Chicken and Butternut Squash Quinoa Stew
This chicken and butternut squash quinoa stew is absolutely lovely, both in taste and looks and is healthy to boot.
I know I said this soup was already my favorite of the season, but at the risk of sounding completely faithless, I have to argue that this quinoa stew is the new winner. It.Is.So.Good. (How’s that for profound? Man, I’m a regular philosopher today.)
But really, being So.Good. is a pretty fabulous review for a stew that is so stinking healthy.
I was skeptical my husband and kids would go for this one but just like these little quinoa patties, my family surprised me by their exuberance over this meal.
Not only did it fill the ten hollow legs I get to feed every night, but I didn’t even have to bribe them to try it.
I think we are officially becoming one with quinoa, meaning my kids don’t glare at the little kernels convinced I’m feeding them hatched frog eggs. And they are already used to me slyly sneaking butternut squash into soup thanks to this recipe and this one, so overall, this meal went over quite well. Phew.
I tweaked the original recipe (that has lots of stellar reviews) to work with one pot instead of dirtying up other dishes, and the finished stew is absolutely lovely, both in taste and looks.
Since I just moved to a climate that reportedly gets colder than 30 below in the winter (uh, is that healthy, by the way?), we are going to need some stick-to-your-bones meals and this will definitely be at the top of the list.
What to Serve With This
- A really, great dinner roll (for homemade, I’d suggest French Bread Rolls or Buttery Cornmeal Crescents)
- Fresh fruit or a light fruit salad like this Honey Lime Fruit Salad
- Sliced cheddar cheese
One Year Ago: Spooky Eats: Jello Worms {Seriously Gross}
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Chicken and Butternut Squash Quinoa Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes
- 3 cups chopped butternut squash, about 1 medium squash, peeled and seeded
- ⅔ cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Instructions
- In a large 4 quart pot heat the olive oil until hot. Add the chopped onions, oregano, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and boil until the chicken is cooked, 7-9 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the tomatoes, butternut squash, and quinoa. Simmer for 15 minutes until the squash is tender and quinoa is cooked. If desired, scoop out some of the squash, mash it and return it to the pot. Shred the cooked chicken and return to the pot. Add the salt and pepper, adding more salt to taste, if needed. Stir in the spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Serve warm.
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Recipe Source: adapted from Cookin’ Canuck
This was easy to make and really good! The best part was that it reheats up well. I have already shared the recipe and will be making it again as part of my regular rotation!
This recipe was absolutely amazing! My son and I enjoyed this and will be adding it to our favorite fall dinners.
I just made this and it’s absolutely delicious!
Loved loved loved this recipe!! Usually I dread left overs during the week. Not the case for this yummy recipe. Fun way to use my butternut squash from my garden. It’s a keeper for sure. Thanks so much!!
Hi Mel – I made this the other night in my instant pot following your instructions – I used saute function to cook the onions and garlic, added the rest of the ingredients (except the spinach) (I diced the butternut squash in tiny pieces and cut the chicken in pieces also). Turned off the machine – then turned it back on to high pressure and set for 10 minutes. Naturally released for another 10 minutes, removed the lid and stirred in the spinach and an avocado – I just set the lid back on to steam the spinach. Stirred it all together and served with pita bread. It was delicious and perfectly cooked! The only change I would make would be to use chicken breasts since the thighs, while juicy and flavorful, take on a weird appearance when steamed (in my opinion). Thanks for another terrific recipe!
Awesome!
I have a recipe almost exactly like this that we love. I don’t put spinach in mine, but one thing I have added is black beans. I add one can of drained black beans. We love it with black beans!
Do you think this could be adapted to a pressure cooker? I got one for Christmas and just love it!
I haven’t tried it, but if it were me, I’d put it all in the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker) and cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes (make sure the butternut squash is in really small pieces).
This was the exact question I had. Thanks for answering
Really liked the look of the recipe and cooked it as shown. It took a lot longer but didnt mind the wait. Unfortunately mine tasted really bitter. First time cooking quinoa, what did I do wrong?
Did you rinse the quinoa before using it in the recipe? Unrinsed quinoa can take on a bitter taste.
Just made this for lunch with relatives. We were all amazed by how flavorful it was and they were delighted to take home some leftovers. I didn’t have spinach and only had 1lb boneless chicken thighs. Also used fire roasted tomatoes and a bay leaf. Just delicious! And easy to boot. Thanks for another winner!
Over the years, I have tried dozens (I’d say close to 100) of recipes from your blog and you’re still my go-to for dinners. Looking for more uses of quinoa, I found this. Initially I was concerned about putting it in a stew (I’ve never tried it that way before), but I’ve learned that I can trust you. This is not only absolutely delicious (possibly my favorite stew), but it is super healthy AND easy to make. Thanks again.
I made this on New Year’s Day. A perfect meal after an afternoon of sledding. I made a few changes, due to not wanting to go to the store. I lazily used canned chicken, left out the spinach, and substituted poultry seasoning for the oregano. It was splendid and I’ll make this again! Thank you for a wonderful website full of family tested, delicious recipes.
Made this today in the crockpot. Thank you to Ashely and her Jan 28, 2013 comment above for the instructions. :). I added salt, pepper, and a hefty sprinkle of garlic powder after adding the spinach. It was delicious! I am freezing the leftovers. Yum!!
Started the onions, garlic, oregano and broth (used veggie) part on the stove and then transferred it to a crockpot that had the squash, tomatoes, spinach and quinoa. I knew that the quinoa would soak up a good part of the liquid so I added a water to the empty can of tomatoes, sloshed it around in the pot that I cooked the onions in and then added it to the crockpot. I also added some crushed red pepper for spice. The best thing about making soups from scratch is the level of salt is totally up to the cook. Great for heart-conscious people. It smells and tastes so good!
I am eating this now as I type. It is a fabulous, healthy dish! So glad I had everything that I needed on hand to make and that I stumbled upon this recipe!
Thank you for sharing it with us! 🙂
Yummy! I accidentally left out the tomatoes and we actually all liked it better before I added the tomatoes for seconds. The tomatoes seemed to overpower all the other flavors. Both ways are delicious though! Just thought I’d add that note in case you feel like going crazy next time you make it. ;). Thanks Mel!
Mel, this soup is SO delicious and so incredibly simple to prepare! What a perfect first lunch on a snowy, sunny first day of 2014!
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We LOVE this soup! If you think it’s bland, sweak the salt and pepper just like any recipe it may call for more depending on how you like it! SO yummy and healthy!