Butternut Squash Chili is hearty and flavorful with tender chicken, soft veggies, and quinoa, all simmered together in the slow cooker.
author’s note
The Best Comfort in a Bowl!
The minute the weather starts to cool down, chili goes on repeat at my house. It’s one of my favorite ways to pack in all the good stuff like veggies, beans, and quinoa.
Chilis are great for using up leftovers from the fridge, and they make plenty of extra servings that taste even better the next day. They’re simple to make, easy to change up, and always hit the spot, especially with a big piece of cornbread for dunking.
Here are some of the chili recipes I’ve made and loved over the years: Turkey Chili, Chicken Chili, Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, Quinoa Chili, Chicken Taco Chili, Crockpot Chili, and Crockpot White Chicken Chili. Told you—I’m obsessed!
Why Sauté First?
This is a slow cooker Butternut Squash Chili, but I always cook a few things first—it really helps with flavor and texture. If your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you won’t even need to use another pan.
Lightly cooking the onion, garlic, spices, tomato paste, and tomatoes brings out a sweet, rich flavor. It also softens the squash, carrots, and onions so they’re nice and soft by the end. If you skip this step, they might still be a little hard.
Shortcuts
For a quicker prep time, use a bag of already cut butternut squash from the produce section of the store. If the pieces are overly large, cut them down a bit so they’ll cook in time for this recipe.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Butternut Squash | Sub with sweet potato or pumpkin. For quicker prep, use pre-cut cubes from the store. |
| Chicken | Swap for ground turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken, or leave out for a vegetarian chili. |
| Quinoa | Replace with rice, farro, or lentils if preferred. Make sure to rinse before adding. |
| Fire-Roasted Tomatoes | Regular diced tomatoes work, but add a pinch of smoked paprika for that same depth. |
| Chili Seasoning | Use a packet for convenience or mix up your own blend (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic, onion powder). |
| Carrots | Sub with parsnips or extra squash. They add sweetness and bulk. |
| Chicken Stock | Veggie stock works if making this meatless. For thicker chili, reduce the stock slightly. |
How To Make Butternut Squash Chili (Tips)
- Use a 6-quart slow cooker since this recipe makes a full pot of chili.
- Cook on high heat so the quinoa “pops” and cooks through properly.
- Cut the chicken into small chunks so it cooks at the same rate as the veggies and quinoa.
- Go for fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky, rich flavor without any extra work.
- Chop squash into even cubes (about ½ inch) so it softens evenly in the slow cooker.
Featured Comment
“Thank you for sharing this recipe – I made it yesterday and it’s so delicious!! So good that my husband and I stood over the slow cooker eating straight from it with spoons!”
– Jessica
Quick Tip
This butternut squash chili is mild, especially with toppings like cheese, sour cream, or avocado. For less heat, skip the cayenne and cut back the chili powder. If using a seasoning packet, choose a mild blend.
Storage
- Fridge: Store butternut squash chili in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in containers or bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove or microwave.
More Butternut Squash Recipes:
Butternut Squash Chili
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and chopped, see note 1
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet mild chili seasoning mix see note 2
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 (16-ounce) can chili beans
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn undrained
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1-1/4 pounds chicken thighs or breasts, see note 3
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons lime juice optional
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Trim excess fat from the chicken and cut it into 2-inch chunks. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and set it aside.
- If your slow cooker has a sauté function, use that; otherwise, heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and squash, and sauté until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, seasoning blend, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in diced tomatoes without draining, mixing well and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add chili beans, corn, black beans, chicken thighs, quinoa, and chicken stock to the Crock-Pot. Stir thoroughly, ensuring the chicken is submerged in the liquid. Cook on high for 3–4 hours, or until chicken shreds easily (see note 5).
- Once cooked, remove the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred the chicken using two forks, then return it to the slow cooker. For a heartier texture, you can also mash some of the squash.
