Start the stew: Set a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat.

Start the stew: Add the olive oil to the pot and let it warm for about 30 seconds.

Cook the vegetables: Add the chopped onion and diced carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the onion looks soft and the carrots start to lose their raw edge, about 5 minutes.

Cook the vegetables: Add the sliced garlic to the pot. Stir for 1 minute, just until it smells fragrant and does not brown.

Build the base: Add the smoked paprika and ground cumin to the pot. Stir for 30 seconds so the spices coat the vegetables and smell toasty.

Build the base: Add the rinsed lentils and the potato pieces to the pot. Stir well so the lentils and potatoes are coated with the spiced oil.

Simmer the stew: Pour the vegetable broth into the pot and add the kosher salt and black pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil.

Simmer the stew: When the broth boils, lower the heat so the stew bubbles gently. Cover the pot partway with a lid and cook for 18 minutes.

Check the pot: Stir the stew and check the lentils and potatoes. They should be starting to soften but not fully tender yet.

Add the sturdy ingredients: Add the chopped Swiss chard stems to the pot. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the sturdy ingredients: Add the chickpeas to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the lentils and potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are heated through.

Finish the greens: Add the torn Swiss chard leaves to the pot. Stir until the leaves wilt into the broth, about 2 to 3 minutes.