Hearty Chicken Stew Recipe with Butternut Squash & Quinoa

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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
Hearty Chicken Stew Recipe with Butternut Squash and Quinoa...The most popular recipe on my site! 330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #chicken #stew #cleaneating

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.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa...The most popular recipe on my site! 330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #healthy #glutenfree

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.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa...The most popular recipe on my site! 330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

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.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa...The most popular recipe on my site! 330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

(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.)

Instagram-button If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I’ll be sure to find it.

4.5 rating
9 reviews

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

Loading nutrition data...
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

This healthy comfort food just can't be beat! Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa...330 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Serves 6

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
  2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
  3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
  4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
  6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
  7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
  8. Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
  9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
  10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
  11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
  12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
  13. Stir in parsley and serve.

by

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 5 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 9 (Points+)

Other healthy stew recipes:

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.

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Comments

  4. This definitely looks hearty and sounds amazing. I really love the olives in it and would have never thought to add them!

    Reply

    • Thanks, Elly. They add a really nice briny taste, which is a good contrast to the sweet butternut squash.

      Reply

        • 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.

          Reply

          • 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.

        • 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.

          Reply

      • 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!!!

        Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  14. 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.

    Reply

  22. 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!!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  23. 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!

    Reply

  24. 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!

    Reply

  27. 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.

    Reply

  29. 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. 🙂

    Reply

  32. 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

    Reply

  33. 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!

    Reply

  36. 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.

    Reply

  41. 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!

    Reply

  43. 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! 🙂

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  46. 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!

    Reply

  48. 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.

    Reply

  53. 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 🙂

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  54. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  56. 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.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Gina! This was a hit with my family, too and I’m so glad that you enjoyed it.

      Reply

  57. 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

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  59. 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

    Reply

  61. 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

    Reply

  64. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  65. 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!!

    Reply

    • Danya, I love when people are able to tweak my recipes to suit their own tastes. That’s what cooking is all about!

      Reply

  66. 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!

    Reply

  67. 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.

    Reply

  68. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  69. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  71. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  73. 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 🙂

    Reply

  74. 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.

    Reply

  75. 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?

    Reply

  76. 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!

    Reply

  77. This was amazing! What a perfect stew. Everything about it was wonderful…the textures, flavors, aroma, nutrients! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  79. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  80. 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!

    Reply

  81. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  82. I just made this stew for the first time and it is amazing! I would recommend that everyone make it!

    Reply

  83. 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.

    Reply

    • 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?

      Reply

  84. 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!)

    Reply

  85. 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! 🙂

    Reply

  86. 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?

    Reply

  87. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  88. 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

    Reply

  89. 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!

    Reply

  91. Made this tonight…added spinach and corn topped with vegan sour cream…yum!!! Thank you for the yummy recipe

    Reply

  92. 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!

    Reply

  94. I made this for dinner tonight, and my boyfriend and I both agree that is was AMAZING! Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply

  95. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  96. I have made this twice now, and it is FANTASTIC! This will definitely be a staple for me. Thank you Thank you!

    Reply

  97. 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:)

    Reply

  98. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

      • 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.

        Reply

  100. 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.

    Reply

  101. 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.

    Reply

  102. 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!

    Reply

  103. 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!

    Reply

  104. 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!

    Reply

  105. 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!).

    Reply

  106. 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?

    Reply

  107. 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!

    Reply

  108. 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!

    Reply

  110. 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!

    Reply

  111. 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!!!!!!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  113. Made the soup & love it! Just wondering how many calories/serving this is?? I’m on a diet and tracking calories. Thanks!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  114. 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.

    Reply

  116. 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!

    Reply

  117. 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 🙂

    Reply

  118. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  120. 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.

    Reply

  123. 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!

    Reply

  124. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

      • Hi Dara, just wondering if you tried it in the slower cooker and if there was anything different you did?

        Reply

        • 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!

          Reply

  125. 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.

    Reply

    • That’s great, Jen! I’ve started making a double batch of this so we can have leftovers for lunches or future dinners.

      Reply

  126. 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!

    Reply

  131. 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!

    Reply

  132. 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! 🙂

    Reply

  135. 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

    Reply

  136. 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.

    Reply

  138. 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.

    Reply

  141. 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)?

    Reply

  142. Just made this. Only took an hour! Accidentally used diced tomatoes with chiles but it is yummy and sppicy. Loved this and easy!!! Thanks. 🙂

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  143. 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!

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  144. 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!!

    Reply

  145. 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

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  148. Delicious recipe!! Added carrots and some red potatoes – overall a very hearty stew. My husband LOVED it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂

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  149. 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!

    Reply

  150. ｔｈｅ　ｓｏｕｐ　ｓｏｕｎｄｓ　ｓｏ　ｄｅｌｉｓｈ！　ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　Ｉ　ｃａｎ　ｓｕｂｓｔｉｔｕｔｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｑｕｉｎｏａ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｃｏｕｓ　ｃｏｕｓ？

    Reply

  151. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  153. 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!

