Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the vegetables have softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and thyme and pour in the chicken stock. Raise the heat slightly and bring the stock to a boil; then, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste; it may need 2 to 3 teaspoons of kosher salt, but take care to adjust the seasoning to your own taste.

In a separate pot of boiling water, cook the noodles following the package instructions until they are al dente, tender but still slightly chewy. Ladle out and save ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the noodles; return the noodles to the pot you cooked them in and stir in the reserved cooking water to keep them from drying out or sticking.

To serve, ladle the soup and vegetables into individual heated serving bowls. Evenly divide the chicken and noodles among the bowls. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.