A Comforting Weeknight Dinner That Feels Special
If you love home cooked chicken meals that are simple yet satisfying, this one-pan chicken with buttered noodles is going to be your new weeknight hero. Juicy, tender chicken simmered in a silky lemon cream sauce meets buttery, garlicky noodles for the kind of comfort you didn’t know you needed on a Tuesday night.
It’s the ultimate combination of cozy and quick a twist on a one pot chicken and noodles recipe that’s creamy, tangy, and irresistibly good.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🥘 Minimal cleanup everything cooks in one pan
- 🍋 Bright lemon flavor balanced with creamy sauce
- 🍗 Works with chicken breasts or thighs
- ⏱️ Ready in under 40 minutes
- 👨👩👧 Perfect for easy 1 pan chicken dinners and week night chicken dinners
🛒 Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Salt, pepper, paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup sour cream or cream cheese
- 8 oz egg noodles (buttered after cooking)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
💡 You can also adapt this into chicken thigh recipes with noodles for a richer flavor.
👩🍳 How to Make One-Pan Chicken with Buttered Noodles
- Season & Sear – Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. In a skillet, cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics – In the same pan, cook onion until soft, add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Make the Sauce – Stir in flour, then whisk in broth and milk until smooth.
- Add Lemon & Cream – Stir in lemon juice, zest, and sour cream. Simmer until thickened.
- Cook Noodles – Boil egg noodles separately until al dente, toss with butter.
- Bring It Together – Return chicken to pan, spoon sauce over, and serve with chicken over noodles for the ultimate easy week night meal.
🍽️ How to Serve
- Serve with a side salad or steamed broccoli
- Try swapping noodles for rice or mashed potatoes for a boiled chicken dinner ideas twist
- Pair with crusty bread to soak up the lemon sauce
- Use leftover chicken for wraps or sandwiches the next day
🧂 Pro Tips
- Use fresh lemon for the best flavor
- Pat chicken dry before searing for a golden crust
- Cook noodles just shy of al dente so they soak up the sauce perfectly
- For an extra silky finish, stir in a little pasta water
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking chicken (dries it out)
- Using bottled lemon juice (less fresh flavor)
- Skipping butter in the noodles (it’s called buttered for a reason!)
🧊 Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store chicken and noodles separately for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Freeze chicken and sauce without noodles for best texture
- Reheat: Warm gently with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce
Looking for more skillet-style comfort? Try my Creamy Chicken Parmesan Casserole another easy one-pan chicken dinner that’s perfect for busy nights.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make this ahead?
Yes, just cook noodles fresh when serving for best texture.
Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead?
Absolutely it makes for heartier dinner ideas with boneless chicken.
Q: Can I bake this recipe?
Yes! Try it as a baked version by combining sauce and chicken in a casserole, topping with noodles.
Q: Is it kid-friendly?
Yes the creamy noodles and tender chicken are a hit with even picky eaters.
One-Pan Chicken with Buttered Noodles
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
One-Pan Chicken with Buttered Noodles
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs patted dry
- salt, pepper, paprika to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 1/2 cup sour cream or cream cheese
- 8 oz egg noodles buttered after cooking
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet. Sear chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in flour, then gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk until smooth.
- Add lemon juice, zest, and sour cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Meanwhile, boil egg noodles separately until al dente. Drain and toss with butter.
- Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over, and serve over the buttered noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
💛 P.S. I’ve pinned this and so many other easy 1 pan chicken dinners on Pinterest come follow along for more home cooked chicken meals, chicken over noodles ideas, and week night chicken dinners the whole family will love.
📌 Follow here: Follow Spedy Recipes on Pinterest