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Chicken with Buttered Noodles

Chicken with buttered noodles is a weeknight pasta dinner with silky egg noodles coated in a glossy garlic herb butter sauce. Golden sliced chicken sits on top, finished with Parmesan for a savory, comforting texture in every bite.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820

Ingredients
  

Chicken with Buttered Noodles
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut to even thickness if needed so it cooks at the same rate.
  • 0.25 salt To taste; use to season chicken and finish noodles.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste; use for seasoning and final adjustment.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder To taste; for quick seasoning on the chicken.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning To taste; for savory herbal flavor on the chicken.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil Used for searing chicken.
  • 12 oz egg noodles Cooked; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for the sauce.
  • 6 tbsp butter For the garlic butter sauce.
  • 5 garlic Minced, about 5 cloves.
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes Optional heat; use to taste.
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped; stir in at the end and garnish.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated; scatter generously on top.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste, then add olive oil to a skillet and sear over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest the chicken, slice it into pieces, and set aside.
Make garlic butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat, then add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Keep the heat at medium to prevent the garlic from browning too fast.
Coat the noodles
  1. Add the cooked egg noodles to the garlic butter and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed for silky coverage. Stir until the sauce clings to every noodle.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Turn off the heat and keep the noodles glossy before serving.
Serve
  1. Divide the buttered noodles among plates and top each with the sliced chicken. Scatter Parmesan generously over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

For the silkiest noodles, toss with reserved pasta water off the bottom of the sauce and add it gradually until the butter looks glossy, not greasy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because egg noodles can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter option, use olive oil instead of some of the butter (e.g., 3 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp olive oil) while keeping the final toss with pasta water to maintain the creamy feel.