Creamy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups water (add more if needed later)
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 cups leftover chicken, cubed

• 2 (15 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup (I use the Campbell's 98% fat free)

• 1 (10 ounce) can peas (optional)
• 1 lb egg noodles
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (as needed to thicken)

Directions

1. 1

   Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil in your pot, until tender. Be careful not to burn the garlic, or it will be bitter.

2. 2

   Combine the rest of the ingredients, except the noodles and peas, in a large pot. Simmer on low for a couple hours to develop flavors, and thicken slightly.

3. 3

   Taste it to see if it's "chickeny" enough for you. If not, you can add more bouillon, but be careful, as this will make it saltier. Also, add salt or pepper to taste.

4. 4

   When it tastes right to you, add your egg noodles and peas. These usually need to cook for 15 or 20 minutes.

5. 5

   We like our soup pretty thick, kinda like Rachel Ray's "stoup", so if it needs thicken after the noodles are about done, I then mix up the flour in a little cold water, and stir it inches This will only need a few minutes to thicken, but make sure to stir pretty often after you add the flour mixture, or it might collect at the bottom.

6. 6

   After the flour and noodles have cooked, it's ready to serve!