Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

4.67 from 9 votes

Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Warm, cozy, and packed with butternut squash, hearty chicken, and tender orzo pasta, this soup comes together in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Keyword: Chicken Recipe, chicken soup, comfort foods, easy soup, fall recipe, soup recipe, weeknight-friendly, winter recipe

Servings: Servings

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $9.00

Equipment

Stockpot or Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 leaves fresh sage, very finely minced
8 cups chicken stock (see note)
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into small 1-inch cubes (you can also substitute sweet potatoes here)
1 cup orzo pasta (dry)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (see note)
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion, sage, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft but not brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer (adjust the heat, if needed, so that the water is gently boiling).
To the soup, add the butternut squash and orzo. Simmer until the orzo and squash are both tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (Check the orzo package instructions for recommended cook time.) Stir in the chicken to heat it through.
Taste the soup and season with some extra salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers: The orzo will continue to soak up stock as it sits, resulting in leftovers that are more like an orzo-based risotto or other pasta dish than soup. They're great this way, but feel free to add some more stock right before serving if you'd like.

Nutrition