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.
(Several people have asked me about the saucepan seen in the photos. It was handed down to me from my grandparents, but it is the classic Le Creuset Signature Round Wide 3-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven
. It has held many curries over the years and works beautifully for this stew.)
Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3/4 cup pitted & quartered kalamata olives
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 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
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Jessica @ How Sweet says
this just sounds so warm and comforting. love it!
Julie M. says
This is a truly beautiful stew Dara! I love the colors in it; such a perfect fall dish.
claudia lamascolo/aka pegasuslegend says
Very healthy just what the doctor ordered! lovely dish!
elly says
This definitely looks hearty and sounds amazing. I really love the olives in it and would have never thought to add them!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Elly. They add a really nice briny taste, which is a good contrast to the sweet butternut squash.
Danielle Babiarz says
I don’t like olives…any suggestions for a substitute?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Danielle, my husband is not a fan of olives, either, so I just leave them out of his portion. He loves this stew, so I’d say that leaving you’ll be safe leaving them out.
Katie says
Great recipe! I just made it – so perfect for a cold day. I substituted black beans for the olives. They kept the color variety and tasted great too.
Cleaninup Kate says
A few sun dried tomatoes might be a good substitute. We made this last night and I enjoyed it but felt it definitely needed the tangy/salty factor of the olives.
Cindy says
I substituted a can or dark kidney beans! Delicious!
Dee says
Just made this and it’s everything and more! The olives to add that briny flavor. Perhaps the best dish I’ve ever made!! Thanks!!!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
This sounds incredible! I love that there are olives in it too 🙂
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray says
I’m comforted just reading this recipe! Can’t wait to try it (and hopefully warm up my chilly little kitchen).
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Stay warm, Tara!
Heather at Heathers Dish says
That’s a warm bowl of comfort if I’ve ever seen one!
[email protected] says
I love the vibrant color and sweet flavor the butternut squash provides. This looks marvelous!
Maria says
What a great stew recipe. Love the addition of quinoa!
Chris @ TheKeenanCookBook says
We’ve been on a comfort food bender this week after the horrible weather (I’m really not ready for winter!) – love that this comfort food dish is healthy. Great dish you put together!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Chris. Our winter weather is going to hit this weekend and I may have to make another batch of this stew to keep us warm.
Cassie @ Bake Your Day says
I love everything about this. Thanks for sharing, it’s an awesome recipe!
Bev Weidner says
L-O-V-E-T-H-I-S-S-O-M-U-C-H.
that was hard.
Sarah (@SAPL) says
Do you think it would still work substituting the type of squash?
Rachel says
Talk about eating with your eyes. I love the color and adding the olives is so creative. This will be on the menu next week. Can’t wait to try.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
MMmmm.. all of the ingredients are my favorite. I love that you added a punch of protein using quinoa. So hearty and comforting!
Jessica says
This looks and sounds amazing! I hope you saved me a bowl 😉
Emily Malloy @Cleanliness says
Oh how perfect this is on an autumn’s day like today 🙂
Living The Sweet Life says
With the cool weather creeping up on us, this sounds like the perfect solution!!
Wenderly says
Tasty, healthy, full of aroma AND kalamata olives? Sounds like my kind of stew.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
i love this one! All of these ingredients…yes please!
Linda says
This looks great Dara! I’ll try this soon. Thank you
Carol says
Sounds really yummy! I didn’t see any amount listed for the oregano. Also, is it fresh oregano, or can I substitute dried? I have a hard time finding fresh spices in my town! Thanks!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Carol, I’m sorry about that! I just added in the amount for the oregano (1 1/2 tsp). And yes, the recipe calls for fresh oregano. In a stew or soup recipe like this, substituting dried for fresh herbs almost always works. Just make sure you reduce the amount by about half because dried herbs pack more punch.
Jeanette says
I could use a hot bowl of this right now – looks so hearty and delicious. Love how healthy this is with butternut squash and quinoa!
Kelley says
Some of my favorite meals are ones that just sort of come together with what I have on hand. My favorite part of this stew has to be the olives. A little brine to balance the squash. Lovely!
Nutmeg Nanny says
This soup is so hearty and utterly delicious looking! After a bowl of this I would be full for hours 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
This soup looks amazing! Hearty, healthy and delicious squash soup – I know I will love it.
Heidi / foodiecrush says
As always, those olives are making my mouth water. Hot damn! I LOVE that piquant flavor burst you added to the recipe. It is so obvious but so not! We are flavor sisters, seriously. Sweet with the salty. And chicken thighs are my go-to and favorite (okay, so what if they’re a little more fat, I’ll give up that piece of licorice) and who can say no to quinoa these days? It’s the new brown rice! So glad you let this recipe stew in your brain for the rest of us.
Katrina says
Never tried quinoa in soup! Yum!
Lea Ann says
Finally! A delicous looking way to use up that Quinua in my pantry. This soup looks wonderful Dara … I’m virtually patting you on the back. 🙂
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
Gorgeous stew! I’m going to adapt it a bit for some vegetarian friends who are coming for dinner this weekend. Love the addition of kalamata olives — unexpected and unusual.
Lauren from Lauren's Latest says
Quinoa in stew? Brilliant! You are on a string of genius! You just keep blowing my mind! First the “meatballs” and now this!
Christi says
I think I just found dinner for tomorrow night…and I don’t need to run to the store! I have a butternut squash I bought think I was going to make a boring butternut squash soup. This looks so much better~! and with Quinoa!! My FAV! how could it not be! Can’t wait! Thanks
Connie says
I have not been able to get over being made to eat really bad and cold squash as a kid. It’s a vegetable I know I should learn to love, but the very thought of it reverts me back to that 6 year old at the table. Blech. Still, you make it look good somehow!
Donna says
A fall flavor fest ~ I LOVE soup – thanks for giving me a new one to try!
[email protected] says
I’m so intrigued by the addition of kalamata olives – love them! This recipe looks perfect in every way, and would definitely add some comfort to a cold night.
Anna says
This looks like something my mom would prepare for me when I am down with a fever or the flu. Now that I am a mom myself, I know the reason why moms make a flavorful (and healthy dish) when kids are sick. Our tastebuds begin to lose their function when we are sick. We need really flavorful dishes…
I won’t be waiting for someone to get sick, I am in need of a savory dish right now, I’d better try this recipe. I know I won’t be disappointed. Your pictures are amazing by the way.
carolinaheartstrings says
That looks so delicious. Beautiful picture.
Lauren @ hey, who cut the cheese? says
This looks so so good! I love comfort food, especially at this time of year, but am trying to eat better. This stew will satisfy both of those requirements. Thanks for this!
Amanda says
mmm nothing better than a hearty stew on a cold Canadian winter day! I think you’ll really enjoy my beer and red wine stew. Check it out on my blog: http://bit.ly/rPL51s
Thanks!
Amy @ A Little Nosh says
So warm and inviting! Thanks for linking up at A Little Nosh this week!
Liz says
I made Dorie’s squash and pear soup today…it was wonderful, but I think you’ve upped the ante with this beautiful stew! I love the addition of chicken and quinoa…yum!
Anna @ hiddenponies says
Mmmm, this looks so perfect! Pinned for the winter meal plans, can’t wait now for a good, cold, rainy day!
Maria says
I’m making this right now, after a longer hunt for butternut squash, very excited. Not being too familiar with American measurements (I’m European), but I suspect you mean 2/3 CUPS of quinoa? Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to have it in about 30 minutes! 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m so sorry for the typo. Yes, it’s supposed to read 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Taylor says
This looks so good – comforting and healthy!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
I have actually been craving butternut squash this weekend (I go in withdrawal if I don’t eat it every day during the fall)! This stew looks amazing and so comforting.
marla says
Dara, what an inventive stew recipe and something we would love over here too. Isn’t it funny when we are all prepared to make one thing and then we divert to something completely different! I bet this only gets better and better after 24-48 hours. Great job! Your instructor sounds like a hoot!
Deliciously Organic says
This looks like the perfect stew for these cold days that we’ve been having. Great combination of flavors. Thanks!
