Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken thighs for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until they pick up some colour.
Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
Crumble in the stock cube, drop in the bay leaf and pour in 1.2 litres of hot water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Lift the chicken out onto a plate and shred it with two forks, discarding any obvious gristle. Remove the bay leaf.
Snap the noodles into the broth and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender, then stir the shredded chicken back in and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets a good share of chicken and noodles, and serve with bread if you have it.