Lemon Herb Chicken & Egg Noodles

Why This Lemon Herb Chicken & Egg Noodles Works

As the chicken cooks in the hot skillet, the outside browns and firms up. That browned layer holds in the juices, so the inside stays moist instead of drying out. Once the chicken is set aside, all the little browned bits stuck to the pan stay there. When butter, garlic, chicken broth, and lemon juice go in, the liquid loosens those bits, and they melt into the sauce. The broth and lemon simmer for a few minutes and cook down, so the sauce becomes a little thicker and clings better instead of feeling watery.

While the noodles boil, their starch softens and they turn tender but still a bit springy. When the sliced chicken and noodles go back into the skillet, they soak up the lemony butter sauce. The warm noodles grab onto the parsley, thyme, and Parmesan, so the herbs and cheese spread through the whole pan instead of sitting on top. By the time it is ready to serve, the chicken stays juicy, the noodles are coated, and the sauce sticks to everything instead of pooling at the bottom.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the chicken cook on too high heat can brown the outside fast while the inside stays undercooked. Then, by the time the center is safe, the outer layer is tough and dry, and the slices turn out chewy instead of tender.

Cutting the chicken into strips before cooking instead of cooking the breasts whole often leads to dry meat. The thin pieces cook through too quickly, lose a lot of moisture in the hot pan, and end up stringy once tossed with the noodles.

Adding the lemon juice at the very start with the chicken in the pan can cause problems. The acid makes the outside of the meat tighten up while it cooks, so the chicken becomes firm and a bit rubbery instead of staying juicy.

Letting the sauce reduce too long on the stove makes it overly salty and sharp. The broth and lemon cook down until there is very little liquid left, so the noodles soak it up and turn sticky and clumpy instead of lightly coated.