- Add in the cilantro and lime juice if using. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or pepper if desired. Ladle into bowls and add desired toppings. Enjoy immediately!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
Variations
- Want more heat? Add in some diced jalapeños, a can of fire-roasted diced green chilies, and/or increase the cayenne pepper or chili powder
- Thicker chili. While the quinoa does continue to absorb liquid and thicken this chili as it sits, it’s not super thick. For an ultra-thick chili, use 4 cups chicken stock.
Excellent recipe! Just curious, in order to calculate how many weight watchers points it would be, is the nutritional facts pertaining to the whole batch or is that just one serving?
The nutrition facts are per serving 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe twice now and I just love it!! I was just wondering if the nutritional facts are per serving or for the entire batch? Really hearty soup. Im obsessed!!
So, so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for the comment and trying this soup Megan! 🙂 Nutrition is per serving 🙂
I LOVE this soup. I made it a couple of weeks ago and I’m dying to try it again already! I was thinking about adding in some kale towards the end to switch it up and get a little more leafy greens in my diet. Any thoughts on this addition, Chelsea?
SO glad to hear that! 🙂 Thank you so much for the comment! I think kale would be wonderful in it! I’d add it just the last 15-20 minutes until wilted 🙂 Enjoy!
Haven’t tried this yet but would like to know if anyone has used chicken thighs instead of breasts. Like the flavor of thighs. Thanks
Thighs are great in this!
This soup sounds delicious. Just curious if I didn’t want the squash mushy could I add it in later so it won’t cook so long? Maybe the last hour?
If you put it in the last hour I believe it will still be pretty hard. It takes the squash quite a bit of time in the slow cooker to get tender enough to eat.
I just made this and substituted curry for the fajita mix. Wow, fantastic! Thank you so much for posting this!! This may be my new favorite meal. I bought a big container of precut butternut squash at Costco and a quick look at Pinterest to find this recipe made a match made in heaven. Mmm.
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! And precut squash sounds perfect and makes for such a simple dinner! 🙂 And YUM on the curry — I am definitely going to have to try that the next time we make this!
I know I’m a little late to the original post and most comments but I just found this soup and I believe I am going to make it this weekend. I just wanted to know if it will throw off the texture if I omit beans altogether? My husband hates beans of any kind so switching them out won’t work. Is there something else I could substitute in or should I forego beans? Thanks!
You can absolutely forgo them, just knowing they do add a nice texture and taste to the soup so it may seem like it’s missing something, but I’m not sure what to suggest in its place..maybe increase the quinoa by a little? Wish I could be of more help!!
This soup was fabulous!! I added medium salsa instead of canned tomatoes and used a blend of Tex Mex seasoning and chili powder. It had amazing flavour. Even my two and four year old boys ate it! I pureed three quarters of the squash which made it nice and creamy. I don’t think it needs any toppings. It’s great the way it is! I’ll definitely make it again. I might try sweet potatoes next time for fun. This is a good hearty winter soup. I wonder… Has anyone tried freezing it? Wondering if it would be ok? (although I’m ok with having it for leftovers for the next couple days too 😉 Thanks for the recipe!
Yeah!! So great to hear 🙂 Thank you so much Krystel! 🙂 It’s the best when those little kiddos will eat it up too 🙂 I haven’t tried freezing it, so I’m not sure, but hopefully another reader can comment to that!
I tried this after finding it on Pinterest… I left out the chicken and it was still delicious! Absolutely love this flavorful, healthy, unique recipe. Delicious 🙂
Awe thank you so much Lauren! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Gotta tell ya… As a hard-working single lady that spends 2-3 hours commuting for a 9+ hour work day, I love having “Crockpot Sundays” in order to keep the cooking to a minimum during the week, but I will easily get tired of eating the same thing after 4 meals…. BUT NOT THIS! SUPER YUM and SATISFYING!! Made it a few weeks ago and already planning to make it again for the short week before the holiday. Thanks for sharing!!!