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  • You are here: Home / Dinner / Butternut Squash Chicken Stew – Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or Stovetop VIDEO

    Butternut Squash Chicken Stew – Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or Stovetop VIDEO

    December 2, 2017 by Regina 69 Comments

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    This hearty, healthy Butternut Squash Chicken Stew with Quinoa is perfect comfort food for cold weather days! It can be made in the Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or on the Stovetop.

    Original post was published in March 2014. This is an updated and improved version.

    Butternut Squash Chicken Slow Cooker Stew

    This is one of the recipes that made me fall in love with slow cooker meals. Yes, despite receiving a beautiful slow cooker and accompanying recipe book for our wedding, I didn’t get the whole magic of slow cooking until some 3 years later.

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    In our first year of marriage I used it maybe twice. Then we decided to travel and had a garage sale where I practically gave away our first slow cooker.

    Funny enough, I started reading food blogs while traveling abroad – probably because I was missing comfort food from home. And that was also when Pinterest first became popular.

    Chicken Butternut Squash Stew

    Suddenly I was seeing mouthwatering slow cooker recipes everywhere. I couldn’t wait to give all of them a try.

    Luckily, when we returned my mother-in-law got herself a new fancy slow cooker which allowed you to brown meats before slow cooking them.

    So we got her previous one and I started using it at least once a week (!) right away. We had crazy busy working schedules at the time, so it was amazing to come home to ready-cooked meals.

    Butternut Squash Slow Cooker Stew

    This wonderful Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chicken Quinoa Stew (what a mouthful – I know) came into being one day when I really felt like combining some butternut squash with quinoa.

    This sounds so cliché but I literally threw a bunch of ingredients into the slow cooker without much of a clue what to expect in the end. Well, we absolutely loved the result – a flavorful, slightly spicy and hearty stew.

    Perfect for cold Canadian winter days that don’t seem to want to end. We loved it so much that I made it again the following week. That time I actually paid attention and wrote down what I ‘threw’ together.

    Now, almost 4 years later I revisited the recipe. There are over 60 comments on the recipe – mostly glowing reviews – but I wanted to test a few things in order to be able to address all questions.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Chicken Quinoa

    I ended up making a few tweaks to the recipe. Mainly, I reduced the amount of chicken breast, butternut squash and broth while leaving everything else pretty much the same.

    This should solve the issue a couple of commenters had, where they weren’t able to fit everything into their crockpot. At the same time it also eliminates any possibility of blandness (1 comment).

    Secondly, I also wanted to test out alternative cooking methods. While this was originally a chicken and butternut squash slow cooker recipe, I wanted to see if it can also be converted to a Instant Pot and stovetop recipe.

    Spoiler alert: Yes, it can! Find the full instructions for each method in the recipe box below.

    How to use the Instant Pot as Slow Cooker

    Also, I got to try out my Instant Pot’s slow cook function for the first time. Can you believe, that after the all my gloating about slow cookers above, I don’t actually have one anymore?

    Multifunctionality is what sold me on the Instant Pot in the first place, but then I never ended up using the slow cook mode until now.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Chicken Stew

    Luckily, everything went well and smooth on the first try. Thanks to the wealth of wisdom that can be found in Pressure Cooker Facebook groups.

    Through those I learnt that slow cooker LOW equals NORMAL (not LESS!) in the Instant Pot’s slow cook mode. And HIGH equals MORE.

    Can you freeze this Chicken Butternut Squash Slow Cooker Stew?

    No matter which way you cook this Chicken and Butternut Squash stew (Instant Pot, slow cooker or stovetop), any leftovers can certainly be frozen for a later time.

    Use airtight containers but preferably no glass. I actually like 1-quart yogurt containers best for freezing any kind of soup or stew.

    Just keep in mind that the butternut squash is already really soft. So after freezing, defrosting and stirring everything up, the cubes will probably break down into much smaller pieces.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Stew

    Kitchen Gadgets Used:

    For the Pressure Cooker version I used my 6-quart Instant Pot DUO60.

    These days I don’t have a separate slow cooker anymore. So for the slow cooked version I used my Instant Pot as well!! Keep in mind that a normal slow cooker’s LOW and HIGH settings equal NORMAL and MORE with the Instant Pot.

