Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 2 cups egg noodles (or any preferred noodles)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the cooked chicken and noodles to the pot. Cook until the noodles are tender, usually following the package instructions.
5. Once the noodles are cooked, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Serve the chicken noodle soup hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.