Butternut Squash Chicken Curry with Lentils

This simple roasted butternut squash chicken curry with coconut and red lentils is a quick, healthy and delicious dinner idea. No complicated spices and ready in under an hour.

This delicious butternut squash chicken curry is my second easy curry dish this week!  A few days ago I shared quick vegetable curry with paneer.  Both are simple, speedy, healthy curry recipes, perfect as mid-week dinner ideas.

This quick curry recipe does not have a long list of spices or ingredients yet is packed with flavour and comes together in under an hour.  The butternut squash is roasted separately for maximum flavour and added in along with the chicken at the end.  The coconut lentil curry sauce takes minutes to put together!

Butternut squash chicken curry ingredients

The butternut squash is roasted, which makes it super sweet and slightly nutty tasting, perfect with the chicken and mildly spicy coconut lentils in the curry. 

I decided to pan fry the chicken, rather than cook it inside the curry, to ensure it's perfectly cooked and juicy.  It's easier to keep an eye on it that way and not allow it to overcook.  Add it into the curry along with the butternut squash at the end.

I used red lentils to add substance to this quick and easy chicken butternut squash curry.  Red lentils are nutritious and cook very quickly. The curry itself takes about 15-20 minutes to cook!

How to prepare the butternut squash

To prepare the squash stand it on one end on a cutting board and remove the skin by slicing downwards all the way around.

Then simply cube the squash, discard the seeds and place the squash in a single layer on a large tray lined with parchment paper.

Season, drizzle with a little oil and roast in a preheated oven at 200 C for about 40 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.  Add into the ready curry and stir (see Instructions below).

Step-by-step recipe instructions

While the butternut squash is roasting prepare the curry sauce.

1.Place the chopped onion, garlic, chili pepper and ginger in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.

2. In a large pot heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the onion mixture and cook over a low-medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the spices and cook for another minute or 2 stirring often.

3. Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk.  Stir, cover and bring to the boil, then gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

4. Season and fry the chicken in 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan for about 4 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through, stirring often.

5. Add the roasted butternut squash, chicken (plus any juices from roasting and frying) and cilantro into the curry.

6. Stir thoroughly, adjust the seasoning and heat up again if needed and serve.

Top tips

• This chicken butternut squash curry is lightly spiced and you can tweak the ingredients to your preference. 
• If the curry sauce becomes too thick add a drop of water or coconut milk.
• Take care not to fry the chicken for too long or it might become tough.
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with rice, quinoa, couscous or naan bread.
• Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.

Can I use chicken thighs in this curry

I don't recommend it in this recipe.  Chicken thighs work better in recipes that require longer cooking times.  As this is a speedy dish and the chicken is prepared separately chicken breast is the best meat for this recipe.

Substitutions

• For a more intense coconut flavour use coconut oil instead of vegetable/olive to make the curry sauce (though I would still use vegetable oil for roasting the squash and frying the chicken).
• Use either chicken or vegetable stock (I used vegetable stock).

You might also like

• Chicken, Beans and Butternut Squash Casserole
• Easy Healthy Curried Chicken and Rice
• Sweet Potato Dhal with Halloumi
• Chicken Mulligatawny Soup with Sweet Potato

Check out also this collection of 13 healthy, easy one pot chicken recipes!

Keep in touch!

Have you made this butternut squash chicken curry? I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Butternut Squash Chicken Curry with Lentils

This simple butternut squash chicken curry with lentils is a delicious and healthy, easy dinner idea.

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Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Indian Fusion

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 5 portions

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  Large baking sheet
• ▢
  Large pot with lid
• ▢
  Non-stick frying pan

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ medium butternut squash peeled, cubed (approx. 500 g)
• ▢ 3 medium chicken breasts skinless, diced
• ▢ 80 g (2.82 oz) red lentils rinsed
• ▢ 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk
• ▢ 180 ml (1¼ cups) chicken/vegetable stock hot
• ▢ 1 very large onion or 2 small/medium, roughly chopped
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
• ▢ 1-2 green chilli chopped
• ▢ 1 tsp turmeric and coriander powders, garam masala each
• ▢ 1⅓ tsp cumin powder
• ▢ 1 tsp lemon juice
• ▢ 4 tbsp vegetable/olive oil
• ▢ 6 tbsp cilantro/fresh coriander finely chopped
• ▢ Fine sea salt and pepper for frying the chicken and roasting the squash

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Place the buttenut squash on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper, season, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and pop in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.
• While the squash is in the oven prepare the quick curry sauce. Pulse the onion, garlic, ginger and chili until well combined and there are no large pieces.
• In a large saucepan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onion mixture and cook over a low/medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and garam masala, stir and cook for another minute or 2.
• Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk, stir, cover and bring to the boil then simmer for about 15 minutes, until the lentils are fully cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside.
• Fry the chicken pieces in 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium heat, turning often, for about 4 minutes (try not to overcook the chicken but do ensure it's not pink).
• Add the chicken and the roasted squash into the curry (along with any juices from roasting and frying). Heat up again if needed, adjust the seasoning as necessary, stir in the fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Notes

• This chicken butternut squash curry is lightly spiced and you can tweak the ingredients to your preference.
• If the curry sauce becomes too thick add a drop of water or coconut milk.
• Take care not to fry the chicken for too long as it may become tough.
• I do not recommend using chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
• For a more intense coconut flavour use coconut oil instead of vegetable/olive to make the curry sauce (though I would still use vegetable oil for roasting the squash and frying the chicken).
• Use either chicken or vegetable stock (I used vegetable stock).
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with rice, quinoa, couscous or naan bread.
• Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
• Cook Time includes the time needed to roast the squash.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8116IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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