🍅🍗 One-Pot Tomato Chicken & Egg Noodles

If you need an easy dinner that the whole family can eat, including your little one, this One-Pot Tomato Chicken & Egg Noodles is such a good one to have in your back pocket.

It’s made with just a handful of simple ingredients, cooks in one pan, and is ready in about 30 minutes. No complicated sauce, no long list of seasonings, and no separate meal for the kids.

Just tender chicken thighs, soft egg noodles, tomato paste, onion, olive oil, and a little date syrup for natural sweetness. That’s it!

And if you have a picky eater, you already know how valuable a meal like this can be. Who doesn’t love noodles and chicken?! The noodles cook right in the pan with the chicken, soaking up all that delicious flavor and becoming incredibly soft and easy for little ones to eat.

This is one of those simple family meals that everyone can enjoy together, which is always a win in my book.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in about 30 minutes
• Everything cooks in one pan
• Simple, clean ingredients
• Great for babies 10 months and up
• Family-friendly and kid-approved
• Perfect for picky eaters
• Soft noodles are easy for little ones to eat
• Minimal seasoning but still full of flavor
• Easy weeknight dinner
• No need to make a separate meal for your baby

I especially love recipes like this because they prove that you don’t need a complicated ingredient list to make a really delicious meal.

The combination of tomato paste, grated onion, chicken, and a little date syrup creates so much flavor on its own.

👶 Great for Babies 10 Months & Up

This is one of those meals I love making because my baby can eat the same dinner as the rest of the family with just a little attention to texture and seasoning.

The noodles become very soft as they cook, making them easier for little ones to manage. The chicken also becomes tender, especially when using bone-in chicken thighs.

For babies around 10 months and up, make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and shred or finely chop it into an appropriate size and texture for your child.

Always make sure your baby is developmentally ready for the textures being served and supervise them while eating.

🍗 Boneless or Bone-In Chicken Thighs

I usually make this with boneless chicken thighs because they cook quickly and make the recipe super easy.

But you can absolutely use bone-in chicken thighs too.

In fact, bone-in chicken thighs can make the meat even more tender and flavorful, which is especially nice when you’re making this for little ones.

If using bone-in chicken, make sure you carefully remove all bones and cartilage before serving to your baby or young child.

Chicken thighs are my favorite for this recipe because they stay juicy and tender while cooking in the tomato sauce.

Perfect for Picky Eaters

If you have a picky eater, you know that sometimes familiar foods are everything.

Chicken and noodles are both foods that many kids already enjoy, so this recipe is an easy way to serve them together in a flavorful meal.

The noodles are soft, the chicken is tender, and the tomato sauce adds flavor without being overwhelming.

There are no strong spices or complicated flavors here. Just simple ingredients that work really well together. I like to blitz the onion, so kids can’t tell it’s even in there.

And because everything cooks in the same pan, the noodles pick up all the flavor from the chicken and tomato sauce instead of tasting plain.

Add Some Veggies

I love serving this with some roasted or steamed vegetables on the side.

Try:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Peas
• Sweet potato

You can serve the vegetables separately so everyone can choose what they want, or mix some into the noodles.

For younger babies, simply make sure the vegetables are cooked until very soft and served in an appropriate size and texture.

Add a little fruit on the side and you have a simple, balanced family meal.

🧂 Simple Seasoning Is All You Need

One of my favorite things about this family-friendly dinner is that it doesn’t need a ton of seasoning.

You really only need a little salt and pepper for the adult version, because the tomato paste, onion, chicken, olive oil, and date syrup already bring plenty of flavor.

If you’re serving this to a baby under 12 months, you can leave out the added salt and use an appropriate low-sodium tomato paste and other ingredients, but honestly it’s a little amount of salt in a big family meal, which won’t hurt a baby.

You can always season the adult portions at the table.

