Chicken and Noodles with Vegetables

After last night's pepper steak, I wasn't entirely optimistic about tonight's meal. This was another slow cooker recipe. This morning, I finished thoroughly cleaning the slow cooker bowl, frowning profusely at the thought of the disappointment to come. Later in the day, I sat at my desk at work, with my reheated sadness from the night before, eating it while hoping for the best later on.

Well, I take back whatever negative things I said about slow cookers! This was amazing! You simply add chicken thighs (the recipe suggests with bone, but we used boneless & skinless), vegetables, and cream of chicken soup to the slow cooker. At the end, add frozen peas, and serve with wide egg noodles. Yum. It's kinda like chicken noodle soup, but much thicker. In fact, we suggest maybe adding a little extra water, especially if you use the skinless, boneless chicken like us. I had mine with some Louisiana hot sauce.

Connor says: This is great Mom and Dad! I will eat the noodles and the carrots. When I'm halfway done, I will start saying "treat", pointing at the freezer. When you guys won't relent, I'll make my way to the pantry, pointing up and yelling "treat." I will continue to freak the heck out until Mom takes me away to Audrey's room to cool down. Then I will sit with Dad and eat more noodles and carrots. I will forget about the treat.

Connor seen here prior to meltdown

Makes 6 servings

2 cups sliced carrots (4 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (3 medium)
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
1 bay leaf
4 medium chicken legs (drumstick-thigh portion)(about 2 1/2 lbs total), skinned
2 10.75-oz cans reduced-fat and red-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
8 oz dried wide noodles (about 4 cups)
1 cup frozen peas

1) In a slow cooker, stir together carrots, onions, celery, and bay leaf. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Stir together soup, 1/2 cup water, thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour over chicken in cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8-9 hrs or on high-heat for 4-4 1/2 hrs.

2) Remove chicken from slow cooker; cool slightly. Discard bay leaf. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, stir frozen peas into mixture in cooker. Remove chicken from bones; discard bones. Shred or chop meat; stir into mixture in cooker.

3) To serve, in a large serving bowl stir together chicken mixture and noodles.