The dinner your picky one will actually eat at a field
Some kids will try the chili. One kid in your house will not, and sending them something adventurous at 7:00 on a cold Wednesday means they eat nothing and fall apart in the car.
Egg noodles, three tablespoons of butter, parmesan off the green can if that is what is in the fridge, and chicken pulled off a grocery-store rotisserie bird. Eight minutes, one pot.
Use extra butter, more than looks right. Noodles in a jar go dry over three hours, and the ones that were glossy in the kitchen are the ones still soft at the field.
Ingredients
The recipe fills 4 thermoses. Plan on about 20 minutes.
- 12 oz egg noodles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
How to Make It
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until just tender, about 6 minutes.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the noodles.
- Return the noodles to the warm pot and toss with the butter until it melts and coats every strand.
- Add the chicken, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a splash of the reserved water to loosen.
- Toss over low heat until the chicken is heated through and everything is steaming, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley if using.
Pack It Hot Safely
Buttered noodles dry out if they sit, so pack them in a warmed thermos and plan to eat them within current food-holding guidance for the trip.
- Fill the thermos with boiling water and let it sit 5 minutes, then empty it right before packing
- Spoon the noodles into the warmed thermos while fully heated
- Check current USDA food-safety guidance before relying on a thermos for a long hold
Pack the Sides Separately
Keep anything cold or crisp out of the steamy jar so it stays the way it left home.
- Pack cucumber slices or grapes in a separate box
- Tape a fork to the lid so dinner is ready to go
- Send extra parmesan in a tiny container for shaking on top
- Serve with: cucumber slices, grapes
Parent Tip
A spoonful of reserved pasta water keeps the noodles from clumping in the thermos.
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
A handful of frozen peas
Drop them in the pasta water for the last minute and they go in bright green.
Rotini instead of egg noodles
The spirals trap butter and parmesan in every twist, so the last bite is not dry.
Lemon zest and cracked pepper
Half a lemon's worth of zest wakes the whole jar up for an older kid.
Chicken on the side
Pack the meat in a separate small container for the kid who likes nothing touching.
Whatever chicken is already cooked
Sunday's roast, grilled strips, even frozen grilled chicken heated in a pan works here.
Food-Safety Source
Use current food-safety guidance for the food, container, temperature, and wait time in front of you.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: How Temperatures Affect Food
Plan the next step
Sort the week by night
Use the planner to decide which nights get the easy thermos and which get a cold box.