    When made on the stovetop nothings beats a Dutch oven for making stew! I used my beloved Marquette Castings pot.

    In the video you see me stirring up the ingredients with a gorgeous olive wood utensil. I have this set.

    VIDEO: How to Make Butternut Squash Chicken Stew

    Butternut Squash Chicken Slow Cooker Stew
    4.67 from 12 votes
    Print

    Butternut Squash Chicken Stew - Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or Stovetop

    This hearty, healthy Butternut Squash Chicken Stew with Quinoa is perfect comfort food for cooler Fall days! It can be made in the Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or on the Stovetop.

    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 304 kcal
    Author LeelaLicious

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, boneless, skinless diced (unless making in slow cooker)
    • 2 teaspoons oregano
    • 2 teaspoons dried parsley or stir in 1/4 cup fresh parsley after cooking
    • 2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 medium-small butternut squash peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
    • 2/3 cup quinoa
    • 14 ounces (1 3/4 cups) diced tomatoes
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 1 bay leaf

    Instructions

    Slow Cooker Instructions:

    1. In a small pan heat the olive oil, then saute chopped onion and garlic until lightly browned (can be done in slow cooker if it has a browning function).

    2. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients on top of chicken and cook on high for 3 hours or 6 hours on low.

    3. When using the Instant Pot for slow cooking, the 'More' setting equals high and 'Normal' equals low.

    4. When finished cooking, discard bay leaf. Take out chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks etc. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker together with fresh parsley (if using) and stir to combine everything evenly.

    5. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

    Instant Pot

    1. Select 'Saute' to heat the Instant Pot. Once 'Hot' displays add the oil, then stir in onion, garlic, diced chicken and all spices. Saute until the onion has softened.

    2. Add butternut squash cubes, quinoa, diced tomatoes, and broth. Then stir to combine and add the bay leaf on top.

    3. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to 'Sealing' position. Cook on 'Manual' mode on high pressure for 5 minutes. (Mine takes about 15 minutes to come up to pressure before the timer starts counting down).

    4. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before turning the pressure valve to release any remaining pressure.

    5. Stir in fresh parsley and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

    Stovetop

    1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I used my Dutch Oven) on medium. Add the oil and stir in onion, garlic, and diced chicken. Add all the spices and saute until the is onion softened.

    2. Add butternut squash, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.

    3. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Then close the lid and turn down to a simmer. 

    4. After 15 minutes open the lid and stir in quinoa. Close lid again and simmer for another 15 minutes.

    5. Stir in fresh parsley and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

    Nutrition Facts
    Butternut Squash Chicken Stew - Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or Stovetop
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 304 Calories from Fat 64
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 7.1g 11%
    Saturated Fat 4.6g 23%
    Cholesterol 82.6mg 28%
    Sodium 950mg 40%
    Total Carbohydrates 30g 10%
    Dietary Fiber 6.1g 24%
    Sugars 5.2g
    Protein 32.6g 65%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to click and buy through any of these links, it might result in a small commission for me.

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    Filed Under: Clean Eating, Dinner, Gluten Free, Healthy Tagged With: butternut squash, chicken, gluten free, healthy, Instant Pot, quinoa, savory, slow cooker, stew

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    Comments

    1. Donna says

      January 11, 2018 at 10:48 pm

      Hi, Regina
      This squash recipe is looking healthy. Actually, I don’ t like olive oil. Are there any substitutes? BTW, Thanks for putting them together.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 16, 2018 at 11:48 am

        Sure, you can use any other cooking oil that you prefer instead. Avocado oil would be my next best choice

        Reply
    2. Mikayla says

      January 3, 2018 at 10:58 am

      Would this work with a basmati quinoa mix? I have some in a bag and would like to use what I have on hand 🙂 thanks

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 3, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Yes I think that should work perfectly! Others have reported substituting rice for the quinoa worked well for them

        Reply
    3. Carolyn says

      December 10, 2017 at 10:41 am

      Wow! Delicious! I skipped the sauteing step in my instant pot even. This is absolutely divine. Thanks for your talent!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        December 11, 2017 at 4:11 pm

        I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that it worked even without the pre-browning for you

        Reply
    4. Mamie says

      November 29, 2017 at 6:18 pm

      My husband appreciated the complexity of this dish. I will make it again for sure. Can it be safely frozen or is it best just eaten within a few days? Thanks for posting!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        December 3, 2017 at 8:01 am

        Yes, leftover can totally be frozen. Just keep in mind that the butternut squash is already really soft. So after freezing, defrosting and stirring everything up, the cubes will probably break down into much smaller pieces.

