Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Here is a wonderful recipe for homemade, chicken noodle soup that will warm your tummy on a cold winter day.

INGREDIENTS
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, cut into small rounds about 1/4 inch thick
2 ribs celery, chopped into 1/4” pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil (*oil not needed for slow cooker instructions)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
8 cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought, your choice. If I buy it from the store I like to buy the low sodium variety)
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
3 cups uncooked wide egg noodles

STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stock pot. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add in garlic and cook for a minute longer.
2. To the pot add in the chicken broth, raw chicken breasts, 1 bay leaf, oregano, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot and increase the heat to high again. Add in the noodles and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
5. Meanwhile, as the noodles are cooking, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces or use two forks to shred the chicken.
6. Return the chicken to the pot and give it a stir. Remove the bay leaf.
7. Add in black pepper and parsley and season to taste with salt.
8. Serve immediately.