I like to call this dish Bowl of Fall. Look at that thing. It’s earthy, it’s hearty, it’s orange, it’s cozy. It’s all things fall. It was actually one of the first Crock Pot recipes I ever created for this blog, years ago. Now, fall of 2015, I’m making it again… and this time, it’s getting a facelift! It was time for a spruce-up… plus I wanted to add in a new variation I recently started making. Oooh, it’s a goodie.
Believe it or not, the three pictures you see here are all the same soup. Same recipe, each with slight variations. I first started with the original version of this recipe (image below). It’s a simpler stew- a brothy veggie soup with butternut squash and chicken. I altered a few things from the version I made years ago- I added some cumin and thyme to give it a little more flavor. It’s a nice simple soupy stew. The original recipe got positive feedback, especially for kids, so feel free to use this one if you’d like to keep things simple!
This version below is the new twist. It’s packed with spinach, zucchini, and white beans. It makes it even stewier. Yes, that’s a word. It means more of the stewy nature, in Natalie. 😉
The top and the bottom images are actually the same soup, but the one up top was my breakfast… the same soup the very next morning. As it sat, it turned into an even more flavorful and thicker stew overnight. I love leftover soup- it’s the best!
If you’d like the soup to have that effect the night-of, just cook it an hour or so longer… and stir it well, so it all breaks up the squash and veggies a bit. If you like it more chunky, like the one pictured below, just serve it up and let it be! I love when one little recipe can offer so many options… it’s like three soups in one. 😉
For friendly digestion, it’s best to soak beans overnight. If you have the time, you can buy some dry Great Northerns or other white bean and give them a soak. If you’re more into whatever’s quick and simple, a can will do just fine too.
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (approx 2 lb)
3 cups butternut squash, chopped (1 small-medium squash)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh, or one 15 oz can unsalted diced, with juices)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc works well)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
optional variations:
2 cups spinach
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 1/2 cups Great Northern beans (or other white bean)
DIRECTIONS
Prep squash…
Chop the ends off, then slice it halfway down the
middle so you have two smaller pieces to work with
Slice the halves in half once again, then scoop out all seeds
Slice off the skin, then chop the squash into bite-sized cubes, approx an inch or so
Chop onion, carrot, celery, and mince the garlic
Add all ingredients to the slow cooker
I usually start with the chicken so it’s immersed in the liquid
(If you’re adding in spinach, zucchini, or beans, DON’T add those now.. they go in later) 🙂
Stir it all together, mixing it well
Keep the chicken towards the bottom so it remains immersed in the liquid
Cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or on low for 5 to 7 hours
For the original simpler version, you’re done!
Taste, adjust seasonings as desired, and serve it up
Top with some parsley if wanted and dig in 
For the spinach, bean, and/or zuke version, you have one more step to go…
Add them in now
Cook for approx 30 more minutes on high, or 1 hour on low
(If beans were uncooked first, cook until beans are done- canned will take less time)
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired
I usually add in a good pinch of salt and some crushed red pepper flakes 🙂
That’s it!
Serve up, garnish, and devour!!
Butternut squash chicken
very good! I skipped the wine and added some extra chicken broth and turned out great! Thanks 🙂
Yay, love hearing that! Glad you liked it!! 🙂
This looks awesome. I don’t actually have a slow cooker, but sometimes I’ve tried slow cooker recipes where I bring the stuff to a boil, then turn it all the way to low and put the lid on. (This is a cast iron le cruset pot). Do you think that will work for this? After all, it’s just low, slow heat? I’ve never done it with raw chicken and wanted to check….
I do! I would just cook it, as you said, over a low heat for a long time in a Dutch Oven or L.C. pot of some sort. Let me know how it goes if you try it out! 🙂
Made this tonight so my BF and I will have lunches for a few days. Very happy to add a new recipe to the rotation, as I was getting bored with the usual fare. I did find that it needed something to balance the sweetness of the butternut squash, so I added a few shakes of crushed red pepper. Perfect!
Great suggestion! When creating slow cooker recipes, I always try to play it on the safe side with seasonings… not only can you not taste them throughout the cooking process as you can with stovetop cooking, but people have such varying tastebuds, too! Figure it’s always better to adjust at the end than regret what was done in the beginning haha. Anyways, happy to hear you enjoyed it (with a little heat!) and thank you for the idea!! It will surely help others who check this out 🙂
Natalie your recipes look amazing! Are there printable versions?
Hi Tasha!
I don’t currently have a print button installed, but you can easily copy and paste them into either a word doc or your email… just select the recipe (it may look like the sidebar is highlighting too, but if you highlight to the bottom of the post, just the recipe itself will copy) and paste!! Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Tasha,
Just was going through my old comments- wanted to let you know they’re all prinatable now! 🙂
This sounds yummy & I look forward to trying it. One question, top says chicken thighs but near bottom it says breasts. Which do you use? Thanks!
Great question! And sorry about that confusion!! You can use whichever you prefer more. I really like breasts in this personally. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made this in my pressure cooked. Cooked for 10 minutes then let sit for 5 minutes before I opened the cover. Even the kids liked it – that never happens! I threw theirs over some pasta.
I made this in my pressure cooker. Cooked for 10 minutes then let sit for 5 minutes before I opened the cover. Even the kids liked it – that never happens! I threw theirs over some pasta.
So happy to hear it was a success! 🙂
Hi there! We have really been enjoying your recipes! So happy I stumbled onto your site 🙂 Just wondering what size can of diced tomatoes I should be using…? thank you!
Hi Kim,
Thank you! I love hearing that 🙂
Standard size (15 ounces), or you can just chopped up two cups of peeled fresh tomatoes.
Hope you like it!
I had a feeling the tomato base would not blend well with squash and I was right. Will go back to cookbooks and steer clear of blogs. Photos are pretty. Recipe is dreadful.
So sorry to hear this wasn’t something you liked… please don’t let this one recipe turn you off from blog recipes all together. There are really some fabulous ones out there! This one may have not been your cup of tea, but there are bound to be some out there that will be. 🙂
Recipe looks good so I printed it and am going to make it now. Just wish that all recipes printed on one page. This one went a little over 2 pages which is not necessary.
Hi Julie, thanks for you message! I chose this print add-on because it allows the reader to adjust the settings to match their needs… so you can shrink the text, choose to either have or not have the photos, and even choose to print, email, or save a PDF. Next time, try shrinking the text, or maybe even emailing! Hope that helps!! 🙂
I made your original recipe multiple times.. it was a hit.
I actually was just looking for your 1st recipe and I can’t find it, anyway we can see the original you shared
SLOW~COOKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKEN STEW?
Thank you
Help… HELP….again!! Please..I can’t find your original recipe SLOW~COOKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKEN STEW?
I liked it better and will tattoo it on me this time if I have too ?
Help… HELP….again!! Please..I can’t find your original recipe SLOW~COOKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKEN STEW?
I liked it better and will tattoo it on me this time if I have too ?
HELP HELP AGAIN PLEASE .. Your original was ahhhmazing and I need it again for the winter coming and sharing.
I made your original recipe multiple times.. it was a hit.
I actually was just looking for your 1st recipe and I can’t find the original you shared
SLOW~COOKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKEN STEW?
Thank you
HELP HELP AGAIN PLEASE .. Your original was ahhhmazing and I need it again for the winter coming and sharing.
Thank you
I made your original recipe multiple times.. it was a hit.
I actually was just looking for your 1st recipe and I can’t find the original you shared
SLOW~COOKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKEN STEW?