Dana says
It was perfect for a chilly night. Needed a little kick since this house likes it spicy! Added parmesean cheese and more salt & pepper. Kids asked next time to make it with orzo and green chilis. All in all, everyone enjoyed it and ate 2 bowls.
naomi says
Perfect winter soup! I love the heartiness and the addition of the quinoa sounds great!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
Ooooo…yummy! What a great soup – I’ve been craving some butternut squash – this sounds perfect!
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray says
Yum. I need to make this, stat.
Tracy says
This sounds amazingly good and perfectly autumn. Yum!
Claire Sullivan says
This was wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. We added a little crumbled goat cheese on ours last night and it was a really nice addition. Can’t wait to get home tonight to eat the leftovers 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m so glad it was a hit, Claire. Crumbling a little goat cheese over top sounds like a wonderful idea. I’ll have to give that a try next time.
JW says
Ok, noticed no one else asked this….but how do I cook the squash? You said to steam it….is that like steaming broccoli? Do I cube it before I steam it?
Thanks!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi there. Yes, you do steam it like broccoli, either in a steamer basket or in a steamer insert (similar to a double-boiler). The recipe does call for the butternut squash to be cut into 1/2-inch cubes, which helps to make the steaming time short. I hope you enjoy the soup!
JW says
Thank you Dara!!! Trying it tonight! 🙂 Let’s hope my 10 y/o likes it!
Theresa (Miss Charlotte) says
Oh…my…goodness! Another reason to use up my chicken broth! This looks amazing! Cheers! 🙂
Gina says
Made this last night – it’s amazing! The flavour combination of the squash and the olives is so unexpected and good, and then with the quinoa and chicken for texture it’s totally filling but not too heavy at the same time. I’m gonna make this again, for sure. Really awesome recipe.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Gina! This was a hit with my family, too and I’m so glad that you enjoyed it.
Jennifer says
Thank you, we loved this dish! I substituted the quinoa for bulgur because I could
Find it easy here (Prague, CR) . It tasted amazingly , even
With the substitution! Thanks
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Jennifer, I’m so glad you were able to find a good substitution and that you enjoyed it so much. By the way, Prague is one of my favorite cities I have visited.
Sprinkled With Flour says
So glad I found this recipe! I need some healthy cold weather meal ideas like this. Looks so delicious 🙂
Whitney says
Dara,
This was my first visit to your site and I’m excited to try more recipes. I blogged about the chicken stew before I tried it, and am planning on updating because it was great!
Thanks for sharing,
Whitney
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Whitney, thanks so much for commenting. I hope you stop by again.
Adia says
Hi Dara,
I tried this recipe last night and it was DELICIOUS! It was exactly what I needed. Bravo!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
That’s fantastic, Adia. Thank you for letting me know!
mona says
this looks like a good recipe. I found it on pinterest which led me to your blog. 🙂 I printed it and plan to try it……might use sweet potatoes cause that is what I already have…thanks for the recipe…
Mona
Winnie says
Love this Dara! So healthy and delicious-looking 🙂
Amanda says
What a great recipe for our Canadian winters! I have a recipe for bacon skillet jam chicken that I think you’ll enjoy. Check it out on my website: http://bit.ly/baconchicken
Thanks!
Megan says
Do you think it would be too sweet if I just omitted the olives? My family is not a fan of them, but they LOVE everything else in the stew!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
While I do love the brine of the olives in the stew, it will work really well without them, too. In fact, I served my husband a portion without olives because he’s not a fan either and he really enjoyed the stew. I hope it’s a hit for you!
Danya says
I just finished making the stew, and it is AMAZING. I didn’t add olives, but it wasn’t too sweet. It didn’t even need salt or pepper to season. Thanks!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Danya, I love when people are able to tweak my recipes to suit their own tastes. That’s what cooking is all about!
Aliciapdx says
Made this 2 nights ago, I even made 1-5x’s your recipe in order to freeze 1/2 of it for later this Fall/winter. Between my room mate and I we are down to one bowl left. This is the best soup I have ever had…great blog, I have already bookmarked some more recipes!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Alicia, that’s great! Thanks so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed it.
Don Spragan says
I must say that I was very skeptical of the recipe. Nothing against you, I’m just a skeptic. I’m also a soup lover and a soup expert. All I have to say is…WOW!!! This soup is amazing!!! Hands down the best soup that I’ve ever made. After breakfast, I can’t wait to get hungry again so that I can have a bowl of this soup.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Don, thanks so much! I always love winning over a skeptic.
Katherine says
I’ll admit… I’m an intermediate cooker and it took me a long time to chop/peel/mince/mash/shred everything. I wasn’t sure if the soup was going to be worth all the effort I put into it, but OH MY GOODNESS it is so great. Even better the second day once the flavors have intensified and blended together. Thanks for such a delicious and healthy recipe!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Katherine, I’m so glad it was worth the effort. Several other people commenting here mentioned that they used the pre-cubed butternut squash available at Costco. If you live near a Costco, you might want to look for that the next time round. There’s something to be said for easy prep!
Marji says
Dara:
Oh my, found this on pinterest, looked so appealing that I made it today (hate peeling raw butternut squash, wimped out with the Costco pre-cubed in the giant bag). The only thing I did differently because I don’t like the bitter taste that quinoa can throw off: rinsed and soaked the quinoa for five minutes with a fine mesh strainer before adding to the stew. Two thumbs up from wintry Utah.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Marji, there is no shame in using pre-cubed butternut squash. I’m not a big fan of peeling it myself. I’m so glad you enjoyed the stew – you’re right, it is perfect for our wintry weather.
Steve Garfield says
Hi,
I made this today and it was fun.
Here are my pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegarfield/6341784118/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegarfield/6341873310/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegarfield/6341168379/
Thanks!
–Steve
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks for sharing the pictures, Steve. I’m glad you enjoyed making it!
Megan says
I made this stew tonight, and it was AMAZING! I used a rotisserie chicken since that is what I had on hand, and I omitted the olives. In the future, I will use the Costco cubed squash to make it even easier. My 11 month old son had 2 bowls himself! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Megan, I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed this! You’re right – using a rotisserie chicken and pre-cubed squash would make this recipe even easier.
[email protected] says
Dara,
I love the look of this stew! I can only imagine how wonderful it smells. I’m a huge fan of squash and have recently had a big old crush on quinoa! This dish sounds perfect. 🙂
Carin says
I made this for my family the other night and OMG it was so good!!! It is hard to find a meal that is filling, comforting, flavorful, AND so incredibly healthy. It also made awesome leftovers the next day! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Heather Antonelli says
All my favorite things…in one pot! This looks and sounds delicious. I actually did the same last weekend but went straight for butternut soup kicked up with some red chile paste. First time on your blog, look forward to reading more.
aileen says
So delicious!! I’m already planning to make it again. I’m participating in a soup swap and am wondering if this stew can be frozen? If so, would you have any recommendations for freezing/thawing/reheating?
Momnivore says
Thi looks like a great recipe. My only concern is that I really don’t like chicken thighs and prefer to use breasts. Do you think it would work out? Would I just poach 2 or 3 breasts or sauté them? Thanks!
JulieB says
This was amazing! What a perfect stew. Everything about it was wonderful…the textures, flavors, aroma, nutrients! Thank you for sharing.
Katie says
This was so good! My new favorite. I wish we had leftovers. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Mary Beth says
I made this tonight for my father and I…OMG! It was soooo good! I had never really had butternut squash, but it was the perfect compliment to the kalamata olives in the stew. I can’t wait to have it again tomorrow for lunch. Thanks!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Mary Beth, that’s wonderful! I’m so glad the two of you enjoyed. It always makes me happy to hear about families sitting down to a good meal together.
Brooke says
Has anyone tried this in the crockpot / slow cooker? I’m not much of a chef (as in I “cook” 5-6 times a year) and am hoping I can maybe cook the chicken and then toss it all in??? Am I just naive/inexperienced?? 🙂 Found this on Pinterest – THANK YOU for being a food genius!
SuePhilly says
I am not a skilled cook. For 10 years my boyfriend, a major foodie, did ALL the serious cooking. I made THIS and he loved it. Made noises while he was eating and went back for ends.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Way to go, Sue! I can’t tell you how much it thrills me that this recipe was so successful for you. Your boyfriend must have been happy!
