Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) Olive Oil or Unsalted Butter
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (approx. 200g), finely diced
  • 3 medium Carrots (approx. 250g), peeled and diced
  • 3 medium Celery Stalks (approx. 200g), diced
  • 4 large Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1.5 lbs (680g) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To taste
  • 8 cups (2 Litres) Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 2 cups (500 ml) Water
  • 4 Fresh Thyme Sprigs, tied with kitchen twine
  • 2 medium Bay Leaves
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley or a small handful of Parsley Stalks
  • 6 oz (170g) Dried Medium Egg Noodles
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Lemon Juice (Optional, but recommended for brightness)

Instructions:

  1. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into uniform pieces. Mince the garlic. Heat the oil/butter in the stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Pour in the chicken stock and water. Add the chicken thighs, the bundled thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and dried parsley. Bring the liquid up to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, rolling simmer.
  3. Use a fine-mesh skimmer to regularly remove any grey foam or impurities that rise to the surface during the first 15 minutes. Continue simmering gently for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken thighs are fork-tender and reach 165°F (74°C).
  4. Carefully lift the cooked chicken thighs from the broth and place them on a cutting board. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the pot. Allow the chicken to cool slightly (about 5 minutes), then use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  5. Cook the 6 oz (170g) of egg noodles in a separate small pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions (usually 4–6 minutes). Drain the noodles immediately and rinse them briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process and wash away excess starch. Do not cook the noodles in the main soup pot.
  6. Stir the shredded chicken back into the hot broth along with the optional squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Place a generous portion of drained noodles into each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup (broth, chicken, and vegetables) over the noodles. Garnish liberally with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley before serving.