Creamy Chicken and Noodles

3 chicken breasts
3 cups of water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed between fingers as you add it
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
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3 cups wide egg noodles
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1 cup loose packed (or bagged) frozen peas
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
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1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour

Add first group of ingredients to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover it and cook it for twenty minutes (or until chicken is done throughout). Scoop out the chicken. Let it cool on a cutting board. Scoop out the two bay leaves and throw them away.

Bring the broth mixture in the pot to a boil again. Add noodles and cook them for five minutes.
Then, stir in the frozen peas, 1 1/2 cups of the milk (saving 1/2 cup for later), and another 1/2 tsp. salt.

In a jar or container with a tight lid, add 1/2 cup milk and 3 Tbsp. flour. Shake this until the flour and milk blend together, then add this to the pot to help the broth thicken.

Tear chicken into bite sized pieces and add it to the pot. Cook the dish until it is thick and bubbly and hot throughout.

*This dish lands somewhere between soup and casserole in its consistency. It is filling enough to serve alone or with a simple salad or bread on the side.