Kara Sandelin says
I just made this stew for the first time and it is amazing! I would recommend that everyone make it!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks so much, Kara. I’m so glad you liked it.
Elizabeth says
The ingredient list calls for “1 1/2 tsp dried oregano,” but after reading the comments, I am wondering if this was supposed to be 1/2 tsp dried OR 1 1/2 tsp fresh?
I used 1 1/2 tsp dried like the recipe calls for (and darn it, had fresh in my fridge that needed to be used!) and it’s definitely overly oregano-y.
Maureen says
I’m wondering the same thing. I used 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano as the recipe states, and it is too strong of an oregano flavor. I also saw the comment now that the recipe calls for fresh?
Apa says
This stew is DELICIOUS! My sister made it for us and I got the leftovers. Normally, leftovers sit in my fridge forever and then I have to toss them, but I’ve already eaten them and plan on making this myself sometime! (It’s even better the day after!)
Britton says
This is a delicious recipe! Thanks for sharing! I halved the garlic, added a little more chicken broth and added corn – still turned out very tasty!! I also forgot oregano at the store and instead seasoned it with ground oregano – But this has to be my new favorite soup recipe – such awesome flavor and so healthy!! Thanks again! 🙂
KatieJ says
My mom used to make a chicken/squash skillet that I loved, I think I need to try this! Would chicken breasts be just as good you think?
Kate @ Iron Nourishment says
I made this tonight and it was fabulous! Everyone LOVED it. It is definitely a keeper! I added some kale to the stew for some extra greens and it was great. The dish was perfect warm hearty dish after a cold, windy and dark evening run here in Boston!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kate! Adding the kale is a fantastic idea – I’ll think I’ll try that the next time I make this.
Tina Futty says
Made this for dinner tonight….it was very good, you def don’t need to add salt to this recipe, the kalamata olives do that for you. Anything with fresh herbs is a must try!
Thank you. Tina
Whitney says
I made this tonight and my husband and I LOVED it!! The flavors are just so delightful. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you very much for taking the time to share!
Julie Arguez says
This was delish! And will be going in the regular rotation!
Ashleigh says
Made this tonight…added spinach and corn topped with vegan sour cream…yum!!! Thank you for the yummy recipe
cathy says
This is a great stew! What flavor, the kids love it! I did rearrange your directions slightly to avoid moving hot food, ie the chicken and broth. I heated oil, onions, garlic and oregano first, then add broth and chicken and then everything else in order. Later, I subbed white kidney beans for quinoa. Yummy!
Jenn says
Just made this and it was SOOO good!!! My new favorite soup/stew. Thank you!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks for letting me know, Jenn. It’s one of our favorites, too.
Robyn says
I made this for dinner tonight, and my boyfriend and I both agree that is was AMAZING! Thanks for sharing it!
Jeri Barry says
I made this tonight…best recipe I have found on Pinterest thus far. I used chicken breast in lieu of thighs based on availability at my sub standard grocery store. I also added a few handfuls of chopped fresh spinach at the end for some color. I doubled all the ingredients but the chicken and ended up with a large batch to share with friends and family. I will definitely make this again!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Jeri, I’m so glad to hear that. I always love when people take my recipes and put their own spin on it, depending upon what ingredients they have on hand and their taste buds.
Ashley says
I have made this twice now, and it is FANTASTIC! This will definitely be a staple for me. Thank you Thank you!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Ashely, that makes my heart sing. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Mimi M says
I just finished making this, and it is truly spectacular!!! I could eat this everyday of the week. The beautiful colors made for a happy cooking day. Thanks so much for sharing. For those reading this review, try it, I promise you’ll love it:)
Kat says
Planning on making this tonight! If I don’t have a steamer what’s the best way to steam the butternut squash? Thanks in advance!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Kat, you can simply boil the butternut squash in water, removing half of it when it’s just tender and continuing to boil the other half until very tender. I hope you enjoy the stew!
Candice says
This question may sound dumb, but do you boil the butternut squash after chopping it up? I don’t have a steamer either and would really like to try making this hearty dish.
Thanks.
Tiffany Youngren says
I love this! Can’t wait to try it. The pictures are gorgeous – and squash, quinoa, and chicken are – what an amazing combo!!
~ Tiffany
Transfer of Health
Healthy Recipes and Wellness Tips
Keri says
Dara, we made this tonight and loved it! There was a party in our mouths–sweet, briny, fruity…. Awesome! Thank you so much. We look forward to sharing the recipe with our friends and giving you the deserved credit.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m so glad to hear that, Keri! It’s one of our favorites, too.
Alesia says
I made this last Saturday, and not only did the grown ups love it, but the kids ate it, too! And I’m having it for lunch today. This is definitely going into rotation at our house.
Leanna says
Wow…this looks like the ultimate comfort food! It’s kind of a mix of all the foods I regularly eat at home 🙂 I’ll have to combine them all like this for sure!
Janice says
I made this tonight and it is DELICIOUS! The only thing I changed is that I used chicken breasts instead of thighs (my husband won’t eat dark meat). I am hoping we leave enough for tomorrow night!
Rachel says
I’m on the hunt for new chicken ideas and I love butternut squash and quinoa. This recipe is perfect!! It’s going on my menu plan next week. Woot!
Julie says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I made a few changes to the cooking method to simplify and only use one pan, so I thought I’d share them here…I just sauteed the chicken in olive oil (with salt and pepper) until it was cooked on both sides. Then I set the chicken on a plate while I sauteed the onions, garlic, and butternut squash. I used a wooden spatula to smash up some of the squash once it got soft, and left some of it whole. Then I added everything else directly to the pot and cooked until the quinoa was done. I didn’t have kalmata olives on hand, but my husband tasted it and suggested a little paprika. I added the smoked kind, and it was great (wouldn’t use it if I were using the olives though!).
Alyssa says
Do you think I could add a bean of some kind to this? Like kidney beans, or black beans, instead of the olives…I don’t particularly like kalamata. However, I do like green and black ones. Any suggestions of a substitute?
Susie says
Hi – I made this recipe and although delicious, found it a bit too watery. HOWEVER, we did have leftovers and I ate it cold as a salady-type meal for lunch a day or so later and it was REALLY delicious. I did boil off a fair bit of the liquid on the first night, but it benefited from steeping (as do just about all casserole-type meals) as the flavours infused and it was truly scrumptious as a ‘salad’. Worth a try!
StaceyL says
I found this recipe on pinterest and it inspired me enough to make it for dinner tonight. I’ve been looking for recipes with quinoa to try, and this was THAT recipe which got me cooking with it, and I’ll never look back! I had an acorn squash that desperately needed to be used, so I substituted that for the butternut squash and was very happy. I just came off of a week being pretty sick, and what a dinner to treat myself with. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Kristine says
How could I make this vegetarian? What is a good substitute for the chicken?
Tina says
Just came across this recipe yesterday while I was looking for something to make for dinner. Didn’t put the olives, but added kale in with about 10 minutes of cooking time left. Sprinkled some crushed red pepper on mine too. It was delicious!
Misty M. says
I made this, but I didn’t include olives. I boiled tomatillos with the chicken and added them blended up to the finished soup. Didn’t use parsley or oregano. I used garlic and cilantro. It was THE BOMB!!!!!!
Brian J says
Um… I’m kinda new at cooking. I wish you would have included instructions on how to steam the squash. Otherwise, it sounds good.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Brian, no problem! To steam the squash, place the pieces in a steamer basket/insert set over boiling water (the water should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket/insert). You should use about 1 1/2 inches of water. Cover the pot and steam according to the recipe instructions. Check on the water partway through to make sure there’s still enough (you don’t want to scald the bottom of the pot) and add more hot water, if necessary. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
BeeDreams says
Just to throw a spanner in, I omit this step and add the pumpkin/squash when I add the quinoa as when cut into this sized cubes, it literally doesn’t need any more than the 15mins it takes to cook the quinoa.
Jennifer says
Made the soup & love it! Just wondering how many calories/serving this is?? I’m on a diet and tracking calories. Thanks!
