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. 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 easy coconut lentil curry sauce takes minutes to put together!

Other quick curry dishes you might also like include vegan tofu curry with peas and healthy curried chicken rice casserole.

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 curry recipe.  Red lentils are nutritious and cook very quickly. The curry itself takes about 15-20 minutes to cook, which is not bad for a curry dish made from scratch!

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 blender.

2. Pulse until the ingredients are very finely chopped and the mixture starts becoming pasty.

3. In a pot heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the bay leaf and spices and stir.

4. Add the onion mixture, stir and cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes stirring often.

5. Add the lentils, water, coconut milk and salt.  Stir, cover and bring to the boil, then gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

6. Season and fry the chicken in 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan for about 4 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through, stirring often.

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

8. Stir thoroughly, adjust seasoning as needed and serve.

Top tips

• This curry recipe is quite mild but you can add more chili pepper for extra heat.
• 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.

You might also like

• Chicken, Beans and Butternut Squash Casserole
• Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Mediterranean Butternut Squash Casserole (Vegan)

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: 6 people

Calories: 276kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

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

Ingredients

• ½ medium butternut squash peeled, cubed (approx. 500 g)½ medium butternut squash peeled, cubed (approx. 500 g)
• 3 medium chicken breasts skinless, diced3 medium chicken breasts skinless, diced
• ½ cup red lentils rinsed½ cup red lentils rinsed
• ½ cup coconut milk½ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water1 cup water
• 1 v. large onion roughly chopped1 v. large onion roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger chopped2 tbsp fresh ginger chopped
• ½ green chilli chopped, or use 1 whole for more heat½ green chilli chopped, or use 1 whole for more heat
• 1 bay leaf1 bay leaf
• 5 green cardamom seeds5 green cardamom seeds
• 2 tsp each: turmeric, cumin and coriander powders2 tsp each: turmeric, cumin and coriander powders
• 1 tsp sea salt and garam masala, each plus more for seasoning the squash and chicken1 tsp sea salt and garam masala, each plus more for seasoning the squash and chicken
• 5 tbsp olive oil5 tbsp olive oil
• 5-6 tbsp cilantro finely chopped5-6 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

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 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. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf, cardamom seeds, turmeric, garam masala, coriander and cumin powders and stir. Add the onion mixture and stir thoroughly. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often. Add the lentils, salt, water and coconut milk, stir, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• 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, as well as the fresh cilantro, stir well and enjoy!

Notes

• This curry recipe is quite mild but you can add more chilli pepper for extra heat. 
• 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.
• 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: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6683IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

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

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