Sauté the veggies. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Simmer. Add the chicken stock, (whole) chicken breasts or thighs, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and a few twists of freshly-ground black pepper. Cook until the soup reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Shred the chicken. Carefully transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then transfer it back to the soup.

Add the noodles. Add the noodles to the soup and gently stir to combine. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes (if using freshly-made homemade egg noodles) or 15-20 minutes (if using frozen egg noodles) until the noodles reach your desired level of doneness.

Season. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley, and enjoy!