BeeDreams says
Hiya! According to my calorie counter it’s 328 per serve. I add zucchini though and that adds about 80 calories, but I take the pumpkin down from 1.5 pounds (680g) to 500g.
Anyhoo, around the above per serve, so good!
BeeDreams says
Sorry, forgot to mention I use one chicken breast only. Not thigh and not that much.
Sue Schu says
I just made this today and substituted tempeh for chicken and added kale and TVP(textured vegetable protein). It was delicious. The tempeh totally absorbed the flavors. I cooked it for 4+ hours. Even the carnivore loved it! ALso eliminated oil and used vegetable stock and one chicken bullion.
Kellie says
This looks delicious! It’s definitely going on my menu for this week. 🙂
4virtu says
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We loved this recipe so much and it is one of our picks for the Food Holidays of September on 4virtu.com! Thanks so much for sharing!
Natalia says
Perfect. Cooked this dish last night, every one loved it. Was embarrassed to accept all the compliments when all i did was following the recipe exactly as it is. I’m a fan now 🙂
Carolyn says
Am about to make this! Very much looking forward to having this even though it is hot hot hot outside. My office at work is freezing, and this will be heavenly.
Tippy Harper says
Can this be made using a slow cooker?
BeeDreams says
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.
Monna Hilton says
Just as I was looking for a new soup recipe for the upcoming Fall andvWinter, there it was. I can’t wait to try it. Love all of the ingredients and just hope I can find the Quinoa . Have never used it before, but anxious to try this new eating adventure. Thanks for sharing.
Kim says
This was delicious! Thanks so much!
Mary says
Oh my goodness, I just made this for dinner and it was DELICIOUS! Thanks!
Misty says
My boyfriend is the Pickiest eater! Since it’s been a little cooler lately I thought I’d try this. Since we eat a lot of chicken and turkey I bought some beef stew meat and beef broth. I substituted the two above for the chicken and broth and it turned out Fabulous! I barely had any leftovers tonight!
Mandy says
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!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
That’s great to know that it worked well in the slow cooker, and with rice. I’ll have to try both the next time I make it.
Gwen says
Hi Dara, just wondering if you tried it in the slower cooker and if there was anything different you did?
Dara says
Hi Gwen, 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 hope that helps!
Jen says
Made this last night and it was WONDERFUL. Did everything exactly as the recipe said, it took some time and dirtied more than a few dishes but I found it relaxing and rewarding to make……….. and delicious! Love finding a great, healthy recipe for fall.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
That’s great, Jen! I’ve started making a double batch of this so we can have leftovers for lunches or future dinners.
Donia says
Had your recipe saved for ages and finally made this today–delicious! Introduced my father-in-law to quinoa 🙂 Butternut squash volunteers were the only thing to thrive in my garden this year, so I’ll be making another batch soon!
Kim says
That looks delicious! I’ll have to add it to my list of winter-time soups/stews/chilis. Thanks for the recipe!
Miss R says
Delicious and simple. Loved this. Thank you!
4virtu says
Happy Tasty Tuesday! This recipe is featured on our Autumn Squash Recipes! Thanks! http://4virtu.com/2012/09/tasty-tuesday-autumn-squash-recipes/
Megan says
can this be done in a crockpot? do you have that version? 🙂
Joee says
This is such a beautiful recipe! I roasted my butternut squash in the oven first, used fresh diced tomatoes from my garden and also omitted the olives (lack there-0f) and sauteed yellow bell peppers with the onions. It smells divine, and I can hardly wait to eat a bowl or three!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Stacy Parsons says
Just made this dish for dinner and it’s the best stew I’ve ever had. The only thing I did different was seasoned my chicken thighs with Cajun seasoning because hubby loves his food spicy and omitted the olives for corn. Will definitely be making again. Oh and did I mention this is my first time trying quinoa? Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Love from Germany! 🙂
Kristen says
Just made this, it was so yummy! Especially on a rainy day like today! Thanks!
Theresa thomp says
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!
kim says
I made this last night, We LOOOOVE it. I’m amazed how incredibly tasty this dish is! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes
Sarah says
I just made this to eat throughout the week. It’s absolutely delicious! The only thing I did differently was to roast my butternut squash. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
[email protected] says
Found this on Pinterest and made it today. It is delicious! Thank you so much!
Emily says
Made this for my dinner group, and doubled the recipe — it was phenomenal. I was nervous that some of the boys would be uncertain about it, but everyone came back for more. Well done, I look forward to making it again soon.
p.s. Trader Joes makes this really easy, and has pre-cut Butternut Squash.
Amy says
This looks so delicious! I love butternut squash so I can’t wait to try this stew recipe!
Abigail says
Does this soup still taste good without the olives?
Megan says
This soup is a-mazing! I’m eating a bowl of leftovers right now and its even better the next day! I am GF and love quinoa but never thought of adding it to a soup/stew. It works beautifuly. Thank you for sharing! Do you happen to know the nutrition info for this (a rough estimate would be fine too)?
Lea says
Just made this. Only took an hour! Accidentally used diced tomatoes with chiles but it is yummy and sppicy. Loved this and easy!!! Thanks. 🙂
Tee says
I love the sounds & look of this. I’m going to try a vegan, allergen free version tomorrow. I can’t wait to see how it turns out! Thanks for a hearty stew recipe that promotes healthy eating & can fuel your body! My vegan 5 year old will love it when I make some changes for her diet!
Linda says
Made this last night and it was great! Will make again, liked the hearty taste on a
cool night. Thank you, my diet thanks you too!!
Luci says
Please fix/delete above…this is correct information/Luci
calories: 206.16
fat:5.7
cholesterol: 41.5
sodium: 395
carbs: 14.91
protein: 13.6
potassium: 4756
Luci says
folks, I am so sorry, should know not to do this when I am tired..please change potassium to 475.6
Rhonda Mankin says
you have a pin it button…but it cannot be pinned???
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Rhonda, I’m sorry you’re having difficulties pinning the picture. It is indeed available for pinning, and has actually been pinned more than any of the recipes on my site.
Rose says
Delicious recipe!! Added carrots and some red potatoes – overall a very hearty stew. My husband LOVED it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Valerie says
I just made this for my family, and they loved it! (Which is amazing as I took out the chicken and put in more Quinoa for Vegeterian night.) Thank you!
ｊ＿ｈｗａｎｇ says
ｔｈｅ ｓｏｕｐ ｓｏｕｎｄｓ ｓｏ ｄｅｌｉｓｈ！ ｄｏ ｙｏｕ ｔｈｉｎｋ Ｉ ｃａｎ ｓｕｂｓｔｉｔｕｔｅ ｔｈｅ ｑｕｉｎｏａ ｗｉｔｈ ｃｏｕｓ ｃｏｕｓ？
Karin says
This soup is soooo good! Thank you for sharing it…….perfect for the cool, rainy Autumn day here in upstate NY. Soothes the soul & the body.
Allison says
Can I put this all in a crockpot to cook during the day?
Jean says
I’d like to know, too! Can this recipe be adjusted for a slow cooker/crockpot? If so, how? Thanks!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Jean, please see my response for the comment above.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Allison, 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 hope that helps!
Morgan says
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The only thing I can recommend is perhaps start out with about 1/2-1 cup more chicken broth, it becomes very thick quickly while cooling, and more broth might make it more soup-y. The flavors are wonderful, this is probably one of the best butternut squash recipes I’ve tried!
Judy says
This soup is a double whammy…not only does it taste delicious, but it is even healthy!
Greta Landis says
I also love soups, and can’t get enough quinoa. I cannot wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing it!
Katie says
Do you think it would be possible to make this in the crockpot? This looks delicious!
Linda J says
I love hearty soups in the winter and tried this tonight. I had to take liberties with the ingredients since I didn’t have the same as you. I used pumpkin, not the round kind but the oblong type. I also used fresh Romano tomatoes due to lack of canned ones in the pantry. It was very good!!!! Seconds were asked for and given!
kei says
Looks so delicious.
I would like to cook this soon.
Beautiful photo, too.
Kim says
I just made this recipe and swapped out regular quinoa for red quinoa. Gives is a slightly nuttier flavor. It was absolutely delicious 🙂
Angela says
I made this stew last week and it was so delicious!! My husband loved it too! Does this stew freeze and reheat well?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Angela, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it does freeze well. I often make a double batch and freeze it.
