Best chicken noodle soup

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
• 1-1/4 teaspoons pepper, div > View Recipe

Directions

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, skin side down; cook until dark golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; remove and discard skin. Discard drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons.
• Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 25-30 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a plate. Remove soup from heat. Add noodles; let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20-22 minutes.
• Meanwhile, when chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to stockpot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Discard bay leaves.

This recipe sounds very good and I am looking forward to making it just as it is. Reading some of the other reviews can often be very telling about whether the reviewer works a full-time job or not by how labor intensive the recommended methods of creating the reviewer's opinion of "real or the best" chicken noodle soup. I'm with Joey, if you want REAL chicken noodle soup you should grow your own chicken and your own herbs and spices and start planning days ahead as some of the other food critics have suggested. Unfortunately, I work 10 hour days so I will be making it according to the recipe.
"Ultimate soup" must begin with a great homemade broth.
Can it use slow cooker for this soup ?
let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20-22 minutes? you mean don't keep on burner?
This is my second review, we have been making this soup since the recipe was published in Taste of Home in 2016; we happen to believe it is the best chicken noodle soup, and certainly don't agree that it is "tasteless", far from that! I do realize that we all have different "taste" when it comes to food, so may add more or less to our individual taste, we happen to like it as is although I do not like too much salt so I do not add salt and use low sodium products whenever I can. In short, don't hesitate to try this based on the few negative reviews!
Delicious. I am cooking this soup every two weeks. I love the video, makes it easy to follow the preparation process.