⭐ Tips for Success

Grate the onion.
Grating the onion helps it cook quickly and almost melt into the sauce. It also means you don’t have big chunks of onion throughout the dish, which can be especially helpful for little ones.

Don’t skip the tomato paste.
It gives the sauce its rich tomato flavor and helps create that delicious coating around the noodles.

Add more water if needed.
The noodles will absorb quite a bit of liquid as they cook. If your pan starts looking dry before the noodles are tender, add a little more water.

Use bone-in thighs for extra tenderness.
Boneless thighs are quick and easy, but bone-in thighs can make the chicken incredibly tender and flavorful.

Adjust the date syrup to taste.
A little goes a long way. Start with a small amount and add more if you want a slightly sweeter tomato sauce.

❄️ Storage Instructions 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

The noodles will absorb more of the sauce as they sit, so when reheating, add a splash of water to loosen everything up.

Reheat until heated through and allow the food to cool to an appropriate temperature before serving your little one.

Substitutions

One of the things I love about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can easily swap a few ingredients depending on what you have on hand or what your family likes.

• Chicken: I use boneless chicken thighs because they stay tender and flavorful, but you can use bone-in chicken thighs, chicken breast, or chicken tenderloins. If using chicken breast, be careful not to overcook it so it doesn’t dry out, cook for max 20 minutes.
• Egg noodles: Small egg noodles work really well because they cook until very soft, but you can use another small pasta shape. Just keep in mind that cooking time and the amount of water needed may vary.
• Date syrup: Date syrup adds a subtle natural sweetness to balance the tomato paste. You can leave it out if you prefer, or use a small amount of maple syrup for older kids and adults.
• Tomato paste: If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use a little tomato sauce instead, although you may need to adjust the amount of water so the sauce doesn’t become too thin.
• Onion: Freshly grated onion gives the sauce lots of flavor while practically disappearing into the dish. If you don’t have an onion, you can use finely minced onion instead.
• Olive oil: Avocado oil or another mild cooking oil can be used in place of olive oil.
• Water: You can use low-sodium chicken broth instead of water for even more flavor. For babies under 12 months, choose a low-sodium or no-salt-added broth.

❓ FAQ

What age can babies eat this?

This recipe is suitable for babies around 10 months and up, assuming they are developmentally ready for the ingredients and textures. Make sure the chicken is finely shredded and the noodles are very soft and served in an appropriate size.

Can I make this without salt for my baby?

Yes! If you’re making this for a baby under 12 months, simply leave out the added salt. You can season the adult portions separately at the end. In my opinion, it’s ok to have a little salt in a family meal for little one’s, never directly put salt on to the babies food.

Can I use bone-in chicken thighs?

Absolutely. Bone-in chicken thighs work really well and can make the chicken even more tender. Just be sure to remove all bones and cartilage before serving to babies or young children.

Can I use chicken breast?

Yes, although chicken thighs are my preference because they stay more tender and juicy. If using chicken breast, be careful not to overcook it. I recommend cooking for 20 minutes.

What kind of noodles should I use?

Small egg noodles work especially well because they cook quickly and become very soft. You can substitute another small pasta, but you may need to adjust the cooking time and amount of water.

Do I have to use date syrup?

No. The date syrup adds a little sweetness that balances the tomato paste, but you can leave it out if you prefer. The dish will still be delicious.

Can I add vegetables?

Definitely! Serve this with roasted or steamed vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peas, or sweet potato. You can also add finely chopped vegetables directly to the pan.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. You can make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add a splash of water when reheating because the noodles will continue absorbing the sauce.

Can I freeze it?

You can freeze it, although the noodles may become softer once thawed. If freezing, store in an airtight freezer-safe container and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What You Need:

Large Deep Pan 

If you enjoyed this recipe, here are more family-friendly dinners:

Sweet & Savory Prune Chicken Bake 

Chicken Fajita Orzo 

Buttered Soy Vegetable Noodles 

The Best Egg Noodles