Chicken noodle soup in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

• 225g carrots, cut into 6mm thick slices (about 3 large carrots)
• 170 g celery, cut into 6 mm thick slices (about 5 large stalks)
• 1/4 small onion, peeled, root left in place
• 2 large sprigs of parsley, + 1/4 cup chopped leaves
• 2 large sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 900 g of bone-in chicken thighs with skin (about 6 pcs.)
• 8 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 170g wide egg noodles (about 4 cups)
• 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

1. In a slow cooker, combine the carrots and celery. Add the onion, parsley sprigs, thyme, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Rub the chicken thighs, including under the skin, with 1 teaspoon of salt and place them on top of the vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth. Close the lid and cook on low for 8 hours. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, remove the chicken and stir in the noodles.
3. While the noodles are cooking, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat—most of it will fall apart on its own. When the noodles are done, turn off the slow cooker, remove the parsley and thyme, and add the chicken and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt if needed. Stir in a generous amount of pepper and chopped parsley, and serve hot.