        Reply
    5. Barbara Mills says

      November 20, 2017 at 4:25 pm

      Made this last night. My husband (who needs gluten free) went back for seconds. I did cut it in half. I should have left the spice as is. It was a little bland. And I did put 2 chicken breast. That is what I had thawed..But put in the 1 cup quinoa.. it filled my 6 qt crock pot.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        December 3, 2017 at 8:00 am

        Hi Barbara, I just retested the recipe (after almost 4 years) and made some adjustments that I think will help. I reduced the amount of chicken, squash and broth a little while leaving all the seasoning the same. So I think this way you may fit a full recipe without any blandness

        Reply
    6. Makenzie says

      October 22, 2017 at 11:39 pm

      I made this for my lunches this week and it is SO GOOOD! My crockpot cooks hot so I took the chicken out early and shredded it in my kitchen aid with the wide beater attachment and then added it in after the squash was as soft as I wanted it. I am definetly looking forward to eating this all week!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 23, 2017 at 7:56 pm

        Ohh having a whole week of this stew sounds amazing 😉

        Reply
    7. Anna says

      August 12, 2017 at 10:35 am

      Love this recipe and so healthy. I can never have enough crockpot recipes. LOL

      -anna

      Reply
      • Regina says

        August 14, 2017 at 6:13 pm

        Thanks so much Anna! Yes especially with upcoming cooler fall/winter weather, slow cooker recipes are a must have!

        Reply
    8. Valerie says

      October 23, 2016 at 6:13 pm

      Made this tonight for the ‘cold’ weather we’re having in south FL…… hubs loved it! My mom wasn’t keen on the curry but we’re fans. Would prob throw in some kale next time for some green. Thanks for sharing! Will post on fb too.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 24, 2016 at 9:00 pm

        Thanks for the great feedback! Kale sounds like a great addition. And I totally get you on the curry. We love it but I can never use it when cooking for my parents.

        Reply
    9. Ren says

      October 15, 2016 at 2:28 pm

      Can you replace chicken with Turkey sausage?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 17, 2016 at 8:29 am

        Oh yes, most slow cooker recipe like this one can be easily adjusted with what you like or have on hand

        Reply
    10. Meli says

      October 4, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      AWESOME dish! I am making it right now as I write this … I added a peeled and cubed granny smith apple just for a pop of sweetness to go with the squash. I’ll keep ya posted on how it turned out. Meanwhile, the aroma is fantastic!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 4, 2016 at 9:40 pm

        Wonderful! The apple addition sound great. Apple + squash are a wonderful seasonal combo!

        Reply
    11. Alissa says

      April 13, 2016 at 9:08 am

      Can you use rice instead of quinoa?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        April 15, 2016 at 7:50 am

        Hi Alissa, yes I think rice would taste really good in this too.

        Reply
    12. Regina says

      March 16, 2016 at 11:46 pm

      Was it the curry powder? Seems odd eh, but I love it with this stew combination 🙂

      Reply
    13. Megan says

      March 16, 2016 at 8:32 pm

      I really didn’t know what to think about the flavor combination of spices at first, but it turned out to be one of the more delicious crock pot meals that I’ve made!

      Reply
    14. Abby says

      February 28, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      This recipe looks amazing! I am really looking forward to making this! I am looking to make something a bit thicker than stew. Do you think simply reducing the amount of chicken broth would do the trick or is it necessary to include all 7 cups? Any advice on how I could make the recipe a little thicker from the start?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        February 28, 2016 at 8:40 pm

        Hey Abby, I think reducing the broth amount should totally do the trick

        Reply
    15. Natalie Whitaker says

      February 18, 2016 at 9:45 pm

      I am taking this that the quinoa is uncooked? Is that correct?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        February 18, 2016 at 9:57 pm

        Yes, it will cook together with the rest of the stew.