Karen says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I used it as a launching pad and added mushrooms and fresh herbs, and substituted acorn squash for the butternut and green lentils for the quinoa. It is FANTASTIC, and I’m so glad this is my dinner for the week!
mary says
I made this today and it was incredible! I used what I had on hand which was 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken and one can of great northern beans and the flavors were amazing. Will definitely make again and again~thank you!
Linda Lord says
Wow! I’ve been on a “lifestyle change” (doctor won’t let me use the word ”diet”… no wheat, daily, eggs, soy, or nuts….) Been 5 weeks now and feeling very deprived (and completely crazy wanting enchiladas and lasagne 24/7)…. must say that this was by far the most satisfying meal that I’d cooked/eaten in weeks! Thank you, thank you !!
Nicole Delaney says
I made this for dinner….fabulous!!!
Alia says
Could you substitute barley for the quinoa? How would that turn out, you think?
Elizabeth says
This was delicious!!! It was my first time using Quinoa and it turned out great. Even the person who doesn’t like to eat healthy had seconds.
Jen says
Wow – this is so amazing. We will be making this A LOT this winter.
Thanks so much!
Scarlett says
Do you think that black olives would swap out ok for the kalamata olives? or would it be better to just leave them out if I can’t find them.
Amanda says
I have the same question! Would love to use Kalamata, but more often have reg on hand….
Richelle says
love, love, love this stew!!! I made it 3x in a month :). Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Ivy says
Was labor intensive (need to get a better knife to cube the squash) but well worth it. A soul satisfying stew with vibrant fall colors…my teenage son said he liked it- twice.
I’d suggest rinsing the quinoa before using it- sometimes there is a coating that can lend a slight bitterness. I substituted the parsley for spinach cut into strips- added to the beauty of the stew. I used a small can of chopped olives- made the olive flavor more subtle. Looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow! Thanks Jen.
Jentra says
Thanks for the delicious eye-dropping mouth watering photo! It looks yummy! I got all the recipes and will try it out tonight! Since I’m a beginner, I kinda cheated and got the pre-cut squash and will stick it in the microwave to for the steaming part. I’m not sure if it’ll come out the same as steaming on the stove… All I know is I will like it just because of the picture! haha 🙂
Thanks for sharing and have a great day!
Alyssa says
This is such a good stew. I’m making it right now, and I’ve made it before. Everyone loved it. I’ve done it with the kalamata olives and I threw in capers instead of olives once too. Added bonus – it freezes well. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Ashley says
Any thoughts on substituting sweet potato for butternut squash? I love butternut squash but don’t have any on hand. Thanks!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Ashley, I haven’t tried it with sweet potato, but I’d imagine it would work well. Let me know if you end up trying that.
Ashley says
Used the sweet potato instead of squash and capers instead of olives. Thanks for this, it was great. My eight year old loved it!
Liz says
I “soup-swap” with my friends & would love to bring this to exchange. What are your thoughts on freezing it? Thanks!
Liz says
Ooh! Just saw Alyssa’s “bonus” tip. Hooray!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Liz, it freezes beautifully. I hope you enjoy it!
stephanie says
I’ve made this a few times now and it is one of my faves!
A few questions:
1. I’ve always wondered – do you add in the juice from the canned tomatoes?
2. Any tips on freezing?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Stephanie, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe! Yes, I do add in the juices from the tomatoes. For freezing, just portion the stew in freezer-safe containers (leaving about 1/2 inch of room to allow for expansion as it freezes), allow it cool, then seal and freeze. It freezes very well!
lindsay says
Hi! I love this! I am including it in a slow cooker collection here http://mommyssweetconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/12/34-slow-cooker-soups-stews-and-chilis.html
Laura says
I’ve made this recipe several times now, and we love it. To save time I’ve made a few changes:
I use pre-cubed frozen butternut squash.
I use pre-chopped frozen onions.
I use pre-minced garlic from a squeeze bottle.
I sometimes cook the chicken in the microwave as the onions and squash are cooking on the stove.
I might be missing out on some of the flavor or texture this way, but man, it is still delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Ryan Chapman says
Wow! I am always looking for healthy recipes for my 90/10 Nutrition groups. This fits the bill perfectly and looked good so I tried it for myself tonight. I made it with Kabocha squash though (because I already had some). It was AMAZING. This is going in meal plans and all kinds of stuff. Thanks!
Kirsten says
I made this yesterday and it was fabulous. I’m bringing some into work and sharing the recipe with my co-workers. This is a recipe I will be bragging about. Thanks.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m so glad, Kirsten! I hope your co-workers enjoy it as much as you did. We had this for dinner last night and, really, we never get tired of it.
Hannah says
I just finished making this and it is delicious! I bought cubed butternut squash at Costco this morning with no idea what I was going to make with it. The Internet led me to your blog and I’m so glad it did. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
marina yukon says
just came across this recipe and was ready to make. only i have fire roasted diced tomato salsa style or diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano. think i can sub one of those??
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Marina, I would use the ones with basil, garlic and oregano. Those will match the flavors of the recipe better than the salsa style tomatoes. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
marina yukon says
wow… thanks for the quick reply. chicken was simmering and squash already steamed. i was stressing about having to take a trip to the grocery-LOL. i’m sure it will be fabulous. so excited to try something new. i’m in a rut!!
Kathleen says
Hi, Dara.
Have this wonderful stew on the stove cooking right now. I see you wait until the end to add the pepper. Same for the salt?
Thanks so much. We ‘re all salivating waiting for it to be done. Great recipe!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Kathleen, I’m probably too late to answer this in time for your dinner. Hopefully you tasted and added salt to your liking. I hope you enjoyed the stew!
Erica says
I made this last night for dinner and it was so delicious! Thank you Dara for the wonderful and healthy recipe!
K @ I's and O's says
This recipe was PERFECT for a busy medical student during a cold winter rotation. Thank you for such a delicious, healthy, warm, and totally filling recipe that I’ve shared with countless friends!
Dyskalkulie says
As I am a huge fan of quinoa this recipe is just perfect for me. Looks like a wonderful warming meal during these cold winter days!
Kate says
Looking at the final result, I was not sure that I would like it but I did! It is the ultimate comfort food. I left out the olives but everything else went in. Delicious, thanks! I ended up using about five different bowls by the time I was done. It helps to start with an empty dishwasher…..
My 7 year old son said it was “better than turkey meatballs” which are his favorite so – two thumbs up! 🙂
Jenny says
I’ve made this several times and it never fails to be awesome! The only change I’ve made is swapping the squash for sweet potato – same idea, way less effort. The last butternut squash I had required a hacksaw in the garage 😀 Sweet potatoes only need peeled.
Emily : RainbowDelicious.com says
This soup was so good! I followed a suggestion from the comments section and made mine in a slow cooker and it was so delicious! I doubled it and can’t stop eating the leftovers. This recipe is featured in my most recent weekly meal plan on my blog, thank you!
Jessica says
i would love to make this for a family get together, but where did u find the instructions for making it in a crockpot?
Cristina says
Made this dish tonight and it was great! I’m not a huge fan of olives so I left those out and it was still wonderful. Will definitely make this again!
Judimed says
I made this for dinner tonight, and I loved it! It is hearty and filling, yet low fat and healthy. The only change I made was to substitute kale for the olives, as I do not like olives.
Kelly says
Words can’t describe how much I love this!! Making it as we speak for my sick family. It is our new chicken noodle soup. I make it with beans instead of olives though, because I’m not a fan of olives, but I am a fan of some added color! Thanks for the recipe!
Mel says
Wonderful soup. I make a lot of soup and new recipes are always fun! My kids and hubby all loved this. I did leave out the olives as I didnt have any and I added carrots and celery when I fried the onion. A fav for us!! Thanks so much!
Jaimee says
When do I add the kosher salt??
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Jaimee, sorry about that omission. Add the kosher salt at the same time that you add the garlic and oregano. I hope you enjoy the stew!
