Pumpkin Coconut Curry Chicken

This easy Pumpkin Coconut Curry Chicken recipe is so healthy and flavorful you’ll be making it again and again. It’s one of our most popular (and most pinned) recipes!

Once I begin churning out pumpkin recipes – pumpkin breads, pumpkin soups, pumpkin pie cakes, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin gnocchi – even I know there’s no turning back. I chose this coconut pumpkin curry chicken recipe because it’s great for a crowd and, unlike many Indian curry recipes, there’s no spice to it. While I typically prefer spicy curries, I enjoy the pumpkin flavors here, it goes well with the coconut curry chicken.

Coconut Pumpkin Curry Chicken Ingredients

• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• Pumpkin Puree: A can of 100% pure pumpkin puree.
• Veggies: Butternut squash, onion and tomatoes.
• Spices: Curry powder, cayenne powder, minced ginger and garlic.
• Coconut Milk: A can of unsweetened coconut milk.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and fresh lime juice.
• Herbs: Freshly chopped cilantro.

Refer to the Curry Chicken recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients with precise measurements.

How to Make Pumpkin Coconut Curry Chicken

1. Roast the butternut squash.
2. Sear the chicken until browned but not fully cooked.
3. Add onion and ginger, then garlic.
4. Add tomatoes and pumpkin puree until puree is lightly browned
5. Add broth, coconut milk, curry and cayenne powders, bring to boil and then simmer.
6. Stir in fresh lime juice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tips & Variations

I recommend using a good-quality curry paste but if your curry and cayenne have been sitting in your cupboard for a while (over six months), add at the same time as the garlic. This will help bring out some of the flavor (do this any time you have older spices that need refreshing)

This curry is delicious served over a bed of white rice, however, use what you prefer, including brown, jasmine or cauliflower rice, quinoa, couscous, noodles, beans, barley, tofu, lentils, potatoes, or serve with a flatbread such as naan or paratha.

Mix up the protein with shrimp or tofu.

Adjust the amount of coconut milk for creaminess.

Storing & Reheating

The dish comes together quickly and reheats really well; it’s one of those dishes that actually tastes better the longer it sits. It also tastes even better the next day (I love those kinds of dishes)! If you’re the freeze-your-meals type, this pumpkin coconut curry chicken is a great one to add to your monthly meal plan.

Refrigerator/Freezer Storage – Cool the curry soup to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating – I recommend reheating potato soup on the stove for the best results. Pour it into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot and bubbly, stirring occasionally. If using the microwave, add a portion to a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat for two minutes. Stir and continue heating in 1-minute increments until thoroughly heated.

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Pumpkin Coconut Curry Chicken

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

This easy Pumpkin Coconut Curry Chicken recipe is so healthy and flavorful you'll be making it again and again. It's one of our most popular (and most pinned) recipes!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash, chopped into bite-sized pieces and roasted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 tbs olive oil, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, not sweetened
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 large pinch cayenne powder
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnishing
• Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

1. To roast butternut squasAdd h, place on a sheet pan, toss lightly with 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 450°F until caramelized and fork-tender (about 15 minutes, depending on size).
2. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken and cook on high heat until browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium-high and dd remaining 1 tbs olive oil to dutch oven. Add onion and ginger.
4. Cook for a few minutes until onion is soft. Add garlic and cook for about one minute more.
5. Add tomatoes and pumpkin puree to pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until puree is lightly browned.
6. Add broth, coconut milk, curry & cayenne powders; bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and butternut squash and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
7. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 637Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 55g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

More squash recipes…

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Butternut Squash Au Gratin with Mushrooms and Bacon

• Author
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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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