Red Magic Chicken Soup

This is adapted from Melissa Clark's Fragrant Chicken Soup with Chickpeas and Vegetables.

Time: 1 hour ()=optional

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Sweet Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
(1/2 teaspoon crushed chopped garlic)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric )
(1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika )
(1/4 teaspoon ground ginger )
(1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
(1/2 teaspoon other zesty seasonings your choice)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 celery stalks, sliced
(1 turnip, peeled and diced)
(3 small red potatoes sliced)
(2 carrots sliced)
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 quart chicken broth
Around 2 pounds deboned chicken - I use leftover jalapeno honey roasted
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained
(1 can 15 ounces Rotel or seasoned chopped tomatoes)
(1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, more for garnish)
(1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice)
(Lemon wedges, for serving.)

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat.
Add onion and salt and sauté until limp, 3 minutes.
Add all spices and sauté until they release their fragrance, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute, until darkened but not burned. (If tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower heat.)

2. Add celery, other veggies and sweet potato and continue to sauté until celery starts to soften, about 10 minutes.

3. Return heat to high if you lowered it, and add broth to pot. Bring to a simmer, then add chicken.

4 Partially cover pot, lower heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Add chickpeas and cilantro or parsley to pot and continue simmering until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the lemon juice and more salt if desired, and serve with garnish and lemon wedges.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

I usually do not use the turnip (which is how the red potatoes and carrots got added) , turmeric, and paprika. The sweet potato and chick peas makes the soup. I have been thinking about adding some half and half or a creamy can of soup to make it creamier. Last time I tossed in some sugar pea pods as well.