Jen Almond says
Loved this soup. I don’t love olives but I wanted that color so I used black beans. I make up a big pot of soup every Saturday for my lunches for the week but halfway through the week usually start playing around with the favors for a little variety. I added lime, cumin and avocado to yesterday’s and it completely changed up the flavor. So good! I think I’ll add roasted red peppers and tobasco sauce to today’s.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I love all of the variations you’re playing with! I’ll have to try some of these.
Whitney Lichty says
We’ve hit an unexpected cold streak in California and this is the perfect stew for a cold Saturday evening with my family, thanks for sharing! Just the mention of quinoa in a recipe sends me straight to the kitchen!
cuoghi says
I pinned this a long time although never thought the flavor combo quite sounded right to me. Since it snowed this morning in michigan and i had all the ingredients i made this and it was AMAZING!
Heidi Dempsey says
I just have to say that since finding this recipe, I have made it at least half a dozen times and it never gets old, it’s become one of my most treasured recipes. Thank you for sharing it!
SallyHP says
Thank you for including the ww points. I just started and cook a LOT, so that saves me a lot of time. I can’t believe this is 9 points per serving, though!
acrylic nails says
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It battled against Drew’s Flygon and Absol, alongside Squirtle; however, the fierce battle left only Combusken and Absol on stage after the first half of the five minutes. However the back of the package was basically a ‘what
you can do’, and I figured since they added little star stickers on the nails on the back of the package that inside of the package I would find these same little star stickers, and small green and white swoosh stickies.
Katie says
Would this work in a crockpot?
Danielle says
What is the serving size per serving ( how many cups per serving?)
Thanks so much, cant wait to try this recipe!
Judy says
Next time I make it, I think I’ll skip a bunch of steps. I would fry the chicken pieces, leave them intact, then saute the onions, garlic, add spices, then the liquid, squash pieces, tomatoes, quinoa, and cook it all together. It seemed to me there were too many unnecessary steps, and I dirtied a lot of dishes in the process. I don’t mind having the chicken in pieces as opposed to shredded.
Patti says
My daughter gave me this recipe and I am making it tonight for the first time. I am excited it looks amazing and everything in it I love. Thank you for sharing your food it is all comforting.
Heidi says
I really want to try this but I really hate olives! Do you have any suggestions for a substitution??
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
My husband feels the same way about olives, so I just leave them out of his portion, and sprinkle them on the top for those of us who like them. He loves this stew!
Julie says
Found on Pinterest and made tonight. I used a rotisserie chicken and it was delicious! Thank you!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
That’s great, Julie! You have to love rotisserie chickens for easy meals.
Kathryn says
This is embarrassing but… how does one steam butternut squash? Is it steamed before peeling? I am a pretty good cook, but I obviously don’t steam veges very much. :/
Sue {munchkin munchies} says
Sounds delicious and looks so inviting:) Can’t wait to make it!
Carolyn says
It looks like the perfect comfort meal and I can see why the aroma rates at 15!
Andrea Campbell says
I’ve made this soup three times since I saw it on Pinterest last March. It is WONDERFUL! To any readers who have thought of trying it, but haven’t yet — go ahead! You won’t be sorry!
Erin Mary says
I pinned this recipe some time ago and finally made it last night. We absolutely loved it! I didn’t have quinoa, so I used red lentils, which seemed to work. I was excited about the kalamata olives all day, and then I forgot to add them 🙁 Guess I’ll have to make it again!
Jennifer says
Made this a couple of nights ago and it was wonderful and Hubby LOVED it. He added a good bit of fresh ground pepper and I added crushed red pepper flakes and it was even better. Thanks for the recipe!
June says
This stew is awesome! I like to use my crockpot during the week so I cooked all of the veggies in the crockpot all day on low. I then added leftover rotisserie chicken and 2 cups of cooked quinoa to the crockpot a short time before serving. I didn’t look at the entire recipe at first, just the photo, and thought the olives were black beans. I don’t like kalmata olives so I substituted black beans for fun. YUM!
Diane in NC says
I thought they were black beans before reading the recipe too!
Jill says
Do you think I could keep this warm in a crock pot for a couple hours, or would something get funky with it?
Heather says
This was unbelievably good. My 16 year old had four bowls after his swim meet. It tastes so yummy, I cooked the whole thing in my crock pot. I started with frozen chicken thighs for 8 hours on low then added the roasted smashed butternut squash and the chicken broth and seasonings and quinoa. I threw in the butternut squash the last little bit so it was still firm but heated through after roasting earlier in the day. So so good.
Mary says
Hello.. this sounds yummy. I have all the ingredients on hand (surprisingly enough) except I have acorn sqush… would that work as a subsitute? thanks for sharing what looks like an exceptional stew. can’t wait to try it.
Diane in NC says
Hello! I found this on Pinterest. I’m having it for lunch right now. It’s delicious! I’m not big fan of olives so I left those out. I threw in some chopped swiss chard at the end just because I’m trying to get more greens in and thought it would work well. It did. Otherwise, I made the recipe exactly as instructed and it is wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Bianca says
This was a great recipe! I was worried about it tasting bland but not so. Especially the kalamata olives, that was key! I subbed spinach for parsley, as I am not a parsley fan. Thank you!
anders says
Thank you! I just made this recipe and it is so delicious!!!!!! I added a scoop of roasted pumpkin puree that was leftover from my pumpkin pie earlier in the week and roasted the squash. Turned out wonderful 🙂
Amy says
Thanks, made this tonight and it was a big hit! My five year old who is always suspicious of food that is mixed together even liked it!
Laura says
I don’t know what I did wrong, but this was the most fowl thing I think I’ve ever made. I took one bite and threw out an entire crockpot of food. 🙁
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Laura, I’m not sure what went wrong, but I’m sorry you had a bad experience. I know how frustrating that can be! There have been so many positive comments from other that have made this recipe, and I would love to help you figure out what went wrong. Just as a starting point, did you make the recipe as written?
Carmela says
Does this soup freeze well?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Carmela, it freezes very well. I often make a double batch so that I can stick half of it in the freezer.
Jennifer says
Looks delish, I was wondering if you need to rinse the quiona before adding it to the stew.
Fran says
This stew sounded great until I got to the olives…. No t hanks 🙁 Have you made it without the olives?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
My husband is not an olive fan, either, but he loves the stew without them.
Amy says
Quick question – I apologize if it’s already been asked and answered: how much is a serving size? A cup? A cup and a half? I’d really like to make this ASAP.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Amy, I apologize – I haven’t measured out the exact serving size for this dish, but promise to do so the next time that I make it. I typically just estimate one serving size as 1/6 of the stew.
Carol says
This was amazingly fabulous!! We ate it for supper last night and I just had some leftovers for lunch. So delish! I thought I would mention a couple small changes that I tried. I roasted my butternut squash rather than steam it because I love roasted veggies in general. I added a bit of diced celery with my onion. And I was going to use my usual Italian herb blend for the oregano and then realized I was out (yikes!) so I subbed some herbes de Provence. Sadly, I didn’t have any olives on hand but the next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time) I will be sure to have some. Thank you so much for this tasty recipe. It was a big hit here!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Carol, I am so glad that you enjoyed it and am glad to hear that you were able to make changes to fit your preferences and supplies. It is definitely a favorite at our house.
Rose says
hey – I’ve made this stew more times than I can count – I made it for every one of my friends who had new babies this summer (5? 8?) because it’s so hearty and tasty and it also freezes well!
My husband doesn’t like olives or quinoa, and it’s still good without (though I do like them in the stew). Once you get the hang of making it, it’s easy. The first time I felt like there was a lot to keep track of.
I roasted the squash too, like another reader, because I’m used to doing it that way. One trick I found was to roast it at 350 for 35 or 40 minutes, not all the way done (I think I roast my butternut squash usually for 50 minutes), so that the meat at the bell end is soft and smashable but the meat in the long end holds it’s shape for cubing and throwing in the stew.
Thank you for this recipe!
Laura says
I was curious about freezing. Do you follow the recipe and then just freeze it or did you find you needed to make any changes to it? Thanks!
