1-Preparation and Mise en Place: Before we start cooking, let’s get our ingredients prepped. This step is super important for making the cooking process smooth and stress-free. Dice your onion, peel and dice those carrots, chop the celery, and mince your garlic. Have everything measured out and ready to go. Trust me, this prep work upfront makes all the difference!

2-Building the Flavor Base: Heat your olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté these vegetables for about 7 minutes until they begin to soften and become fragrant. This step develops the flavor foundation of our soup.

Add the minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute more. Be careful not to let the garlic burn, as it can turn bitter. Next, sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute. This technique, called making a roux, is our secret to achieving that creamy texture without using heavy cream.

3-Creating the Broth Base: Now it’s time to gradually stir in the chicken broth. Go slow here, adding a little at a time and stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Once all the broth is incorporated, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the soup to begin thickening.

4-Adding the Final Ingredients: Now we’ll add the ingredients that make this a complete meal. Stir in the cooked shredded chicken, uncooked egg noodles (or your pasta of choice), evaporated skim milk, salt, dried oregano, ground black pepper, and dried thyme. Give everything a good stir to combine.

Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente. They should be tender but still have a slight firmness to them, as they’ll continue to cook a bit in the hot broth even after you remove the soup from heat.

5-Final Touches and Serving: Taste your creation and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sometimes, just a pinch more salt or a little extra pepper can make all the balance. Serve the soup warm, garnished with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy.