Chicken, Butternut Squash and Rice Soup
It’s a fall kind of thing to include butternut squash in soup (or into many dishes for that matter. Think quesadillas, pasta dishes, pilafs, salads. See below for more recipe ideas!). It not only adds delicious flavor, but it provides needed nutrients to fight disease, this time of the year. We had a family gathering recently and my husband plus a couple of our grown boys were fighting sore throats and congestion. So cold-fighting soup to the rescue!
I made this yummy soup because, one I’m the mom and need to take care of my kiddos and two, this soup is so delicious and easy to prepare. It reminds me of my Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup without the cream; this soup has a few different ingredients like the squash and seasonings that set it apart. The inspiration comes from this soup at www.gimmesomeoven.com. So delicious!
I usually let grocery stores cut up the butternut squash, but occasionally I’ll peel and dice it myself which adds about 10 minutes. And I’ve learned that butternut squash stores well in the freezer and especially when used for soups, frozen squash is perfectly fine to use. It’s a little watery to use for say, roasting like I do in my Roasted Butternut Squash, Brown Rice and Quinoa Arugula Salad or the Roasted Vegetables and Feta Quinoa Bowl. Butternut squash adds so much immunity-boosting nutrients like vitamin A and C.
For the blended rice, I use this Rice Select blend I find at Fred Meyer, but I know it’s available at other grocers. (No sponsorship, just really like this product.)
The lovely thing about this soup is that most of the ingredients are thrown into the pot all together once the celery, onion and garlic are sauteed, so that all you have to do is bring it to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes to allow rice to cook and flavors to meld together. After rice is softened, I add the spinach and season as needed. Soup is done and ready to serve!
Your family will stay healthier this winter by enjoying this soup all fall and winter. It’s a tasty way to ward off the bugs!
- Chicken, Butternut Squash and Rice Soup
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1 cup uncooked rice blend
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
- 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat oil in a large stockpot placed over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery; saute until onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, carrots, butternut squash, rice, chicken, bay leaf and Herbes de Provence, stirring to combine.
- Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spinach to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Herbes de Provence seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
- Serve warm. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
You will also enjoy:
Chicken, Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Pasta
Beef and Butternut Squash Chili
Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Quesadillas
