Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 2

Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Step 3

Cook the egg noodles in the chicken broth with the bay leaves according to the package directions. Note the instructions on the egg noodles for use in a casserole; you will likely need to cut the boiling time by half.

Step 4

Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Drain the noodles and set aside.

Step 5

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan.

Step 6

Add the celery, the onion, the carrots, and the garlic to the pan with the butter and cook until the veggies are soft and tender, about 5 minutes.

Step 7

Add the flour to the pan, mixing it in to make a paste, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 8

Very slowly add the reserved cooking broth, approximately 1 tablespoon of the broth at a time, waiting until the last bit of each addition is completely combined before adding the next tablespoon.

Step 9

Slowly add the milk into the mixture and stir to combine

Step 10

Add the parsley and the basil to the mixture.

Step 11

Season the mixture to taste with the salt and the pepper.

Step 12

Stir the chicken, the cooked noodles, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese into the mixture.

Step 13

Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish and top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

Step 14

Bake until browned as desired, about 10 minutes.

Step 15

Serve.