Lemon Chicken and Noodles (Hold the Soup)

Thinly slice the onion. Add it into a saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, allow the onion to caramelize while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Meanwhile, poach the chicken. Using thawed or frozen chicken (either one), add the chicken into a large pot and cover it with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and any vegetable bits that you’d like to use (ends from carrots/celery/onion, completely optional). Cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook the chicken until done, about 10 minutes after the water reduces to a simmer for thawed chicken, or 20-30 minutes after you reduce heat to a simmer for frozen chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, finely chop the carrots and celery and mince the garlic.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot of water to a plate to cool and carefully strain the cooking liquid into a bowl.

In the same pot, boil the pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Once done remove pot from heat and drain.

While the pasta is cooking, stir the pan of onions and shred the chicken with two forks or your fingers. If your chicken was skin-on, remove and discard the chicken skin.

When the pasta is cooked and drained, add the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil into the same pot over medium-high heat with the carrots. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then add the celery and cook for 2 minutes more. When the veggies are soft, add the garlic and lemon zest. Stir for one minute, then sprinkle the flour over the veggie mixture and stir to combine for one minute more. Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, and bring to a bubble to thicken the mixture. Add more stock as needed to create a thin gravy.

To assemble, add the noodles, chicken, and caramelized onions into the pot with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt. Stir together, and taste. Add more salt or seasoning salt if you’d like, and add more chicken liquid to create enough sauce to coat all the pasta.

Serve topped with parsley leaves.

Notes: Rotisserie chicken and 4 cups of store bought stock could be used to save time!