Print

Amazing 40-Minute Butternut Squash Chicken Curry

Butternut Squash Chicken Curry with tender chicken and squash in a creamy red coconut-peanut sauce
Print Recipe

Butternut Squash Chicken Curry combines seasonal ingredients in an approachable stovetop recipe with a carefully controlled texture. The independently written steps preserve the verified quantities, yield, and timing while giving home cooks clear cues for serving the finished dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons crunchy or smooth peanut butter
  • 3 level tablespoons good-quality Thai red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
  • Fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts, and natural yogurt, for serving
  • Cooked rice and poppadoms, for serving

Instructions

  1. Toss the butternut squash cubes with chili powder, curry powder, and turmeric in a large bowl, then set them aside.
  2. Heat a generous drizzle of neutral cooking oil in a very large pan. Cook garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes, then add the chicken and cook for roughly 2 minutes, until the exterior turns white.
  3. Push the chicken aside enough to stir the coconut milk and peanut butter together in the base of the pan. Mix in the red curry paste and honey, then add the chopped tomatoes and seasoned squash.
  4. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover for roughly the first 15 minutes, uncover for the remaining time, and cook about 30 minutes total, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the squash is tender.
  5. Crush about half the soft squash into the sauce to thicken it. Serve over rice with cilantro, crushed peanuts, yogurt, and optional poppadoms.

Notes

  • Cut the squash into small even cubes so it softens within the source cooking time.
  • Start with less curry paste or chili powder when using a particularly hot authentic brand, then adjust carefully.
  • Mix peanut butter into the coconut milk before the pan becomes crowded with the remaining ingredients.
  • Nutrition information is an estimate calculated per serving and may vary by ingredient brand and portion size.

Nutrition

Keywords: Butternut Squash Chicken Curry, Chicken Curry, Butternut Squash Recipes, Fall Dinner, One Pot Meals, Curry Recipes, Healthy Dinner, Meal Prep

Find it online: https://thekitchenfinesse.com/2026/08/07/butternut-squash-chicken-curry/