So the title’s a mouthful. I get it.
You know what else is a mouthful? This soup. A mouthful of awesome.
I’m a big fan of butternut squash soup (as is my squash-hating husband) as evidenced here and here. So what makes this soup different? What makes it extra special? Well…
It’s creamy and rich without a drop of cream, and it’s loaded with vitamin and veggie goodness with a healthy dose of protein from the chicken. It soothes a sore throat and can make you feel cozy and warm on a chilly day. Is there anything this soup can’t do? (Laundry).
A big plus for me with any recipe is versatility. It’s the number one way I keep from getting bored in the kitchen. I like to change up the same recipe several different ways as I make it, and it also helps when you can adapt a recipe to fit different dietary needs.
This Slow Cooker Thai Chicken and Butternut Soup with Quinoa (again, I know it’s a mouthful) is just that. Super versatile. For instance:
- Paleo or grain free? Skip the quinoa. It’s delicious without it. You can even add more chicken if that’s your thing.
- Vegan? Skip the chicken. The quinoa fills the soup out nicely and you’ll still come away feeling full and satisfied.
- Hate quinoa? It’s just as good with cooked white or brown rice, or you can just leave it out!
- Not a slow cooker fan or short on time? No problem. You can make this on the stovetop.
- Love make-ahead meals? This freezes like a dream.
So it won’t do your laundry and I cannot be responsible for how many bowls you eat in a sitting (it’s SO good), but I’ll gently suggest you try adding this one to your weekly menu.
NOTES ON THE RECIPE
- Slow Cookers. I always get asked about slow cookers. My favorite is this one. It’s programmable and can automatically switch to the WARM setting after it’s cooked the set amount of time, which means you won’t over-cook your meal if you’re running late or it’s done early. I’m also a mega fan of the lid clips which makes transporting your slow cooked meals a slosh-free experience.
- Immersion Blender. You don’t need an immersion blender for this recipe, but it’s a really great, affordable tool for the kitchen. I have the Cuisinart Smart Stick and it works like a dream (plus it comes in a bunch of cute colors these days). I use it for warm sauces and soups, but I also use it for making Paleo Mayo.
- Freezing. This recipe freezes like a dream. No cream to curdle, and it re-heats beautifully.
Like this post? You may also like:
- How to Cook Quinoa
- Slow Cooker Quinoa Vegetable Soup – Super Healthy Kids
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (6-8 cups)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 14oz full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 - 1½ Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 Tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce or chili oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1½ tsp salt (or, to taste)
- 1lb. chicken breast
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (or rice, or you can leave it out)
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, diced (fresh or jarred)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Place the cubed squash, onion, coconut milk, broth, curry paste, sweet chili sauce, ginger, garlic, and salt into the slow cooker. Stir to combine (this won't be perfect since the curry paste will dissolve as it heats up, but give it a good start). Add chicken.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Remove chicken and shred.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the squash and broth mixture until very smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool a bit and, working in batches, puree in a food processor or blender).
- Stir in shredded chicken, quinoa, diced bell peppers, and cilantro.
- Squeeze in the lime juice or cut the lime into 6 wedges and let everyone squeeze over their own.
This soup looks incredible! I wish I had some for lunch right now!
This soup has made my January. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad! Such a great comment to brighten my day!
This is now one of my favorite soups. I’m about to make it for the 3rd time. It’s delicious. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Linda! I can’t get enough!
Filling and very tasty. Highly recommended. I couldn’t find chili oil so just made it without. It’s excellent
I need to make this! How long would you cook it on the stove? Or even better, in a pressure cooker? (My Instant Pot is my new favorite thing!)
I’ve been hearing how amazing Instant Pots are!! I don’t have one, so I couldn’t give you a good suggestion for the Instant Pot, but on the stovetop, you’ll just need to simmer till the squash is very tender (which, depending on your heat could be a little as 30 minutes on med-high, or 45 minutes to an hour on med-low heat). Hope that helps!!!
Amazing! Even my 5-year-old loves it!
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s one of my all-time favorites.
So I don’t see cheese in the ingredients list, what kind and how much do you use
Omg! I put my glasse on now it says shredded chicken not cheese! Sorry?
No problem Janette!
Do you put the chicken in raw, or brown it first?
Jim – Uncooked. Hope that helps!
I really loved this, thanks! I didn’t have curry paste, so I used curry powder. I also opted to use my food processor vs a blender. It made almost two weeks worth of work lunches when I added some jasmine rice!
Ooh, yum! That sounds so great!
I was thinking to add the red peppers in the last hour (I’m going to do 4 hrs. on high).
Were the peppers too hard/firm without putting them in the slow cooker?
Julie – Are you using raw peppers instead of the roasted ones? If you’re using raw, you’ll definitely want to give them that hour at least to soften, though you may want to give them even more time unless you prefer a little bit of bite. Roasted bell peppers will be soft enough, as is. I hope that helps!
Just made this for my roommate and I. It was an absolute hit! I browned the onion and chicken in coconut oil before adding them to the crockpot for extra flavor. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Love this soup. Great for cold days. I also add crushed red pepper to add a little more spice/heat.
Yum! That sounds delicious!
Can you skip cooking the quinoa and just have it uncooked in the slow cooker instead? Especially when going low for 8hrs?
Johanna, The only trick is that if you add the quinoa, you can’t puree it later (unless you plan to puree the quinoa). It’s up to you!
I found your recipe on Pinterest and just had to try it. So glad I did! My husband and I loved it. It will definitely become a regular feature in our kitchen. Just curious–do you have the nutiritional information for this?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I don’t have the nutrition information readily available, but you can plug the ingredients into any online calculator for a good estimate. My favorite is My Fitness Pal (either the site or the phone app–both free!). You can even import recipes from the web so you don’t have to manually enter everything!
Maybe it’s me, but how do you get 6-8 cups of cubed squash out of ONE butternut squash, unless they’re really large where you live (??)
Duh! I was envisioning acorn squash when I wrote the comment about size – sorry!
No worries Gayla! I hope you love it!
This sounds delicious!! One question… My husband doesn’t like red peppers (well any type of bell pepper). Any suggestions on what I could sub? Or maybe i just make it for myself and then I don’t have to share!
Sheena – You could totally use other veggies instead. Snap or snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, whatever you like!
Awesome!! Thanks!
Made this today for my hubby and I. As newlyweds, we’re still putting together a rotational menu of things we both like. Needless to say, we both agreed that this is going into the rotation. Thank you for a keeper!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that Emily! You made my day!