Quick & Easy Chicken Veggie Orzo Soup

• Olive oil to drizzle in the pan
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 64 oz. unsalted chicken stock
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can petite dice tomatoes with garlic & olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups shredded white meat from a rotisserie chicken
• 2/3 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.  Add the carrots, onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic.  Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.   

Pour the broth and tomatoes over the top and add in the bay leaf, salt, crushed red pepper, parsley and thyme and generously season with freshly ground black pepper.  Bring the heat up to get it to a simmer and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the orzo and chicken and continue to cook until the orzo is soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and sprigs from the thyme.

Enjoy!!