French Herbed Chicken

Momma says that if Grandmother made this for Sunday lunch - she never wanted to go over to Jeana or Beverly's house!  No wonder Im so particular about Sunday Dinner!!! If what my momma's cookin is better than what yo mamma's cookin - Im going home with my family!

1 ( 2 1/2-3 lb.) fryer, cut into pieces. ( You know that now days we would buy only the pieces that we want, instead of the whole chicken!  I'm just putting it down how I received it!)
1/3 Cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
oil
1 or 2 Onions, cut into large pieces ( this can be chopped, if you like smaller pieces)
1/2 cup, or several carrots, cut into small sticks
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 sprigs fresh parsley ( I'd chop this!)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
2 or 3 sprigs of celery leaves ( I usually just add  2 or 3 stalks of celery, making sure they are the tender pieces with leaves from the middle of the stalk. This also can be chopped small, if you prefer....which, as a child, I would have loved the celery and onion  to be chopped small...but Mom never did!)
1 Can of Cream Soup, undiluted, either Chicken, Celery or Mushroom; whichever you have on  hand.  (I like celery the best)
(Mom says that if you are using 2 chickens, use 2 cans of soup)

1. Mix flour, salt and pepper together in a shallow dish.  Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.  Heat oil in skillet on medium/high heat, and brown chicken pieces on all sides, and drain on paper towels.  These don't need to get done, just browned.
2. Place chicken pieces in a 9x13" casserole dish.  Arrange onions, celery and carrots around the chicken pieces.
3. Mix soup, thyme and garlic together, and add to the chicken dish, spreading the mixture as evenly as possible over the pieces.  Add parsley and bay leaf. 
4.  Cover with foil, and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees.  (Mom would bake it on 225 degrees for 3 1/2 hours, during church!)