Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

My husband and I made this last night and it turned out perfect! A new staple in our house for sure! And so perfect for fall! This one has more steps then our normal recipes but its so worth it!!!

While low in calories and fat, a bowlful of this hearty stew easily satisfied my craving for comfort food. Also, butternut squash is high in Vitamins A and C, as well as fiber, so I knew I was getting a well-rounded meal to keep my body healthy for my daily WODS.

This stew can be made in advance, but you may need to add a little more chicken broth before serving because the quinoa will expand as it sits. Either way, the flavors and textures are fantastic and it is sure to become a cold-weather favorite.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. chicken Breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.

2.In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool.

3. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.

4. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.

6. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.

7. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.

8. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.

9. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.

10. Stir in parsley and serve.

Notes

Calories 329 / Total Fat 14.1g / Saturated Fat 1.0 / Cholesterol 15.2mg / Sodium 1209mg / Total Carbohydrates 32.8g / Fiber 5.4g / Sugars 3.0g / Protein 19.4g / WW (Old Points) 7 / WW (Points+) 9