Chicken and Stars Soup

Heat dutch oven over medium heat. When pot is warm, add butter and olive oil. Continue heating dutch oven until butter is melted, swirling pot occasionally to cover bottom with butter and oil.
When butter is melted and oil is hot, add diced onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. Stir to incorporate, then sauté vegetables until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking or burning.
When vegetables have softened, add garlic and stir to incorporate. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
Once garlic is just fragrant, add chicken broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir to incorporate ingredients and allow mixture to come to low boil. When broth begins to boil, immediately reduce heat to medium-low and secure lid on pot. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove lid. Add shredded chicken and fresh thyme, stirring constantly to incorporate. Return lid to pot and simmer soup 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
After 20 minutes, remove lid and add stelline pasta to pot. Stir to incorporate, then cook pasta in soup, uncovered, until pasta is al dente - approximately 10 minutes.
Ladle soup into serving bowls. If desired, garnish bowls of soup with parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately.