In this blog, I wanted to share a recipe I made this week for some Chicken And Butternut Squash Soup. I had a butternut squash on hand and since I recently shared a post about the health benefits of squash, I thought it would be a good idea share the recipe. To be honest, I haven’t cooked much with squash, nor have I used it in soup, so I was excited to try something new. I found this particular recipe on Pinterest, but changed it up a little bit, so I could use some ingredients I had on hand. This recipe is pretty easy to make, but does require a little prep work with the squash. Give it a try if you are looking for some comfort food and ways to eat seasonally. It hit the spot for me with all the cloudy, rainy days that we have been having here in Minnesota lately.
Chicken And Butternut Squash Soup
- 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4-5 cups chicken broth
- 1 -1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used some organic chicken thighs from Costco)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup fresh diced tomatoes (optional)
- 3/4 cup celery
- 1 tsp. basil
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bake the butternut squash in the oven, until barely tender, about 20 minutes, or so. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside. Mash the remaining squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
In a large frying pan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer, using medium heat. Add the chicken thighs, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minute. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour the broth into a medium-sized bowl. Return the frying pan to the stove-top and lower heat to medium. Add the olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano and basil. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute, or so. Next, add the add the celery, butternut squash pieces and mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large soup pot and add in the reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Heat on low to bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes, or so. Next, shred the chicken using two forks. Stir the chicken pieces and olives into the broth mixture and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.
Serve warm alone or with a fresh garden salad, bread, or crackers.
Note: Feel free to add in any other vegetables of your choice, to make the soup your own and give a unique taste.
Enjoy!
Barb
P.S. If you are interested in reading more about healthful eating and finding other healthy recipes, you might want to check out my book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living, which is available on Amazon. Click here for a FREE Chapter.
