Dried Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 4 L Chicken Stock (low sodium)
  • Salt and Black Pepper, To Taste
  • 60 g Unsalted Butter (for the roux)
  • 60 g All-Purpose Flour
  • 240 ml Whole Milk or Half-and-Half
  • 120 ml Double Cream (Heavy Cream)
  • 340 g Egg Noodles (broad/wide)
  • 30 ml Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • 5 ml Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)

Instructions:

  1. Dice the chicken pieces, season heavily with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches until deeply golden brown (3-4 minutes per side). Remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, scraping up the brown bits (fond), until the vegetables soften (about 6–8 minutes). Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Return the chicken to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Remove the chicken pieces and shred them coarsely using two forks. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Keep the hot stock simmering gently in the Dutch oven.
  5. In a separate saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 4 Tbsp of flour constantly for 2 minutes to create a smooth roux (it should look like wet sand).
  6. Slowly whisk about 2 cups (480 ml) of the hot chicken stock (from the Dutch oven) into the roux until smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the whole milk/half-and-half and the heavy cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Pour the thickened, creamy sauce back into the Dutch oven with the remaining stock. Stir well. Add the shredded chicken back to the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, and stir in the teaspoon of lemon juice for brightness.
  8. Cook the egg noodles in a separate pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente (usually 6-8 minutes). Drain the noodles thoroughly.
  9. Add the hot, drained noodles directly into the creamy chicken sauce. Stir gently to coat everything. Garnish generously with fresh parsley and serve immediately.