My pumpkin chicken curry recipe is the coziest, easiest meal for autumn. It has all the delicious flavors of a red curry, with creamy pumpkin puree to add a fall twist. Pumpkin, chicken, coconut milk, ginger, and a few other simple ingredients all simmer together to make this belly-warming dish in less than 1 hour!
Thai Pumpkin Coconut Curry with Chicken
I’ve been looking for new ways to use up those cans of pumpkin puree that accumulate in my pantry during the fall season, and I think I’ve really hit on something with this curry recipe. I basically just added some creamy pumpkin and warm spices to my thai red chicken curry, and it turned into a truly comforting dinner. I start by browning the chicken, then build up the dish with red curry paste, ginger, cinnamon, and coconut milk. Once I add the pumpkin, chicken, and bell pepper, all that’s left to do is let the curry simmer!
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This is the coziest fall dinner idea!
I’ve spent many years wondering how to combine pumpkin and chicken so I could really celebrate autumn. This pumpkin curry was the perfect option, and now I’m hooked. It’s so creamy!
Pumpkin Chicken Curry Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs; cut into bite-sized pieces*)
- 1 small onion (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 (1-inch knob) fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 13.5 ounces coconut milk (1 can**)
- ½ cup canned pumpkin (***)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
Optional Garnishes:
- chopped fresh cilantro
- chopped peanuts (or cashews)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the chicken and sprinkle with salt. Cook until browned but not cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet.1 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet. Add in the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger.1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 (1-inch knob) fresh ginger
- Stir in the brown sugar, red curry paste, curry powder, and cinnamon. Cook for another minute.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons red curry paste, 1 tablespoon curry powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Stir in the coconut milk, pumpkin, and lime juice.13.5 ounces coconut milk, ½ cup canned pumpkin, 1 lime
- Add in the chicken and bell pepper.1 red bell pepper
- Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Squeeze with extra lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.chopped fresh cilantro
- Serve with rice, garnished with chopped peanuts, if desired.chopped peanuts
Notes
- In the first step, it will only take a few minutes to brown the chicken. It should not be cooked all the way through at this point, or it will become dry when cooking in the curry.
- Cook curry over a low-medium heat to create a gentle simmer. If it is bubbling aggressively, reduce the heat.
- Keep the pan covered while simmering to ensure the chicken cooks through properly.
- If serving this curry with rice, simply prepare it in a separate pan while the curry simmers.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Pumpkin Chicken Curry Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this Thai pumpkin curry recipe. Slice 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thigh meat) into bite-sized pieces. Then slice the bell pepper and onion; mince the garlic and ginger; and juice 1 lime.
Brown the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces, and sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook just a few minutes until browned — the pieces should not be cooked all the way through yet. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Build the Curry Base: Next, heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet. Add 1 small chopped onion and a pinch of salt, then cook until softened. Stir in 3 minced cloves of garlic, and a 1-inch knob of fresh grated ginger. Then stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of red curry paste, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Cook for 1 more minute.
Add the Pumpkin: Now stir in 13.5 ounces (1 can) of coconut milk, ½ cup of canned pumpkin, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir until the pumpkin is incorporated, creating a smooth consistency.
Add the Chicken: Once the pumpkin has been added, return the browned cubes of chicken to the skillet. Then stir in 1 sliced red bell pepper.
Simmer: Cover the pan and let the pumpkin curry simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Taste and add more salt if needed. Then squeeze with extra lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
Serve: Serve portions of curry over rice. I like to garnish this dish with chopped peanuts or cashews and extra lime.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover pumpkin chicken curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. For best results, reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring until warmed through. Keep it at a gentle simmer while reheating to prevent separation or over-thickening.
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Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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