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A warming bowl of wholesome, Creamy Butternut Squash Butter Chicken. Indian-inspired butter chicken made with seasonal butternut squash, warmings spices, and creamy coconut milk. This dish is quick to make, cozy, wonderfully spicy – but not too spicy, and filled with warming Indian flavor. Complete each bowl with steamed rice and serve with fresh naan. And the leftovers the next day? They are even more delicious!
With two new butternut squash recipes this week, I think it’s safe to say I’m really enjoying the fall squash. Promise I have dishes with spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and yes, definitely pumpkin (both savory and sweet) coming soon. But this week it’s butternut squash!
I think most of you that read daily know of my family’s love for Indian-inspired dinners. Creighton, my oldest brother, who I find myself cooking for the most, is consistently requesting butter chicken. It’s one of his favorite dinners to order out and eat in.
The idea for this dish came with my urge to switch up a dinner that I consistently turn to in the fall. How could I add something new? Something yummy for fall?
Immediately I thought about how delicious butternut squash would be in a creamy butter curry sauce. I knew the squash could melt into the sauce making it even creamier, while also adding a sweetness that really pairs nicely with the spices.
It turned out so good. Creighton’s not in town right now, but I’m excited to make this for him as soon as he gets back. I sent photos his way via text, and trust me, he’s wishing he was here.
The beauty of this recipe is how simple it is to throw together. It’s made from start to finish in one skillet on the stove and ready in under an hour.
You’ll want to start with the chicken. Just like a traditional butter chicken recipe, we’re first tossing the chicken with yogurt and spices. But instead of marinating overnight, I found that a quick 5 to 10 minute rest in the spices was really enough to do the trick.
While the chicken is sitting, I like to start in on the prep for everything else. Chop the onion, garlic, and ginger, grab that coconut milk and tomato paste, and get everything for the remainder of the recipe ready to go.
If you need to chop up your butternut squash, now is the time to do that! I will say that for convenience, you can use pre-cut butternut squash or frozen cubes. Both work wonderfully and will save you a lot of hands-on prep time.
When I have all the remaining ingredients prepped and ready for cooking, I sear the chicken with olive oil. The next step is key, add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Then allow the butter to brown around the chicken. This will really help to flavor the sauce.
To that same skillet, add the onion, butternut squash, and all of those remaining spices. Because we are using butternut squash, I didn’t want the tomato paste to overpower the flavor. So I reduced the amount of tomato paste that I’d normally use. Now, instead of the sauce being tomato based, it’s butternut squash based!
Stir in the coconut milk, or if you don’t enjoy coconut milk, use cream. Either is delicious. The coconut milk does add a special touch and keeps the curry dairy-free, minus the butter.
Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken around the squash and chicken. As the curry slowly cooks, the squash melts into the sauce. The sauce becomes creamy and buttery without having to add actual cream.
I like to serve this pretty traditionally, over steamed rice with fresh naan for scooping up the creamy, coconutty sauce. Absolutely DELICIOUS. You can’t skip the naan either. We love it so much that it’s reason enough to make this cozy fall version of butter chicken.
Looking for other Indian-inspired dinners? Here are my favorites:
Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter
30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken
30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs
Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Butternut Squash Butter Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi Tieghan, I’m wondering what your thoughts are on making this with tofu?? I am vegetarian and I feel like this would be delicious with tofu.
Hey Michelle,
I think tofu would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This looks delicious! If I want to make it completely dairy free can I use non-dairy butter and yogurt?
Hi Aviva,
Totally, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xx
Love making Indian food.
Would this hold up cooking ahead by a day?
Hey Wendy,
Totally, that would be just fine for you to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hiii i have a question, is there a way to make garam masala or something similar? I live in colombia and we dont have that here.
I would love to make this recipe
Hi Melissa,
Do you have access to turmeric or you could mix cumin with all spice! I hope this helps! xx
This was given a gold star approval by my family! Just now realized I forgot the paprika, oh well….this will definitely make more appearances on my dinner table! Thank you so much for creating these delicious meals!
Hey Vicki,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed by your family! xT
I made this for dinner tonight. My family has become used to Tieghan’s amazing recipes, and even with that high bar gave this recipe a big thumbs up. There was unanimous consensus that naan is a must for this dish. I made the recipe as written, except used lowfat coconut milk. Thank you for another winner, Tieghan!
Hey Renee,
Happy Friday🍁 I appreciate you making this recipe and love to hear that it turned out well for you! Thanks for making so many recipes!🤍 xT
This was delicious and so easy! Thank you!
Hi Jennifer,
Great! So glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it:) xx
Amazing!! I almost only come to half baked harvest for recipes – and this was just as good as all the others! Only note I have is that it was very spicy. Any suggestions on how to fix this for my leftovers? Add yogurt?
Thanks Tieghan!
You could try having it with yoghurt on the side — a lot of Indian households do this. Or add some sugar to cut the chilli when you reheat it — it should dilute the heat.
Thanks so much Ammu!
Hey Venus,
Thanks so much for making so many recipes, I’m so glad this would turned out well for you. Sorry about the spice, a touch of yogurt should tune that down a bit! xxT
I can’t get chopped butternut squash here. How do I peel and chop it? The recipe looks like something I’d want to eat daily 😋.
Hi Judy,
I just cut the peel off with a knife and then chop:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Judy – you don’t have to peel butternut squash. The skin softens while you cook, and it is edible. 🙂
Amy
The best curry I have ever had!
This looks great but we have a CKD person in our house. How much potassium is in this recipe.
Hi Lisa,
So sorry, I really have no idea. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
The easiest way ive found is to cook the butternut for 8-10 min in microwave first (do plenty of time in advance, can even do the day before if necessary!), then let it cool and it’s so much easier to peel, scoop the seeds out & dice! Then just use in your recipe as normal! 🙂
This was in reply to Judys comment but seems to have jumped!
Thanks so much McKenzie!!
I made this tonight. Absolutely delicious quick and easy for a week night. I served it with naan.
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:)
/what can be substituted for the coconut milk? something with lower fat content.
Hi Karen! Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both carry a lowfat coconut milk (I barely taste any difference between the lowfat and the regular). Thai Kitchen and Native Forest also have a lowfat coconut milks. I think all except the Trader Joe’s version are also organic.
Hi Karen,
Another milk of your choice will work here. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Friday! xT
Hello!
Could this recipe be done with just butternut Squash? How would i adjust the amounts in this case?
Any thoughts on if you think tofu would work for the chicken pretty much as written? We’re plant based and I love veganizing your dishes, but I’m a bit stumped on this one and really want to try it!
Hey Peggy,
Totally, tofu would be great to use! I hope this dish turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Please let me know, too! Many HBH recipes are so easy to make vegetarian/vegan!
Sure, tofu would be great!
Dear Tieghan,
the recipe is phenomenal. This dish will become a fixed staple in our household, everyone loved it.
Yum!
Hi Christina,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks for making it! Hope you’re off to a great weekend! xx
Hey Heather,
Totally, I would just skip the chicken and use another 2 cups of squash. I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Do you think this recipe could be made with delicata squash in place of butternut?
I love that idea of using delicata squash! Might try that as well!
I hope you love the recipe Karen!!
Hi Heather,
Sure, that should be totally fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I can hardly wait to give this a try. I admit I am not a fan of cilantro, so I thought I would use spinach. Also, I use raw milk cause it’s easier on my stomach, so I will make my own butter. I will use the coconut milk as well. Thank u for using the butternut squash, love it.
Thanks so much Sandra! I hope you love this dish, let me know how it comes out! xT