Jess says
Excellent recipe. We are very much enjoying this. Thanks!
aristea says
enjoyed making your chicken stew and butternut squash with quinoa recipe. was super easy and absolutely delicious. we thoroughly enjoyed it on this cold, rainy day in new york. thank you for sharing.
Pam says
Hi Dara,
I’m getting ready to make this stew tomorrow. Because I am on a very low sodium diet (heart attack 2 weeks ago) I’ve had to substitute no salt added broth and tomatoes and omit the olives. I’m trying to redo the nutritional analysis but without the serving size it is impossible. 1/6 of the pot doesn’t do it. How did you come up with your nutrition analysis if you don’t know what a serving size is? Any ideas for me? If you use bowls, how big are your bowls that you use? One cup? Two cups? What about your dutch oven? How big is that and does the stew fill it up totally or maybe 3/4 full? Any help you can give me with this would be greatly appreciated as I’d really like to make and eat this tomorrow. Can’t wait!!
Dara says
Hi Pam, I finally figured out the exact serving size, which is 1 2/3 cups. I hope that helps!
elembee123 says
This is our favorite recipe, hands down! It is at the front of our Favorites binder and when I make it, I use a 16 qt stockpot which ends up filled to the brim. This allows for freezing the excess to have later.
As I have never made it as written (quantity-wise) I am also adding my voice to the chorus of some estimate of how much a serving is. (*sigh* I’m also trying to track my calories a bit better.) If you make your recipe as is, how much total does it make? Based on that, I could divide it by 6 servings and get some sort of an approximation as to serving size.
Or, I guess I COULD make it as written…but…but…but! What would I stash in the freezer?! 🙂
For what it’s worth, I have also made modifications over the years – it’s a very versitile recipe! We omit the olives, I sometimes use turkey instead of chicken, I double the quinoa amount using 1/2 white and 1/2 red just for the looks alone, and I use WAY more broth as I’ve found that quinoa is very thirsty and we like ours a bit more soupy. Oh, and I ALWAYS forget to add in the parsley at the end.
And still, it is the most requested recipe in our family, no matter how it’s fixed!
Two thumbs, WAY up! 🙂
Dara says
It makes me very happy to hear how much you like this recipe. It’s one of our favorites, too. I finally figured out the exact serving size, which is 1 2/3 cups. I hope that helps!
kelly says
I made this tonight my 2 sons and I. I had ground chicken on hand so that is what we used I also did not have any olives. I added a few handfulls of spinach at the end. Thank you for this recipe. I typed in paleo butternut squash and quinoa into google and got this. I had things on hand and had no ideas.
johanna says
could you use this in your crock pot?
Dara says
Hi Johanna, 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 hope that helps!
Beth says
Made this soup tonight, it was fantastic! Might double the recipe next time so I can have more leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kathy says
Dara, I have used many of your wonderful recipes. All of them have been great. However, THIS one is unbelievably wonderful!!! At first, I thought that all those olives would make it too salty, so I decided to put one third into the stew and serve the others on the side for people to add in. After tasting the stew, we understood. The olives beautifully balance the natural sweetness of the butternut squash. Everyone immediately tossed the remaining olives into their stew. Delicious!! Thank you!
Katie says
Oh my goodness, this was amazing!!! We all loved it and can’t wait for tomorrow to eat the leftovers. THANK YOU!
Beth says
Fantastic! I added a 16 ounce bag of spinach I took out to make a salad and thought – why not? Even better the next day.
Kathy says
Dara, my friend gave me a copy of this recipe, which led me to your website. I made this stew exactly as written and it was amazing! My 8 year old daughter loved it too! She has always liked healthy food and I am so lucky. What a wonderful healthy stew for the family. Thank you and keep up the good work. I look forward to making many of your recipes.
Christen says
I love this so much I’m about make it for the third time. You are totally entitled to a pat on the back for this recipe, I think it will become one of my staple fall & winter recipes for life!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
That makes me so happy to hear, Christen!
JudyL says
Just found this on pinterest & it looks delicious, Can’t wait to see if my family will eat it. I’m wondering though, I hate to waste time & always try to find an easier way to do things – so, why can’t you steam the butternut at the same time you cook the chicken? Put it all in the pan & pull the butternut out when it’s time – I think that would work ok, don’t you?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Judy, this recipe is pretty forgiving. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t do that. I think it will turn out perfect and save you a saucepan!
Therese says
Love the ingredient list for this stew. Has anyone ever tried it in a crockpot?
Christina says
Thanks for recipe. This is the second time I have made the dish. I made a couple of substitutions based on what I had in the pantry. I used 3 big sweet potatoes, added 2 hand fulls of fresh kale and I had this monster bag of left over chicken wings from the Super Bowl that were just taking up space in the freezer. I boiled them and then peeled off the skin to extract the meat. I little labor intensive but worth it.
M Gilies says
For the time and effort we both thought this dish was very bland. There was more flavour in the Chiabata bun that we served with the stew.
Dara says
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy this. This is one of my family’s favorite dishes and, as you can read in the many comments above, it is a favorite of many of my readers as well. Did you follow the recipe as written or make some changes?
Kayla says
So easy to make and so tasty! Thanks for a great healthy recipe 🙂
Laura says
I just made this stew and I must say that it is INCREDIBLE. I was hesitant to put kalamata olives in a soup, but it makes it! Yum. Thanks for this!
Dara says
I’m so glad you liked it, Laura! And I agree…the kalamata olives really do add the perfect salty, briny finish to the flavors.
Di says
I have made this many many times and am always grateful for this delicious and unique recipe! Thanks so much! I also love your drop biscuits 🙂
SW says
It seems weird to me to cook chicken in broth and then use it again in thr recipe later. This is only due to my paranoia of salmonella with raw chicken….i guess you boil it off when you re-add it during the quinoa-cooking phase?
Em says
Just cooked this and it was SO easy! I had never cooked stew before and it turned out PERFECTLY. Instead of olives and quinoa I used capers and brown rice (which I cooked beforehand), since that’s what I had on hand, and it was so yummy! So, so good!
Sharon says
Any way of making this in the crockpot?
Dara says
Hi Sharon, 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 hope that helps!
Melanie says
Thank you for this recipe! I made it tonight for my family, and we really enjoyed it! Even the 3-year-old said it was yummy. The only change I made was to use homemade chicken broth from the freezer and just add in some leftover chopped chicken instead of cooking the chicken in the broth as directed.
I did have a question…do you know how it would work, as a shortcut, to add the butternut squash to the broth raw, allowing it to cook in the broth? I have a chili recipe in which you add raw sweet potato chunks and let it cook in the chili, so I’m wondering if there is any reason why you cook the butternut squash separately. I’m always up for saving a dish or two. Again, thanks!
Melanie says
Oh and p.s. I’m normally not a fan of quinoa by itself (I’ve had a small bag in my pantry for a couple of years now!), but I loved it in this stew!!! I’ll definitely look for ways to use it in other dishes more often.
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Sarah says
This was amazing! My husband asked “What do you CALL this feast?!?” I said… “Well, it’s called ‘hearty chicken stew with butternut squash and quinoa’.” And my three year old said, ” Well, that’s not a very pretty name,” to which my four year old said, “Let’s call it ‘crown’.” Whatever you call it, this stew is divine and my husband suggested I make it every single week from now on. haha!
mtview says
I bookmarked this recipe a while ago. Finally tired it yesterday and it was delish! Can’t stop eating it.
brooklyngirl says
I made this today and it’s AWESOME. Didn’t use olives because I don’t really like them — put in a few capers instead and it worked great. Also added some swiss chard. All wonderful. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Dara says
The capers would be a great addition in place of the olives. It’s that briny, salty flavor that really adds a great punch. I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Racheal @ Running with Racheal says
Toddler and husband approved. Thanks Dara!
Sarah says
I just have to say I LOOOOOOVE this stew. I’ve made it so many times and I never change a thing. I also adore the olives in it. It’s such an unexpected taste, but goes with the other ingredients so well. My husband also really enjoys it. Making it again tonight!
brinan says
ThIs stew is lacking something and I just can’t put my finger on what that might be. Made it tonight and was underwhelmed. Usually love quinoa/squash combinations… we have a quinoa butternut squash gratin in our normal rotation… maybe topping this stew with some gruyere and simple homemade kroutons might change my mind about it. Regardless, it’s certainly a healthy concoction and gets points for that.
