Food Find: Healthy Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa

The polar vortex turned up here in CT yesterday morning and with its arrival, I am craving something warm, hearty and filling, but yet still healthy (to counteract my past weekend birthday alcohol consumption).  Thanks to Pinterest I stumbled upon this outstanding stew form the  ‘Cookin’ Canuck‘ last year and the recipe can be found here.  I have since made it several times because it incorporates some of my favorite ingredients:  butternut squash, quinoa, black olives, tomatoes, need I say more?

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa

Here are the ingredients you will need (beyond the basics):

First, you steam the butternut squash (I use pre-peeled and cut as I find working with and peeling a raw butternut squash quite difficult).

After about 10 minutes you remove half and continue to steam one half until you can mash it with a fork.  While this is going on you are poaching the chicken (although I’m sure chicken thighs yield more flavor I’ve always substituted lower fat skinless, boneless chicken breasts and they taste delicious) in chicken stock, to be shredded before you add back in at the end.

Then you sauté the onion until browned, then add garlic, salt and oregano.  Then add tomato, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash.

Then add the reserved chicken stock (leftover from poaching the chicken) and rinsed quinoa.  Simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes.

Last, add the shredded chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer.  Stir in parsley for garnish and color and you are done!  (I personally like this stew a little more ‘soupy’ so I add some extra chicken stock in at the end).

The Cookin Canuck knows her stew.  The butternut squash is sweet, the olives briny and salty, the chicken hearty and the quinoa nutty.  I could eat this stew all winter long.