Place whole chicken in a very large Dutch oven with water, 2 cups broth, half the carrots, half the celery, half the onion, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim foam to keep the broth clear.

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes, until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender. Keep the simmer steady so the broth stays flavorful without boiling hard.

Remove the chicken from the pot and shred all meat. Discard the skin, bones, and used vegetables to prevent dull flavor in the finished soup.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer back into the Dutch oven. This ensures a smooth soup and removes small bits of vegetables and seasonings.

Return broth to the Dutch oven and add remaining broth, butter, and the remaining carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften.

Add shredded chicken, dried thyme, and dried parsley to the pot. Simmer briefly just to warm through, keeping the broth rich and golden.

Add wide egg noodles and cook for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Keep heat at a steady simmer so noodles cook evenly without turning mushy.

Season generously with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.