Kelsey says
I made this last night and it was just amazing. I will be making it again for a family function this weekend!
Anna says
Made this tonite, thought it was really good, so thanks! I didn’t have squash but did have sweet potatoes, left out olives and added black beans as someone else here suggested. Only had chicken breast but would love it with thighs! ( I did have quinoa!)
lt says
Hi! This is the first time I’m ever commenting on someone’s blog, but I just had to! I made this recipe today. My husband had a second serving, and my brother who happened to stop by while we were having dinner -he was also on his way to a meeting- actually sat down with us for dinner! Thank you, amazing recipe 🙂
Dara says
Now that warms my heart! Making good food is so satisfying when you can share it with others. I’m so glad that your family enjoyed the stew!
Danielle says
Made this tonight and am not mad at all! I toasted the squash instead of steaming, just for dish-washing sake. The stew TASTES like it looks, which isn’t a bad thing! Just what I needed after Thanksgiving eatathon.
Katie says
I LOVE this recipe! It’s a huge hit with the kiddos and I eat the leftovers for lunch all week. My only issue is that it seems to take significantly longer than indicated to steam the butternut squash. Wondering if anyone else has had this issue?
Dorothy says
Hi Jessica,
I just found you on Pinterest and came to your great site. There’s lot to read and try, and thank you for the blogging advice!
Best,
Dorothy
Ollie says
I know I’m a few years too late but I made it tonight and this stew was amazing! Nice to have something so comforting in winter that’s healthy as well. Thanks!
Amy says
So good! And I didn’t include the olives because I hate them, and also, I forgot the tomatoes! But I didn’t even notice, until I came online to save the recipe (after eating 3 servings). 🙂 I never knew butternut squash was so sweet. I am excited to have leftovers tomorrow.
Kate G says
This stew was wonderful! Healthy, but delicious and comforting. I added a few handfuls of baby spinach right before serving as well. Nice touch of greens in there.
Stephany says
I made this soup for the family. It was truly wonderful!! My husband kept complimenting me throughout the whole meal. Thank you so much for sharing. So glad I doubled it. So glad the kids loved it. So glad to now add this to my favorite list and make it again and again.
Jill says
This was fabulous! The flavor is so good and it was perfect for a cold winter night. It makes your house smell sooooo good!
I simmered mine half a day, so it does thicken up, so I added an extra cup of chicken broth and a half cup of water to mine.
I can’t wait to eat this again!
Jennifer says
could you make this in a crock pot? Would the recipe need to be tweaked?
Lauren says
I did it in the crock pot and didn’t change anything. I just threw it all in (minus the oil), including a raw chicken breast and uncooked squash and it turned out wonderful!
Paige says
Could I make this in slow cooker? What modifications should I follow?
Shelley says
Wonderful, made with vegie broth and added sautéed cubes of tofu. All six in the group raved. Thanks.
Lauren says
This is amazing! I threw it all in a crock pot on low for the day and with a little salt and pepper, it is to die for!
Once it was done, I smashed up the squash and shredded the chicken and love it 🙂
Sarah says
I tried this tonight. So tasty! We loved it.
Judy says
The stew was absolutely delicious! I didn’t want to wait until fall. It is a lot of fun to eat something healthy like the taste so good.
Rochelle says
Do you think it would come out the same if you just throw all the ingredients into a crockpot?
janet says
hi there, my husband has just been diagnosed as diabetic so this sounds fab, could you possibly provide UK measurements please?
Dara says
Hi Janet, I’m sorry to hear about your husband. The best way for you to convert the ingredient amounts to UK measurements would be by using a site like this one or this one. I hope that helps! And I hope you and your husband enjoy the stew.
Marla says
This sounds delicious! Could it be made in a slow cooker?
Phoebe says
I have made this twice – the first to share with a family with a new baby and I did not have parsley so I added a bunch of shredded kale – it was great and packed an even bigger nutritional punch (I also used a whole chicken and got my own broth when I cooked it up on the stove). Second time I put the whole chicken in the pot and after a bit laid a whole split butternut squash on top of it and hit 2 birds with one stone! I have had a giant bowl every day for a week even freezing it and then having to then thaw it out as I wasn’t willing to go without it. The quinoa makes a lovely texture in a soup- who knew! I am so impressed and now I wonder if you have ideas as good as this stew for pork and beef – what would it take? Thanks so much!
Jamie says
Can this be done in a crockpot?
Marie says
Interestingly, quinoa is not a grain. It is a seed high in protein. I’ll have to try this. Thank you.
Kirsten says
In case anyone make the same mistake as me, I used chia seeds instead of quinoa. Didn’t notice until it was too late. Took about ten minutes longer for the chia seeds to swell up and the soup was a much more… pudding-y… texture than the first time I made it with quinoa. Still good but I would recommend the quinoa route!
Megan says
This was really delicious and easy! I definitely agree that the olives bring some much needed tang – and I added some smoked paprika, curry powder, and italian seasoning to deepen the flavors. Will definitely be making again!!
Stephanie says
Thanks for a great recipe! Made this on Wednesday night. Been eating it all week. Just ate some leftovers for dinner. It was beautiful and delicious! I am going to freeze the two servings I have left. I posted a pic on instagram it was so pretty! https://www.instagram.com/p/BAOELg3uvvp/
Jill says
How would you adapt this recipe for a slow cooker? Thanks!
Joyce says
Would this stew be suitable to freeze?
Angela says
Still love this recipe, just made a batch today and will pack it for my lunch at work all week. Yumm, everyone always gets jealous when I have a bowl of this.
Jen says
I’ve made this several times and it’s probably one of my favorites! I used a roast chicken but otherwise follow the recipe for the most part and it’s delish:)
Kim says
If I shred a rotisserie chicken for this, how much broth do you recommend using for the quinoa and stew?
Lizzie says
This looks delicious!!! Do you think it would be possible to make as a crock-pot soup?!
Dara says
Hi Lizzie, 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!”
Kirsten Bowles says
Hi D!
Do you think this recipe would work with chicken breast? A little less moist I guess. Would you cook the meat in the same way?
Thanks. I can’t wait to make this.
Love Kirste
Naomi says
Oh my goodness!!! I’ve just made this and it was absolutey amazing!!! Cooked it on low in the slow cooker all day and just ate it. Thank you! Didn’t know what to expect but will Defo be having it again and cooking it for friends x
Kristi F says
I just made this for the third time, and I plan to keep it in my rotation. I live alone, and I love that I can make this, freeze half, and enjoy it again soon! I did just get an Intant Pot. Any idea on how to amend the recipe for it?
Kim Dryden says
Hi! Have not as yet made any, but based on the recipe and directions it SOUNDS like a five star dish. 🙂 In my giant chest freezer, right this minute, I have 27 “cut in various ways”, from cubed to quartered, with some peeled, and some not, Butternut Squashes, growing like possessed little demons on my yard. The plant itself IS finally dying off, slowly, but STILL putting out new squashes, go figure. Never before grew any. Saw wee little plants for sale at Walmart, and grabbed one. Darn thing took off like a bat out of hell…! People don’t believe me when I tell them that, Yes, that GINORMOUS plant, 30′ (and folded back over itself a good 7 times now) across, and 10′ deep is just ONE Butternut baby planted in May. 😀 I DO love Butternuts, thank goodness, and I now have MUCH to eat of them. 😀 This soup actually struck my fancy, as I love Butternuts, Olives, Quinoa, and Chicken, etc. Looking forward to the Kansas superhot weather to suddenly abate and drop 30+ degrees overnight so I can say winter is finally coming, and there are stews to be made! Thanks, as always!
Victor @ ifoodblogger.com says
Being very partial to butternut squash and quinoa I tried this soup and it was amazing. I liked it freshly cooked though, the next day it was not the same. Will cook smaller batches in the future.
Dara says
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Victor!
Agent Judy says
This is SO delicious! I flexed some of the ingredients to use what I had, but the flavors are just wonderful I tried putting some yogurt on top, but it really doesn’t need it, it’s so rich from the mashed squash. The olives are a wonderful addition.