Kid-Friendly Buttered Noodles and Chicken

Kid-Friendly Buttered Noodles and Chicken: The Dinner That Actually Gets Eaten

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you—I’ve been making this buttered noodles and chicken combo for about three years now, and it’s basically saved my sanity on those crazy weeknight dinners when everyone’s hungry and cranky. And trust me, I’ve tried A LOT of recipes that my kids just stared at like I’d served them alien food.

This one though? This one actually gets eaten. Without complaints. Without negotiations. Sometimes even without ketchup (which, if you have kids, you know is basically a miracle).

How I Accidentally Discovered This Recipe

So here’s the thing—I never meant to create this recipe. It was one of those desperate Tuesday nights where I’d planned to make some fancy Pinterest-worthy dinner, but then my youngest had a meltdown at daycare pickup, my oldest forgot his soccer cleats (again), and by the time we got home at 6:30, everyone was HANGRY.

I opened my pantry and literally said out loud, “What can I make with egg noodles, leftover chicken, and butter?” My 8-year-old actually answered, “Just mix it all together, Mom.”

Kids. They’re smarter than we give them credit for.

That first attempt was… well, let’s call it rustic. I basically threw everything in a pot and hoped for the best. But you know what? They ate it. Every. Single. Bite.

Why This Works for Picky Eaters

Now, here’s what I’ve learned after making this roughly 47 million times (okay, maybe more like 50, but it feels like 47 million). Picky eaters—especially toddlers and young kids—love simple flavors they can identify. There’s no mystery sauce, no weird chunks of vegetables hiding under cheese, no “what IS that?” moments.

It’s literally just:

• Noodles (which most kids already love)
• Chicken (plain, recognizable chicken)
• Butter (because butter makes everything better)
• A tiny bit of seasoning

That’s it. No surprises, no tricks, just comfort food that tastes like a warm hug.

My neighbor’s 4-year-old, who literally only ate chicken nuggets and goldfish crackers for six months, now asks for “the noodle chicken” every time she comes over. Her mom almost cried the first time she saw her eat it.

The Ingredients (And My Shopping Disasters)

You’ll need:

• 12 oz egg noodles (wide ones work best, but honestly, any noodles will do)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (rotisserie chicken is your friend here)
• 4 tablespoons butter (real butter, not that fake stuff)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (NOT garlic salt—learned that one the hard way)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional: frozen peas (if you’re feeling brave)

Shopping tip from someone who’s been there: Don’t buy the fancy artisan noodles. I tried that once, thinking I was being all gourmet, and spent $8 on pasta that tasted exactly the same as the $1.50 box. Save your money.

Also, about that rotisserie chicken—it’s honestly the best shortcut ever invented. I used to be all judgy about buying pre-cooked chicken until I had three kids under 10 and realized that sometimes survival mode is more important than being a cooking purist.

The Method (AKA How Not to Mess This Up)

Step 1: Cook the noodles Fill a big pot with water, add a generous amount of salt (like, more than you think you need), and bring it to a boil. Add your noodles and cook according to package directions, but taste them a minute before the timer goes off. You want them tender but not mushy.

Pro tip: I always make extra noodles because my kids will literally eat plain buttered noodles as a snack. It’s like their version of popcorn.

Step 2: Prep your chicken If you’re using rotisserie chicken, just shred it up with your hands or chop it with a knife. If you’re cooking chicken from scratch… well, you’re more ambitious than me on a Tuesday night, but go for it.

Step 3: The magic happens Drain your noodles (but save about 1/4 cup of that starchy pasta water—trust me on this one).

Put the pot back on the stove over low heat. Add the butter and let it melt completely. Then add your garlic powder and onion powder. It’ll smell amazing.

Add the drained noodles back to the pot and toss everything together. If it looks a little dry, add some of that pasta water I told you to save. This is where the magic happens—the starchy water helps everything come together into this silky, buttery goodness.

Step 4: Add the chicken Toss in your chicken and mix it all up. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it (this is important—you need to taste as you go).

If you’re adding Parmesan, now’s the time. If you’re brave enough to try peas, throw in about 1/2 cup of frozen ones. They’ll thaw in the hot noodles.

