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Thai pumpkin chicken curry
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Pumpkin Chicken Curry Recipe

This Thai-style pumpkin curry is made with chicken, coconut milk, red curry paste, and pumpkin puree. It's quick, creamy, cozy, and perfect for fall dinners!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4
Calories: 511kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

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
    Cooking cubes of chicken in a skillet.
  • 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
    Sautéing onions in a skillet.
  • 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
    Cooking aromatics with curry paste in a skillet.
  • Stir in the coconut milk, pumpkin, and lime juice.
    13.5 ounces coconut milk, ½ cup canned pumpkin, 1 lime
    Adding coconut milk to a skillet.
  • Add in the chicken and bell pepper.
    1 red bell pepper
    Chicken and peppers added to a pot of pumpkin curry.
  • 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.
    Chicken and pumpkin curry cooking in a skillet.
  • Squeeze with extra lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
    chopped fresh cilantro
    Thai pumpkin chicken curry with peppers.
  • Serve with rice, garnished with chopped peanuts, if desired.
    chopped peanuts
    A serving of pumpkin chicken curry with rice.

Notes

*Chicken breasts or thighs both work great in this recipe.
**Use full-fat coconut milk for the best texture.
***Be sure to use pumpkin puree without added sugar or spices; NOT pumpkin pie filling.
Becky's Top Tips:
  • 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.
Storage: Store pumpkin chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 1042mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6949IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 5mg