        Reply
    16. Brad Osmond says

      January 30, 2016 at 10:59 am

      We made this last night and it was fantastic. I used kobocha squash which is a firmer than butternut so it stayed together quite well and has a great flavour (some say even better than butternut!). Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        February 1, 2016 at 4:16 am

        Thanks for your great feedback, Brad. I love kabocha squash. We currently live in Thailand and it’s the only squash variety they have here. Funny enough, they call it ‘pumpkin’ though 🙂

        Reply
    17. Leelan says

      January 21, 2016 at 8:14 pm

      How do i peel and cube the squash?… should i soften it in the oven first?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 22, 2016 at 6:30 pm

        I don’t soften it. I use a vegetable peeler and a really sharp knife. Here is a video showing pretty much the same way I do it http://www.marthastewart.com/968024/how-cut-butternut-squash

        Reply
    18. Ashley says

      December 20, 2015 at 8:39 am

      How many pounds of chicken do you estimate the 4 chicken breasts were? We buy our chicken from the local farmer so it’s not packaged like those typically found in stores.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        December 22, 2015 at 8:50 am

        I’d say about 2 pounds for the 4 chicken breasts

        Reply
    19. Jenn says

      November 23, 2015 at 4:12 pm

      This recipe is just finishing in my slow cooker. It seems a little watery. Any suggestions to thicken it up for a more stew consistency?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 23, 2015 at 7:59 pm

        Hmm…maybe you can puree some of the squash and stir it back in to thicken up? I do that with potato soup to make it creamy without actually adding cream. Otherwise, you can always make a cornstarch or flour slurry with a cold little water and stir it into the stew. Similar to thickening sauces.

        Reply
    20. Eileen Demulling says

      November 10, 2015 at 7:48 pm

      I am always on the lookout for healthy & tasty recipes for my family and this one is awesome!! The entire house smelled so good as it was cooking and the taste was just as good as the smell. 🙂 This will be a “Keep” in my recipe files – with one minor change….the next time I will cut back on the cayenne pepper & red pepper flakes. I am a wimp when it comes to spicy and it was just a bit too much for me. I also included the link in a healthy living program that I am a part of. Thank you for such a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 11, 2015 at 4:52 am

        I loved reading your feedback Eileen 🙂 definitely adjust the spice level to your tolerance. And thank you for sharing my recipe. Much appreciated

        Reply
    21. Cher says

      November 1, 2015 at 5:27 pm

      I made this today it is so delicious! I love it!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 2, 2015 at 1:13 am

        Awesome! So happy to hear you love it, Cher 🙂

        Reply
    22. Jen says

      October 31, 2015 at 7:39 am

      This recipe sounds great, and I have it in my crockpot right now. One question — how big is your slow cooker? I put 1/2 cup quinoa in and everything else, and I only had room for 4 cups of broth. My pot is filled to the top, and I am pretty worried about the quinoa expanding and having a disaster. My crock pot is an average size and other recipe I’ve tried I have had room to spare.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 31, 2015 at 9:23 am

        Hmm…I have a pretty standard 6 quart slow cooker. I don’t recall ever having issues of everything fitting, so I assume your’s is smaller? Any way you could cook only part now and another batch later?

        Reply
    23. Kathy says

      October 26, 2015 at 11:34 am

      I wanted to know if you have the nutrition breakdown; thank you.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 27, 2015 at 7:13 am

        Hi Kathy, I calculated some nutrition facts for you and added them in the recipe box. I calculated for 6 servings.

        Reply
        • Laura Sorce says

          October 19, 2016 at 2:50 pm

          What is the serving size that you based the nutrition information on? 1 cup?

          Reply
          • Regina says

            October 20, 2016 at 5:53 pm

            It was for 1/6th of the recipe. Sorry I didn’t measure it out.

            Reply
    24. Rhiannon says

      October 14, 2015 at 9:58 am

      I made this for the hubby and I this past Sunday and it was awesome! We added extra garlic and cooked it and the onions in the fat from the chicken for a little extra flavor. Between the two of us, the whole batch was gone in a couple days!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        October 16, 2015 at 2:30 am

        Awesome! My husband and I are the same with slow cooker meals. We love them soo much and can easily finish a big family recipe between the 2 of us 🙂

        Reply
    25. tlcrn says

      August 31, 2015 at 6:14 pm

      This is SOOO Good!!! I happened to have some chicken thighs thawing when I came upon this recipe last night, so made it today. YUM!!! Thank you!
      p.s. I found pre-cubed butternut squash at the grocery today- 2 pkgs = to about 1 medium-large squash.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        September 1, 2015 at 5:21 am

        Thanks so much for your great review! Pre-cubed butternut squash would be soo convenient.

