Add the whole chicken to your largest pot. Remove the skin by making a small slit and pulling it away from the chicken.
Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and fresh parsley.
Fill the pot with water until the chicken is just submerged. Don't add too much water, you want a rich, flavourful broth.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for about 2 hours, skimming the top if needed, until the chicken falls off the bones.
Remove the chicken and strain the broth into another large pot (don't get rid of this!!). Pick through the solids, discarding the bones and bay leaves while keeping the chicken and vegetables.
Return the chicken and vegetables to the broth and season generously with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles separately according to the package directions. Drain.
Add the noodles to the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the hot soup over top. This keeps the noodles from soaking up all the broth and becoming overly soft.
Finish with plenty of fresh parsley.