Poulet aux Nouilles
Poulet aux nouilles or chicken with noodles gratin is the taste of happy childhood: the smell coming from the oven before dinner, the sound of forks gently cracking through that golden crust, the comfort of knowing that everything was okay because this was on the table.
Tender chicken folded into soft noodles, wrapped in a creamy sauce, baked until the top turns perfectly golden and slightly crisp. That first spoonful - creamy underneath, caramelized on top — instantly takes me back to my mother’s kitchen and wraps me with the warmest hug.
Poulet aux Nouilles
Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 2 large bone-in chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 small onion, halved
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 6–7 cups water
- 400g egg noodles or linguine
- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup ham diced
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- For the Béchamel sauce:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 4 cups warm milk
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 8 slices Gruyère cheese
Instructions
Get started:
- In a pot, combine the chicken with the onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, salt, and water.
- Bring to a gentle boil, remove any scum that forms on the surface then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and let cool.
- Strain the broth then return it to the pot. Bring to a boil and add the noodles.
- Cook according to the package instructions then drain and transfer to an oven-safe baking dish.
- Shred the chicken and add it to the noodles along with the mushrooms and the ham.
Prepare the Béchamel sauce:
- In a saucepan melt the butter then whisk in the flour and cook stirring with a spatula for 1 minute.
- Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly.
- Cook until thick and silky then season with the salt and nutmeg.
Bring it all together:
- Pour the sauce over the noodles mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix everything gently.
- Top with the Gruyère cheese slices.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).
- Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Broil for 2 minutes for that perfect crust.
- Remove from the oven.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!
