Chicken Noodle Soup

I got this recipe from a Consumer Report magazine in 1993.  They had tested all different brands of CNS, and decided their own was best.  We love it.  Since Bart and I are both sick today, and had to cancel our date plans for dinner and Rochester Philharmonic's Mardi Gras Concert, I made soup and corn bread.

Chicken breast half, with skin
1/4 c. finely chopped shallots
4 c. water
10 1/2 oz can condensed chicken broth, reconstituted, or 2 1/2 c. ready to serve.
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp thyme
pinch black pepper
3 oz medium-width egg noodles

Place chicken, skin side down, in preheated three-quart saucepan.  Brown over medium heat long enough to render out some chicken fat (about 5 minutes).  Remove chicken.  Reduce heat to low.  Add shallots and stir briefly (1-2 minutes).  Do not brown.  Return chicken to pan and add remaining ingredients except noodles.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low simmer and cook 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.  Remove chicken.  Cool.  Discard bones and skin.  Dice chicken, and return meat to pan.  (Soup can be refrigerated for future use at this point.)  Just before serving, return soup to boil.  Add noodles and cook for required time (about 8 minutes).  Yield: about 6 1/2 cups.