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.
Do you think this could be cooked in the Instant Pot? I received one for Christmas and have been wanting to try it out, and this seems like the ideal recipe. Just not sure how the timing would be in the IP compared to the crockpot. Thoughts?
I’m sure it could do okay in the instant pot, but I’ve never tried quinoa in one so I really have no idea on the timing or how it would work. I wish I could be of more help
Love it!! Made this today as I wanted to eat something lighter and healthier after a couple days of the flu, and it was a perfect meal. My fiancé, who rarely eats soup, asked for seconds (for that alone, Thank You)! I did substitute the spices for a pinch of chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Also, I did mash some squash cubes at the end, and it was that much more scrumptious!
Thank you!
So happy this was a hit!! Thanks for the comment Inna 🙂
I don’t like quinoa, do you think I could use Rice?
I haven’t had success with rice cooking evenly in the crockpot, but if you cooked it separately and stirred it in I think it would be great!
This is what I was coming to see! Thanks! We like quinoa but when our youngest was a child she had an anaphylactic reaction to it that ended in the hospital so we avoid quinoa 🙁
Just curious about your thoughts on using pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, or even canned shredded chicken? Would it change the flavor?
I think that would be delicious! 🙂
This is the best soup I’ve had in a while. I used black beans instead of kidney and loved it! The butternut squash cooked so wonderfully that the smaller pieces mashed themselves up as I stirred in the shredded chicken. Will make again, especially for my mother. Thanks so much for a great recipe!!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this soup Kendra! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and leave a review 🙂
What spices or flavors would u recommend if I didn’t want it Mexican or chili flavoring? I’m so bored of chili lately and want to make this but swap out fajita or chili spices
Hi Jaime! I would try the mix of seasonings in this soup: https://axis-framework.live/crockpot-chicken-veggie-quinoa-soup-video/%3C/a%3E If you like a little kick but not feeling chili/fajita you may like this cajun twist!
This sounds delicious! Do you think it would be ok to use chicken and squash that’s frozen. Or do you recommend dethawing first?
I would recommend thawing first 🙂 Enjoy!
Chelsea, this soup was absolutely delicious and so easy to put together! I followed the recipe as is with a tiny modification – I added a squeeze of lime along with the salt and pepper to add a nice and bright citrus note to the flavor. I will definitely be making this again! 🙂
Loved it!!!!! Super easy to make and taste delish
So glad to hear that! Thanks for the comment Shiana! 🙂
How would i alter this for a 4 qt cooker?
I would probably halve it!