Trying to reproduce or approximate a packaged food recipe.

[Lisa0825]

OK, now I haven't been here much, but I know that mostly what is shared are wonderful, wholesome, home made goodies. That is not exactly what I am looking for. LOL

Have any of you ever had "Kraft Noodle Classics Chicken Dinner", formerly known as "Kraft Egg Noodle and Chicken Dinner"? It has been discontinued for a few years now, and was hard to find anywhere for several. It was childhood comfort food for my sister and I. I used to be able to find it on Amazon, but it seems everyone is now out of it. I often would send my sister a case of it for a birthday or Christmas. Good memories.

Anyway, I am trying to reproduce the recipe. I have done a lot of googling, and the only place I found someone else trying to copy the recipe did not sound good to me. I know some of the ingredients from the published list on the package. Of course when some ingredients are listed as "spices" and "natural flavorings," there are some things you just have to guess about.

This is what I did for the sauce:

In a mini food chopper, I ground up 2 baby carrots, a thin celery stalk with leaves, a quarter onion, and about a quarter of a red bell pepper. I took about 2 rounded tablespoons of the mixture and sauteed it in a tablespoon of butter, mixing in a couple rounded teaspoons of cornstarch until smooth. I added 1.5 cups of water and half a container of Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock. I seasoned with garlic powder, poultry seasoning, tumeric, and Accent (because I know the original recipe had MSG, and it doesn't affect me).

Here is where I could use some input.... I feel that I needed more chicken flavoring, but adding more of the chicken stock didn't do it. For one, it was salty, but also I didn't feel that the chicken flavor from it was intense enough.

I was thinking that even though the recipe didn't have chicken in it, I might try browning some chicken, and using the browned residue to flavor the water I used. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

If I could get this recipe right, it would be like being instantly transported 35 years back in time. I would love to surprise my sister with this.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Muchas gracias.

[Warpy]

1. Sure, Better than Bouillion chicken is a great way to punch up any chicken stock

and I usually throw a blob in the pot when I'm stewing chicken just for that reason.

Bouillion cubes might also work but they'd add more salt to it.

Another thing you might do is investigate the bagged noodles and sauce side dishes. Likely they'd be easier to tweak, you'd just have to add your veggies and maybe a little diced chicken meat.

Another good thing with this stuff is some Parmesean cheese, it tends to boost the chicken flavor, too.

[Lisa0825]

2. Thanks so much for the tips!

The closest I have come to the flavor was a chicken flavored rice mix, but the seasonings were in the same package with the rice, as opposed to being in a separate little envelope.

edited to add: I just looked up Better Than Bouillon. Looks good, thank you!

[Lisa0825]

5. Oh! I see BtB have a gravy mix too! That may be a good base for the sauce!

I am ordering myself a big variety pack from their website! Thanks!

[EFerrari]

3. It's fun to play food psychic.

Once I replicated the greasy, wilted Dairy Belle taco that I couldn't get enough of when I was expecting. The secret is to use stale tortillas, wilted lettuce and to cut cheap ground beef with refries.

I can't help here, though, because I never tasted the product in question. Have fun.

[Lisa0825]

4. LOL! Yeah, it is a hobby for a strong stomach!

Sometimes you just gotta have the REAL THING (or the best copy) as opposed to a healthier alternative.

I just know that if I go visit my sister, who I only see every 5 years or so, and cook this for her, she will FREAK! It will be totally worth the sodium and MSG! haha

[Denninmi]

6. Ah, a classic from the past.

I remember this from my childhood. We had it once in a while, when we needed something fast and easy.

I've recreated it a few times. I used condensed cream of chicken soup in place of your water and stock -- that seemed to make it more like the original Kraft product. Yes, it will be salty, but so was the Kraft.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, it had peas in it -- I put those in my version.

[Lisa0825]

8. Thanks! I will add that to my list of twists to try!

The versions I know did not have peas, but the recipe changed at least a couple times during the time I was familiar with it. It used to have "chicken" in it. I put that in quotes because it was little balls of somewhat chicken-like substance. LOL! I think it actually got BETTER when they made it just "chicken flavored" as opposed to "with chicken."

So it conceivably could have had peas at some point too

I remember it was salty, but the stock and adding extra stock, seemed to make it too salty.

Thank you for your suggestion! I will post here when I try the various versions and let you know what I think works best

[Denninmi]

7. Also, I've had this once or twice in the past year, when a local store had "double coupons".

I got this stuff for free, and it was pretty close to the Kraft version:

http://www.amazon.com/Lipton-Noodles-Chicken-4-3-Ounce-Packages/dp/B00099XOR8

[Lisa0825]

9. OMG!!! Thanks! I will try it!!!

Thanks so much for posting!

[grasswire]

10. also, both Swanson and Knorr have new products to enhance chicken flavor

They are on the shelf next to bouillon. Meant for gravies and simmered dishes. I assume they are some concentrated stock. Just FYI.

[EFerrari]

12. What about that spice mix that was sold as "poultry seasoning"?

It was sage with other stuff. But the cooks in my family used it so much when I was growing up, it tastes like chicken to me.

[grasswire]

13. I use poultry seasoning often

It's even in the meat loaf recipe we favor. But there's no chicken in it. I get what you are saying -- the flavor connotes chicken. I buy it in the bulk spice section.

My grandmother used to buy poultry seasoning in a little paper box -- yellow and red and green with a picture of a tom turkey on the sides. Once in a while I can still find that brand, in the little paper box.

[EFerrari]

18. I discovered the taste association by accident

once when I was trying to punch up a soup in progress. It was surprising because my mouth tasted chicken and there was none in there.

[Lisa0825]

15. yeah, I use that too. It is thyme, sage, etc. Spices that go with chicken. nt

[Lisa0825]

17. Thanks! I will look for those too! nt

[Lisa0825]

20. I looked at those tonight, but it loked like they also had a lot of salt in them, so

I assume they would probably not balance out the salt vs chicken flavor part of my dilemma.

[Warpy]

11. Right, that's the one I was thinking about in my post above

when I said bagged noodle mixes.

Funny how that comfort food from our misspent youth tastes so good when we're stressed as adults.

[Lisa0825]

21. I tried this tonight... actually having it right now.

It's pretty good. I did add some additional seasonings. I think it is a good substitute when I am having a craving, but I am still going to keep experimenting with a recipe. Thanks for the tip!

[pipoman]

14. Minors Low Sodium Chicken Base

available on amazon is a good way to add chicken stock flavoring without too much salt..It is mostly condensed chicken stock, not completely artificial like bullion cubes. Many quick serve chicken flavored boxed dishes use bullion for the flavoring however..

[Lisa0825]

16. Thanks! I will look for that too! :-)

[ret5hd]

19. you'll never get anywhere without trisodiumglutamatehydroxypheremonemonodexedrineglyceride...

and i have the LAST of it in the whole WORLD!

i will sell it to you for a very reasonable price.