The Disasters I’ve Had (So You Don’t Have To)

The Great Garlic Salt Incident of 2022: Used garlic salt instead of garlic powder and didn’t adjust the regular salt accordingly. It was basically a salt lick with noodles. Even my kids, who put ketchup on everything, couldn’t save it.

The Overcooked Noodle Tragedy: Got distracted by a phone call from school (my middle kid had apparently worn his pajama shirt to class and needed a change of clothes), and the noodles turned to mush. Like, baby food consistency mush. Had to start over while three hungry kids stood around the kitchen dramatically claiming they were “starving.”

The Fancy Butter Fail: Decided to use some expensive European butter I’d been saving for a special occasion. Turns out, my kids couldn’t tell the difference, and I felt like an idiot for wasting the good stuff on a Tuesday night dinner.

Variations That Actually Work

Cheesy version: Add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar after you add the chicken. My cheese-obsessed 6-year-old prefers this version.

Veggie version: If you’ve got kids who will eat vegetables (lucky you), try adding:

• Frozen peas (like I mentioned)
• Steamed broccoli cut up really small
• Corn kernels

Herb version: If you’re feeling fancy, add some dried Italian seasoning or fresh parsley. But honestly, most days I can barely remember to add the garlic powder, so don’t stress about this.

Why This is Perfect for Busy Families

This whole thing takes maybe 20 minutes from start to finish. You can make it while helping with homework, refereeing sibling arguments, or trying to convince your toddler that yes, they do need to wear pants to dinner.

It’s also one of those recipes that scales up really easily. Having friends over? Double everything. Hosting a playdate? Make extra because other kids will want to try it too.

And here’s something I discovered by accident—this stuff reheats beautifully. I make a big batch on Sunday sometimes and use it for quick lunches during the week. Just add a tiny bit of butter when you reheat it and it tastes just as good as fresh.

The Real Talk About Weeknight Dinners

Can I just say something here? Sometimes I feel like I’m failing as a parent because I’m not making elaborate, Instagram-worthy meals every night. Like, I see other moms posting pictures of these amazing dinners with homemade bread and perfectly arranged vegetables, and I’m over here celebrating because nobody cried during dinner prep.

But you know what I’ve learned? Fed is best. Happy kids eating something nutritious is better than stressed kids picking at something “perfect” that they hate.

This buttered noodles and chicken situation has become our go-to comfort food. It’s what I make when someone’s had a bad day at school, when the weather’s crappy, when we’re all just tired and need something familiar and warm.

And honestly? Some of my favorite family memories have happened around the table eating this simple dinner. My oldest telling me about his day, my middle kid making up stories about the noodles being “worms” (gross but hilarious), my youngest just happy to be eating something she actually likes.

Tips for Serving This to Different Ages

Toddlers: Cut everything smaller than you think you need to. Seriously. And maybe put the chicken on the side at first so they can see exactly what they’re getting.

Elementary age: They can usually handle it as-is, but I sometimes put parmesan in a little bowl on the side so they can add their own. Kids love feeling like they have control over their food.

Teenagers: Add more seasoning, maybe some red pepper flakes if they’re adventurous. My friend’s 14-year-old adds hot sauce to everything, including this.

Adults: Honestly, this is comfort food for grown-ups too. Sometimes I make it just for me when I’ve had a stressful day.

The Leftover Situation

If you somehow have leftovers (rare in my house), they keep in the fridge for about 3 days. You can eat them cold (my kids do this), or reheat them in the microwave with a tiny bit of butter.

I’ve also discovered that leftover buttered noodles and chicken make a decent packed lunch. Just throw it in a thermos and it stays warm until lunchtime.

Final Thoughts

Look, this isn’t going to win any fancy cooking awards. It’s not particularly photogenic (though it’s definitely improved my weeknight dinner game). But it’s reliable, it’s quick, and most importantly, it gets eaten without complaints.

In my book, that makes it perfect.

My kids are older now—8, 10, and 12—and they still request this regularly. It’s become part of our family food tradition, right alongside birthday cake and Christmas cookies.

So if you’re standing in your kitchen at 6:30 PM wondering what the heck to make for dinner, give this a try. Your kids might surprise you. And if they don’t eat it? Well, more for you. Because honestly, this stuff is pretty delicious.

Happy cooking! (And may your smoke alarms stay quiet and your kids actually eat what you make.)