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  155. I also love soups, and can’t get enough quinoa. I cannot wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing it!

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  157. 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!

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  159. I just made this recipe and swapped out regular quinoa for red quinoa. Gives is a slightly nuttier flavor. It was absolutely delicious 🙂

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  160. I made this stew last week and it was so delicious!! My husband loved it too! Does this stew freeze and reheat well?

    Reply

    • Angela, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it does freeze well. I often make a double batch and freeze it.

      Reply

  161. 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!

    Reply

  162. 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!

    Reply

  163. 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 !!

    Reply

  166. 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.

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  168. 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.

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  169. love, love, love this stew!!! I made it 3x in a month :). Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

    Reply

  170. 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.

    Reply

  171. 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!

    Reply

  172. 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!

    Reply

  173. Any thoughts on substituting sweet potato for butternut squash? I love butternut squash but don’t have any on hand. Thanks!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

      • Used the sweet potato instead of squash and capers instead of olives. Thanks for this, it was great. My eight year old loved it!

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  174. I “soup-swap” with my friends & would love to bring this to exchange. What are your thoughts on freezing it? Thanks!

    Reply

  175. 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?

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  177. 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!

    Reply

  178. 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!

    Reply

  179. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  180. 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!

    Reply

  181. 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??

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

      • 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!!

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  182. 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!!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  183. I made this last night for dinner and it was so delicious! Thank you Dara for the wonderful and healthy recipe!

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  184. 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!

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  186. 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! 🙂

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  187. 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.

    Reply

  188. 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!

    Reply

    • i would love to make this for a family get together, but where did u find the instructions for making it in a crockpot?

      Reply

  189. 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!

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  190. 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.

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  191. 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!

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  192. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  194. 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.

    Reply

    • I love all of the variations you’re playing with! I’ll have to try some of these.

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  195. 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!

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  196. 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!

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  197. 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!

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  198. 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!

    Reply

  199. Braviary is a corruption of bravery and a combination of brave and aviary.

    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.

    Reply

  201. What is the serving size per serving ( how many cups per serving?)

    Thanks so much, cant wait to try this recipe!

    Reply

  202. 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.

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  203. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  206. 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. :/

    Reply

  209. 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!

    Reply

  210. 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!

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  211. 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!

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  212. 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!

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  213. Do you think I could keep this warm in a crock pot for a couple hours, or would something get funky with it?

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  214. 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.

    Reply

  215. 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.

    Reply

  216. 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.

    Reply

  217. 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!

    Reply

  218. 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 🙂

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  219. 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!

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  220. 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. 🙁

    Reply

    • 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?

      Reply

    • Carmela, it freezes very well. I often make a double batch so that I can stick half of it in the freezer.

      Reply

  223. This stew sounded great until I got to the olives…. No t hanks 🙁 Have you made it without the olives?

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  224. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

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  225. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  226. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  228. 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.

    Reply

  229. 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!!

    Reply

  230. 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! 🙂

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  231. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  233. Made this soup tonight, it was fantastic! Might double the recipe next time so I can have more leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  234. 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!

    Reply

  235. Oh my goodness, this was amazing!!! We all loved it and can’t wait for tomorrow to eat the leftovers. THANK YOU!

    Reply

  236. 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.

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  237. 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.

    Reply

  238. 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!

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  239. 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?

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  241. 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.

    Reply

  242. 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.

    Reply

    • 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?

      Reply

  244. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  245. 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 🙂

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  246. 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?

    Reply

  247. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  249. 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!

    Reply

    • 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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  251. 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!

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  252. I bookmarked this recipe a while ago. Finally tired it yesterday and it was delish! Can’t stop eating it.

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  253. 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!

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    • 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!

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  255. 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!

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  256. 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.

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  257. I made this last night and it was just amazing. I will be making it again for a family function this weekend!

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  258. 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!)

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  259. 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 🙂

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    • 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!

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  260. 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.

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  261. 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?

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  262. 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!
    (Just FYI the photo on Pinterest for your chicken stew seems to be for another dish – a zucchini ribbon salad with gorgonzola and feta. That was what drew me in the first place.) http://www.pinterest.com/pin/263671753160087788/
    Best,
    Dorothy

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  263. 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!

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  264. 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.

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  265. 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.

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  266. 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.

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  267. 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!

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    • 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!

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  270. Wonderful, made with vegie broth and added sautéed cubes of tofu. All six in the group raved. Thanks.

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  271. 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 🙂

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  273. 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.

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  275. hi there, my husband has just been diagnosed as diabetic so this sounds fab, could you possibly provide UK measurements please?

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    • 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.

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  277. 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!

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  279. Interestingly, quinoa is not a grain. It is a seed high in protein. I’ll have to try this. Thank you.

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  280. 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!

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  281. 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!!

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  285. 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.

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  286. 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:)

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    • 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!”

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  289. 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

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  290. 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

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  291. 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?

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  292. 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!

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  294. 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.

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