Happy Fall! It’s been a LONG time since I last posted but since moving to the city I haven’t been able to cook like I used to. I tend to throw chicken and some vegetables together and call it a day but with the cold and rainy weather, I thought today would be a perfect crockpot meal (and blog) day.

Butternut squash is my favorite Fall food (sorry pumpkin!) I’ve been eating it on a weekly basis since the first week of September and I’ve been trying to add it to my meals in a variety of ways. Today, I decided to make an autumn stew with butternut squash, chickpeas, lentils and chicken. While I could have cooked this in an hour on the stove, I felt like the crockpot was better because the lentils could absorb the ingredients and really boost the flavor.

The next time you find yourself stuck on a rainy Sunday, try cooking a stew or soup in your crockpot. It makes the Sunday scaries a little less terrible when you’re anticipating a great meal on Sunday night!

Timing:

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4-5 hours

Ingredients: 6-7 servings

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I bought the pre-cubed squash at Trader Joes)
• 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup green or red lentils
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 chicken breast, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• Salt and pepper as needed

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink.

Add all the ingredients to your crockpot, including the chicken and onion mixture. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours. You will know the stew is done when the butternut squash is soft and the lentils have absorbed some of the liquid.

Serve in a bowl and enjoy! This recipe makes a lot of food so if you are cooking for one (like me!) you can always freeze this stew for another time.