        Reply
    26. Amy S says

      January 27, 2015 at 7:14 pm

      I made this for Josh and I tonight! The flavours were lovely!!! And the combination of butternut squash , chicken, and quinoa were fantastic (I also threw in some potatoes). Love it!!!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 28, 2015 at 8:35 pm

        So happy to hear you enjoyed this meal. Adding potatoes sounds lovely!

        Reply
    27. Emily says

      January 25, 2015 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Regina, I made this tonight and love the flavor. The butternut squash was not as soft as I anticipated. I placed frozen chicken at the bottom and cooked on high for 4 hours. How firm was your butternut squash? Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 26, 2015 at 9:53 am

        Mmmm…I actually had the opposite case. Mu squash cubes were so soft, I had to watch not to over-stir otherwise they would all have turned into mush. Maybe adding the chicken frozen really slowed down the cooking process? When I need to quickly thaw something, I just put it in a ziploc in hot water in the sink while I get everything else ready.

        Reply
    28. maggie says

      January 17, 2015 at 3:26 am

      Looks great and can’t wait to try, but just wondering about the quinoa. Do you throw it in raw or cooked? Raw needs to be rinsed quite thoroughly before cooking I believe

      Reply
      • Regina says

        January 17, 2015 at 3:49 pm

        Hi Maggie, the quinoa I usually buy (from Costco) comes prerinsed. If yours isn’t, definitely give it a cold water rinse first. But still add it raw. Hope you enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    29. Rachel says

      November 14, 2014 at 1:45 pm

      Found your recipe via Meg duerksen’s blog (www.megduerksen.com), currently have this in the crockpot now! Four hours is too long to wait! Thanks for sharing! I’ll be sure to check out more on your blog

      Rachel

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 17, 2014 at 12:04 pm

        Thank you so much Rachel. I really hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. And I will have to hop over to Meg’s blog too.

        Reply
        • Rachel says

          November 20, 2014 at 8:14 pm

          Regina, the stew was absolutely delicious!!! Everyone has loved it and left overs were delicious too!! Thanks

          Reply
          • Regina says

            November 21, 2014 at 1:17 am

            Oh that makes me so happy, Rachel! Thank you for taking the time to let me know 🙂

            Reply
    30. Sarah says

      November 8, 2014 at 7:21 pm

      Do you think the leftovers would freeze ok?

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 9, 2014 at 10:22 am

        Hi Sarah, if you don’t mind the squash cubes losing texture I think it will freeze wonderfully.

        Reply
    31. JoAnna says

      November 2, 2014 at 5:18 pm

      Made this tonight and we LOVED it! Definitely going to be a favorite. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Regina says

        November 3, 2014 at 9:34 am

        This absolutely makes my day JoAnna! Thrilled that you loved this recipe.

        Reply
        • JoAnna says

          November 4, 2014 at 8:04 pm

          My husband told me multiple times that this recipe needs to go in our “Favorite Recipe” book and he wanted me to make it again soon. He was nuts for it, as was I! Thank you for sharing!

          Reply
    32. Jacquee @ I Sugar Coat It! says

      March 30, 2014 at 7:22 am

      The colours in this post make me hungry and that bowl of stew is just the thing to sate my hunger and warm up these cool Spring days.

      Reply
      • Regina says

        April 11, 2014 at 1:28 pm

        Seems like we got back to some warmer weather but for tonight there is snow in the forecast again! Soup and stew season pretty much all year round here

        Reply
    33. Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says

      March 28, 2014 at 1:11 pm

      Lol…5 years being married and I think we’ve used our slow cooker 4 times. I have to dust it off to make this though! I’m loving this flavor combo. 🙂

      Reply
      • Regina says

        March 28, 2014 at 10:49 pm

        Haha. Dusting it off for this would be totally worth it though 😉

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Regina and I LOVE delicious food! But I want it to be nutritious as well. I hope you enjoy my balanced, real-food recipes. More…

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