Chicken & Noodles over Mashed Potatoes

My friend Shirlene requested this recipe so I thought I would share it with everyone. It is one of the yummy comfort foods from The Food Nanny rescues dinner cookbook!

1 1/2 to 2 pounds, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
6 medium russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled & cut into 2 inch chunks
2 Tbs butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
salt and ground black pepper
6 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (optional)
1/2 cup water (optional)
2 cups frozed peas, thawed (optional)

1. Put the chicken and broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the pot to cool, reserving the broth in the pan.

2. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in another pot and cover with water. Add a few shakes of salt and bring to a boil. Cover, decrease the heat to simmer, and continue cooking until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain.

3. Remove the pot from the heat and, mash the potatoes in the pot with a mixer or potatoe masher. Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.

4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, tear the meat into pieces with two forks. Stir the chicken pieces into the broth and place over high heat.

5. When the broth boils, add the noodles. When it boils again, decrease the heat to medium and cook the noodles until tender-following package directions.

NOTE: For thicker broth, make a paste by whisking 1/2 cup flour into 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Pour a little of the paste into the pot after the noodles are cooked. Stir well until blended and boil for one minute, adding more thickening as desired.

6. Optional: Stir in the peas until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. To serve, mound the mashed potatoes in the center of the platter and ladle the chicken mixture over it. Season generously with additional salt and pepper.