Smoky Sweet-Potato Chicken Stoup

• 2 Tb olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 celery ribs
• 1 large onion
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cans chicken broth
• chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped (optional, as always!)
• 1/2 c sour cream, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with the oil. While the oil heats, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot, stirring to coat in oil. Chop and drop in the celery and onion, chopping them as small as you can.

Peel and then cut the sweet potato into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them into bite-size pieces. Add the sweet potatoes, garlic, and chipotle and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, the thyme, and the bay leaf. Cook the vegetables for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, cover pot, and raise heat to high.

When boiling, remove the cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion with a dollop (great word!) of sour cream on top.

From Rachael Ray

***Note: I loved this soup! I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes, but the combination of sweet and spicy was so good! So, even though this sounds really weird--give it a try! You might be pleasantly surprised!