Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

My mom taught me how to make this when I was in college because she was sick of me eating cheap, unhealthy food. It's hard to cook for one, and easy to end up buying mac and cheese! I would make a whole batch and freeze servings for later meals. Really easy, inexpensive and makes you feel better than microwaved store bought dinner...Enjoy! Remember to be creative and add or take away ingredients as you like (more carrots, less onion, etc...)

3/4 pound cooked chicken (about 2 cups cut up)

2 medium stalks celery

2 medium carrots 

1 medium onion

2 garlic cloves

4 cans (14 1/2 oz each) ready-to-serve) chicken broth

1 cup frozen green peas

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon thyme

1 cup gemelli or rotini pasta (4 oz)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop celery. Peel and chop carrots. Peel and finely chop garlic (tip if you have not done this, smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and the skin will crack). Heat the chicken, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, broth, peas, spices, in boiling water over high heat. Stir in the pasta, stirring occasionally. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough until it's simmering. Cook uncovered 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender and veggies are tender when pierced with a fork.