This chicken stew recipe is packed with fantastic flavor and health benefits, thanks to the butternut squash and quinoa. Comfort in a bowl! 330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
I was patting myself on the back for this hearty chicken stew recipe all day long. Tasty? Oh my, yes. Healthy? You better believe it. Aroma? I'd say it gets a "15" on a scale of 1 to 10. This recipe formed in my head slowly, starting with some chicken thighs sitting in the fridge. Then I picked up a butternut squash at the grocery store, with the thought of making soup. Instead, I cubed and steamed the squash, mashing half of it to help thicken the stew. In went the quinoa, one of my favorite grains, for an extra punch of protein and fiber. The topper was a kick of briny flavor from some kalamata olives and a burst of freshness from a handful of chopped parsley.
While low in calories and fat, a bowlful of this chicken stew recipe easily satisfied my craving for comfort food. Also, butternut squash is high in Vitamins A and C, as well as fiber, so I knew I was getting a well-rounded meal to keep my body healthy for my daily workouts. One can not keep up with a high-energy "power pump" instructor without some decent fuel from which to draw. Seriously, this woman makes the Energizer bunny look like a total slacker. And she has about a dozen grandkids! Inspirational? Yeah, I'd say so.
This stew can be made in advance, but you may need to add a little more chicken broth before serving because the quinoa will expand as it sits. Either way, the flavors and textures are fantastic and it is sure to become a cold-weather favorite.
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Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded & chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- ⅔ cup uncooked quinoa
- ¾ cup pitted & quartered kalamata olives
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
- Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
- Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
- Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
- Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
- To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
- Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
- Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
- Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Other healthy stew recipes:
Left to right: Italian Split Pea Stew with Cauliflower, Spiced Mushroom, Chickpea & Tomato Stew, and Curry Red Lentil Stew with Tomatoes
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ATXmama
Why is this so good?? Thank you for being creative and sharing with us. Loved it!
Bianca Gonzalez
Made this soup over 10years ago, so glad the recipe is still here to revisit on these cold winter days! So easy and delicious
Brian Ellis
Found this recipe years ago, and have made it many dozens of times, always so satisfying. It's become a go to, espcially in these colder months in NYC.
Evelyn
You do come up with some really good soups!! THANKS!
Maggie
The flavors and textures of this "stew" are wonderful. The recipe is a bit labor intensive because of all of the different steps, but it is worth all of the time it takes! This recipe is the reason I started exploring easier ways of prepping squash--I stopped buying pre-cut squash because I was desperate to make this dish and couldn't find any pre-cut squash.
Dee Regan
This is such an outrageous soup, I've made it over and over. However, I throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and do very little work! When the butternut squash is done, I mash half of it and add it back in. No steaming, no mess! I also shred the chicken after it's done. It is super duper delish!
Dagma
Do you cook on high or low and for approximately how long?
Dara
Hi Dagma, all of the details are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Shirley
For the life of me I can't find the directions for slow cooker at the bottom of your post!!!
Dara
Hi Shirley, I haven’t made this using a slow cooker, but a few readers have tried it with success. Here are their comments on the matter:
“You absolutely could, I do! I don’t fry off anything- literally chuck it all in on high for 3-4 hours. You may need to add more water/stock.”
“I tried this recipe over the weekend. I didn’t have quinoa on hand, but I had rice. I just threw everything into my slow cooker and added the rice in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Fantastic soup and super easy to make!”
"I throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and do very little work! When the butternut squash is done, I mash half of it and add it back in. No steaming, no mess! I also shred the chicken after it's done."
Kristen
Has this recipe ever won an award?! It deserves one for being such a flavorful and comforting fall meal in a bowl! With a piece of cornbread.. yumm!! I look forward to and crave this meal when fall rolls around and the temps start dropping! Been making & loving this meal for many years now, and will continue to. Love it!!
Marcia
Wow!
So very good.
I didn't have chicken so I used leftover spicy Italian sausage and a few meatballs (mashed up a bit).
A definite recipe to make for my next family dinner (with my homemade bread).
Linda
Hello, I have made this chicken butternut stew a couple of times and love it. I was wondering how I would make it in the crock pot with boneless skinless chicken breast.
Dee Regan
It is ultra delish in a slow cooker!
Rita
The Best
Samantha
I found your recipe in 2012 and now I make it every year for fall. So delicious!!!