Roasted Butternut Squash & Chunky Chicken Soup #SundaySupper

By 30aeats.com @Eater30A

Butternut squash is the most popular among winter squash varieties and can be recognized as a large pear shaped golden-yellow pumpkin fruit. Butternuts have high levels of vitamin-A, providing about 354% of RDA. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by body for maintaining the integrity of skin. It is also an essential vitamin for vision.

For Sunday Supper this week we are sharing squash recipes, and I chose Butternut Squash Soup as it is one of the best vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes to give to non-turkey eaters (like my sister who will be visiting from Colorado) or just to balance a heavy meal. In this version I added chicken, but you can easily omit the protein as it is not introduced until the end of the recipe. We just had a cold snap here in Northwest, Florida (cold to Floridians) and Butternut squash soup is perfect to warm up bodies on a cool night. This soup is a delectable appetizer and also a hearty meal when paired with a delicious salad and bread.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Chunky Chicken Soup 

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups chopped butternut squash
  • 8 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced shallots
  • 4 smashed and chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 fresh thyme sprig
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 7 cups low sodium natural chicken stock
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and cubed

Preparation:

To roast the squash, preheat the oven to 350°F.

With a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the squash. Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Chop into cubes and place the squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with about six tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast the squash until it is soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.

To make the soup, in a large soup pot over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and then add the shallots, garlic, salt,  pepper, bay leaf and thyme. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the mixture is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, stock, and yogurt. Cook until all of the flavors meld together, 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig.

Puree the soup in a Vitamix or blender, being careful not to overload the blender with the hot soup. (Before turning on the machine, be sure the lid is tightly secured to prevent the hot mixture from escaping.)

Add the chicken to the soup and top with a dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream or greek yogurt if desired.

For more delicious squash recipes check out all of the Sunday Supper Blogs below!

Breakfasts and Breads

Appetizers, Starters, and Condiments

Soups, Sandwiches, and Salads

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Squashin’ Winter #SundaySupper from Enofylz Wine Blog

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