Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
from Ryan Parsons

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 TB butter
1 large onion
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2-3 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk (I have used just milk before and it is fine!)
6 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
2-3 TB dried parsley flakes
1 bay leaf (if you want, I don't like the taste)
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 (8-12 ounce) package wide egg noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium pot, boil chicken in water until done - lay out on a plate to cool.
2. While chicken is cooking, chop onion, celery, and carrots. In a large pot melt butter, sauté chopped vegetables for a few (no more than 5) minutes on medium-high heat. Pour enough broth to cover vegetables, add peas, parsley, thyme, bay leaf (remember to remove before eating). Continue to cook on medium-high heat.
3. When chicken is cooled enough to handle, either shred or chop into bite-size pieces. Add to vegetables in pot.
4. Add remaining broth, evaporated milk, 2 cans of soup, and noodles. If you want the soup thicker, add the third can of soup. (The soup will thicken as the noodles swell.) Turn down to medium-low heat, and cook for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are soft, and noodles are done. Add more water if the soup is too thick for your preference.
5. Either serve or transfer to a large crock-pot and set on warm or low until ready to serve.

This is my favorite chicken noodle soup! I cut this in half for just the two of us.