Chicken and Noodles:

A Childhood Favorite We Thought We Had Lost

 

 

One of my favorite meals growing up was my mom’s homemade chicken and noodles.

 

Ironically, I often felt sick after eating them. Looking back, I now understand why. At the time, though, I assumed it was because I loved them so much that I always went back for seconds.

 

Mom’s chicken and noodles were a favorite with so many people. She often made a large crockpot full—and sometimes two—for church dinners and gatherings. There never seemed to be much left at the end of the meal. They were served at countless Sunday dinners, and as an adult, I loved learning to make them alongside her. Before long, I was teaching my own children the same process and passing along a family favorite to the next generation.

 

Years later, chicken and noodles played an unexpected role in our own family’s story. It was actually the meal my daughter loved so much that she ate it for four days in a row. Shortly afterward, she experienced a significant gluten reaction and the illness that eventually led us down the path toward answers.

 

Learning to Love Chicken and Noodles Again

 

After our celiac and food intolerance diagnoses, we missed chicken and noodles terribly. I tried making gluten-free noodles several times, but honestly, most of the early attempts were disappointing. Some were gummy, some fell apart, and some just didn’t taste right. After a while, I gave up trying altogether.

 

A few years later, I found a homemade gluten-free noodle recipe that was decent. It wasn’t exactly like Mom’s, but it was good enough to bring chicken and noodles back to our table. I cooked the noodles in rich chicken broth with simple seasonings—mostly salt and pepper—and sometimes added my homemade gluten-free cream of chicken soup.

 

Eventually, we discovered a pasta recipe from The Loopy Whisk that we enjoy even more. The noodles have become a family favorite, and while they are definitely a labor of love, they are worth the time and effort.

 

https://theloopywhisk.com/2018/02/23/homemade-3-ingredient-gluten-free-pasta-recipe

 

Today, we enjoy chicken and noodles much the same way I did growing up—served over mashed potatoes with green beans and bread on the side. Every time I make them, I am reminded of my mom standing in the kitchen preparing food for our family, church dinners, and anyone who gathered around her table.

 

One of the hardest parts of a gluten-free diagnosis is feeling like favorite family traditions are gone forever. Over the years, we’ve learned that many of those meals can return. They may look a little different and take a little more work, but gathering around the table with the people we love is just as sweet as ever.

 

For us, homemade chicken and noodles were a favorite worth bringing back.

 

What childhood meal did you think you would never enjoy again? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.