My grandma made this every church Sunday and the whole house smelled like comfort. The noodles get so thick and creamy you won't believe there's no cream

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish chicken and noodles is the kind of Sunday supper that makes the whole house smell like comfort. It’s inspired by the simple, frugal cooking you still find in Amish and Mennonite communities across the Midwest: a few pantry staples, long gentle cooking, and absolutely no fuss. The magic here is that the noodles turn thick and creamy just by simmering in the starchy chicken broth—no canned soup, no cream, nothing fancy. It’s the kind of recipe a grandma would put on before church and come home to a pot of tender chicken and silky noodles ready to serve.

Serve this chicken and noodles in wide, shallow bowls so you can really appreciate the thick, velvety broth. It’s lovely ladled over a scoop of buttery mashed potatoes if you want that classic Midwestern carb-on-carb comfort, or simply spooned alongside steamed green beans or glazed carrots for color and freshness. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette helps cut through the richness. If you like bread on the table, warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty country loaf are perfect for soaking up the golden broth.

Servings: 6

2 to 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 to 6 pieces)

Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a large slow cooker (5- to 7-quart works well). Arrange them in an even layer so they’re mostly submerged once the liquid goes in. Keeping the skin and bones on the chicken helps create that naturally rich, almost creamy broth as it cooks.

Scatter the diced celery over and around the chicken. The celery will soften completely and almost melt into the broth, adding a gentle sweetness and that classic soup aroma you remember from childhood kitchens.

Pour in the chicken broth. Add the kosher salt and black pepper, stirring the liquid gently around the chicken and celery. You should see some pepper flakes floating in the golden, cloudy broth. The noodles will absorb a lot of this liquid later, so don’t worry if it looks brothy now.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Cooking low and slow allows the collagen and connective tissue to break down, which is what gives you that velvety, almost creamy texture without adding any dairy.

When the chicken is tender, carefully transfer the pieces to a large bowl using tongs or a slotted spoon. Remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces with two forks. Skim off any large pools of fat from the surface of the broth in the slow cooker if you like, but leave some for flavor and body.

Return the shredded chicken and any collected juices back into the slow cooker. Stir to combine with the hot broth and softened celery. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed, remembering that the noodles will mellow the flavors as they cook.

Add the uncooked egg noodles directly to the slow cooker, stirring them into the hot broth and chicken so they’re mostly submerged. They will look like too many noodles for the liquid at first, but as they cook they’ll absorb broth and release starch, thickening everything into a rich, spoonable mixture.

Cover again and cook on HIGH for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are very tender and the broth has thickened into a creamy, stew-like consistency. The mixture should look glossy and thick, with steam rising and soft celery pieces tucked between the strands of chicken and noodles.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the chicken and noodles sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This brief rest allows the starches to settle and the sauce to thicken even more. Give it a final stir, taste, and adjust with a little more black pepper if you like that visible sprinkle of pepper in the bowl. Serve hot, straight from the slow cooker.

For a slightly richer finish without using cream, you can stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter at the very end; it will melt into the hot noodles and give a silky sheen. If you prefer white meat, use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, but check for doneness a bit earlier, around 4 to 5 hours on LOW, as they can dry out faster than thighs. To add more vegetables while keeping the spirit of the dish, toss in 1 cup of sliced carrots with the celery at the beginning; they’ll soften and blend into the broth. For a bit of herbal flavor, add a small bay leaf and a sprig of fresh parsley or thyme at the start, removing them before adding the noodles—this keeps the recipe simple but adds a subtle, old-fashioned soup note. If you need to stretch the dish for a crowd, you can add an extra cup of broth and another 1/2 cup of noodles, but be aware that the mixture will thicken further as it sits; add a splash of hot broth or water to loosen just before serving if it becomes too thick. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken so it moves quickly through the temperature danger zone in the slow cooker. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) before shredding; using a digital thermometer is the most reliable method. Cool leftovers promptly—within 2 hours—by transferring them to shallow containers, then refrigerate. Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F, adding a splash of broth or water if the noodles have absorbed more liquid overnight. Discard any chicken and noodles that have been left at room temperature longer than 2 hours to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.