Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the diced chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, roughly 5-6 minutes total. Don't panic if it doesn't cook all the way through—it'll finish in the broth.

Stir in the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until it gets fragrant. The kitchen smells amazing at this point, trust me. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf.

Toss in the carrots, celery, and onion while the broth comes to a simmer. Let everything bubble gently for about 15 minutes until the vegetables get soft. You'll know it's ready when the carrots bend easily with a fork.

Add the thyme, parsley, salt, and black pepper to the pot and stir. Taste it now—this is when you adjust the seasoning if it needs more salt. I always add an extra pinch because my family prefers it a little saltier.

Pour in the egg noodles and stir so they don't stick together. Cook for about 7-8 minutes until the noodles are tender but not mushy. Keep an eye on it after minute 6 because they go from perfect to overdone pretty quick.

Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 more minutes until they're heated through. The peas add both color and sweetness—don't skip them.

Remove from heat and fish out that bay leaf before serving. Let it cool for just a minute or two, then ladle into bowls. This chicken noodle soup recipe tastes even better the next day when flavors have time to get friendly.