Easy Butternut Squash Chicken Soup
"Looking for a nourishing and delicious soup recipe for meal prep? This quick butternut squash chicken soup uses pre-cooked chicken as a shortcut, and is a balanced fall recipe for lunches and dinners, and freezes beautifully. A note for the ingredients: I recommend buying pre-chopped butternut squash to save time but you can also chop your own. If you do choose to buy and chop your own, I recommend peeling your squash. If you prefer a creamy soup, you can also use an immersion blender to mash or blend the butternut squash! "
Yields4 Servings
Preparation Time10 min
Cooking Time30 min
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 shallots, diced
- 5 large carrots, diced
- 1 (1-pound) (about 4 cups) Butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 3 cup water, divided
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
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In large pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
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Add in shallots and chopped carrots, and cook until shallots start to become translucent and carrots soften. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add in butternut squash, uncooked quinoa, broth, 2 cups of water, garlic and spices. Bring to a boil and add the lid. After quinoa is completely cooked (10-12 minutes), remove pot from heat. You don’t necessarily have to let the quinoa absorb all the liquid since we will be using it – if it does you can add more later.
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Add in spinach and cooked chicken, and 1-2 more cups of liquid, as needed, depending on how you like your soup (I like to do 1 cup broth and 1 cup water). Bring heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until spinach wilts and chicken is heated through.
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Adjust seasonings as necessary.