Entree: United States – Iowa – Iowa Chicken and Noodles

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 1 hr 10 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 50 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, approx. 4 lb (1.8 kg)
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water or low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 large yellow onion, halved
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk (or water)
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt (for noodle dough)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted (for dough)
- 2 lb (900 g) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter (for mashed potatoes)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk, warmed (for mashed potatoes)
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt (for potatoes) and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter (to finish broth and noodles)

Instructions

Short Description:
A homestyle Iowa staple of thick, homemade egg noodles and tender, shredded chicken in a rich, savory broth, traditionally served over a bed of buttery mashed potatoes and finished with peas and fresh parsley.

Regional Notes:
This Iowa version uses a whole, simmered chicken to build a deeply flavored broth and thick hand-rolled egg noodles; the finished dish is commonly ladled over mashed potatoes in the Midwest, giving a hearty, single-plate comfort-meal that differs from thinner southern chicken-and-noodle variations.

1. Make the broth: place the whole chicken pieces in a large stockpot and add 10 cups (2.4 L) water or low-sodium chicken stock. Add the halved onion, carrots, celery, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, and 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 50–60 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
2. While the broth simmers, prepare the noodle dough: in a large bowl or on a work surface, mound 4 cups (480 g) flour and make a well in the center. Whisk together 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, and 2 tbsp (30 g) melted butter; pour into the well. Gradually incorporate the flour into the liquid until a shaggy dough forms. Knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a little flour if sticky. Wrap in plastic and let rest 20–30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Make mashed potatoes: place 2 lb (900 g) peeled potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp (6 g) salt, bring to a boil, and simmer 15–20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well, return to pot off heat, mash with 6 tbsp (85 g) butter and warmed 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk until creamy; season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
4. Finish the chicken: when the chicken is tender, use tongs to remove the pieces to a bowl and let cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large bowl, discard solids, and return strained broth to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove skin and bones from the cooled chicken and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, about 2–3 cups (approx. 600–700 g) shredded meat.
5. Roll and cut noodles: divide rested dough into quarters. On a lightly floured surface, roll each quarter to about 1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm) thickness for thick, rustic Midwestern noodles. Fold or roll and cut into 3/4–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) wide ribbons to create thick egg noodles. Toss cut noodles lightly with a little flour to prevent sticking.
6. Cook noodles (two common Midwest approaches — choose one): 
   - Method A (traditional in-broth): Bring the strained broth to a gentle simmer, add the shredded chicken and the cut noodles directly to the simmering broth, stirring gently to keep noodles from clumping. Simmer 6–10 minutes, until noodles are tender. 
   - Method B (keeps broth clearer): Bring a separate large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles 3–5 minutes until just al dente, drain, toss with 1 tbsp (14 g) butter, then add noodles to the warm broth in step 7.
7. Add vegetables and finish: with the noodles and chicken in the broth (either cooked there or added after draining), stir in 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas and 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter. Heat gently until peas are warmed through, 2–3 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and adjust seasoning.
8. To serve Iowa-style: spoon a generous portion of mashed potatoes onto each plate (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes per serving). Ladle a hearty scoop of chicken and thick noodles and broth over the mashed potatoes so the potatoes soak up the gravy-like broth. Garnish with additional parsley and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Leftovers: cool quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; noodles will continue to absorb broth. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen.