The Best Pumpkin Chicken Curry Recipe
This hearty dish features tender chicken drenched in pumpkin curry sauce full warm spices and creamy coconut milk. It's the ultimate healthy, comfort food and comes together quickly in just 30-40 minutes! Perfect for a busy weeknight.
Servings: 5
Calories: 322kcal
Equipment
- Large skillet *A big soup pot can also be used.
Ingredients
- 2 medium chicken breasts *boneless-skinless chicken thighs can also be used
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil *or avocado/grapeseed oil
- 1 medium yellow onion *or white onion
- 1, 14.5oz can diced tomatoes *with juices
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste *see note below
- 1, 15oz can pumpkin puree *see note below
- 1, 13.5oz can unsweetened, full fat coconut milk *canned not boxed, see note below
- Juice from one, small lemon *see note below
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar *light or dark
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons mild chili powder *see note below
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional grain/legume for serving
- Serve over rice (white or brown), cauliflower rice for low carb, lentils, couscous, farro or quinoa.
Optional toppings
- Top with chopped fresh cilantro, red peppers flakes and extra coconut milk if desired.
Recipe notes:
Pumpkin puree: typically found in the baking isle at most grocery stores. Tomato paste: this ingredients comes in an 8oz can, but this recipe calls for only 2 tablespoons (or 2 ounces). This is the smallest amount you can purchase. I like to freeze leftovers in a Ziploc bag for later use. Canned coconut milk: boxed isn't as creamy. Cans can usually be found in the baking or Asian foods isle at the grocery store. Canned coconut cream can also be substituted. If you don't need this recipe to be dairy free, half & half or heavy cream will work. Lemon juice: bottled will work in a pinch, but fresh definitely offers better flavor. Chili powder: if you enjoy spicy food, feel free to add some heat with medium or hot chili powder.Instructions
- Dice chicken into small pieces (½ inch to 1 inch in size) and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle cubes with olive oil and and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir until all pieces are well coated.2 medium chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Place a large skillet on the stovetop and turn heat to medium. For best results, sauté chicken in 2-3 batches to avoid overcrowding. (*Note: overcrowding can cause a steaming/boiling effect which results from excess moisture. This will keep the chicken from browning properly).
- Place cooked chicken in a bowl and set it aside.
- Dice onion and add it to the skillet. Deglaze the pan with a bit of water or additional olive oil and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. (Tip: deglazing simply means adding moisture to the pan to loosen stuck residue from sautéing chicken).1 medium yellow onion
- Add diced tomato with juices, tomato paste, pumpkin puree, coconut milk and lemon juice to the pan and mix well.1, 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1, 15oz can pumpkin puree, 1, 13.5oz can unsweetened, full fat coconut milk, Juice from one, small lemon
- Add brown sugar and all seasonings to the pan. Stir again until well combined and then mix cooked chicken cubes back into the curry sauce. Place a lid on the skillet and reduce heat to low, simmer for 10-15 minutes.1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons curry powder, 2 teaspoons mild chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed, ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Serve curry over rice (or preferred grain/legume). Add toppings like fresh chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes or extra coconut milk if desired. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
- Allow leftovers to cool and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for 4-6 months.
How To Reheat Leftovers
- Reheat in a pot on the stovetop, or use the microwave. This curry gets really thick as it sits, so you may want to stir in a splash of water or chicken stock.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1/5th of recipe (all values are approximate, optional grain and toppings not included). | Sugar: 10.5g | Fiber: 6.8g | Calories: 322kcal | Fat: 16.3g | Protein: 22.3g | Carbohydrates: 22.2g