Pumpkin Chicken Curry

I made this last Tuesday after work and it’s honestly one of those recipes where the pumpkin chicken curry just kind of comes together without much fuss. You’ve got chicken simmering in coconut milk with pumpkin cubes and curry spices, and it’s ready in 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The pumpkin breaks down just enough to thicken the sauce without disappearing completely
• You’re not stuck at the stove babysitting anything — most of it just simmers on its own
• Curry powder and curry paste together give you more depth than either one alone
• It’s done in 30 minutes which is faster than ordering takeout and waiting around
• The fresh cilantro and green onions at the end make it taste less heavy than you’d expect from coconut milk
• You probably have half this stuff already

Getting the Aromatics Right

Heat your oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan until it shimmers. Toss in 1 shallot that’s finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic that you’ve minced, and 1 tablespoon fresh ginger also minced. I forgot the ginger the first time I tested this and the whole thing tasted flat. Stir these around and listen for them to soften and turn fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic brown or it’ll taste bitter later — I learned that one the hard way when I answered a text and came back to slightly scorched garlic.

The smell hits you pretty fast. Once you can smell the ginger it’s time to move on.

Building the Coconut Curry Base

Pour in 1 can coconut milk and add your pumpkin cubes, curry powder, curry paste, brown sugar, salt and black pepper. The recipe doesn’t specify exact amounts for the spices because honestly it depends on how strong your curry paste is — mine was pretty mild so I went heavier. Whisk these together until the spices dissolve and the sauce thickens slightly with the pumpkin. The pumpkin starts releasing its moisture right away.

Turn the heat up just until the sauce reaches a gentle boil. This is where a lot of curry chicken recipes go wrong — people crank the heat and the sauce breaks or the chicken gets tough.

Cooking the Chicken Without Drying It Out

Add your chicken breast or thigh cut into cubes and reduce to a simmer. I used thighs because they’re harder to overcook. Let the chicken cook slowly in the sauce for around 10 minutes or until it hits an internal temperature of 165°F — use a thermometer, don’t guess. The gentle simmer keeps the chicken tender and juicy instead of rubbery. As the chicken finishes cooking you’ll notice the sauce darken and thicken slightly.

10 minutes feels long when you’re hungry but don’t rush it.

The Fresh Stuff Goes In Last

Stir in the chopped cilantro and sliced green onions last, folding them through to release their fresh scent without wilting. I added them too early once and they just turned into sad green mush floating in the sauce. They need like 30 seconds max in the hot curry before you serve it. Spoon the curry over cooked rice, making sure each serving gets plenty of the spiced, pumpkin-rich sauce.

The contrast between the warm spiced sauce and the fresh herbs is what makes this pumpkin chicken curry work.

Pumpkin Chicken Curry

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

30 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 can coconut milk
• pumpkin, cut into cubes
• curry powder
• curry paste
• brown sugar
• salt
• black pepper
• chicken breast or thigh, cut into cubes
• cilantro, chopped
• green onions, sliced
• cooked rice

Method

1. 1 Heat oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan until it shimmers. Toss in the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Stir and listen for the aromatics to soften and turn fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
2. 2 Pour in the coconut milk and add the pumpkin cubes, curry powder, curry paste, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk these together until the spices dissolve and the sauce thickens slightly with the pumpkin.
3. 3 Turn the heat up just until the sauce reaches a gentle boil. Add the chicken cubes and reduce to a simmer. Let the chicken cook slowly in the sauce for around 10 minutes or until it hits an internal temperature of 165°F. The gentle simmer keeps the chicken tender and juicy.
4. 4 As the chicken finishes cooking, you’ll notice the sauce darken and thicken slightly. Stir in the chopped cilantro and green onions last, folding them through to release their fresh scent without wilting.
5. 5 Spoon the curry over cooked rice, making sure each serving gets plenty of the spiced, pumpkin-rich sauce.

Nutritional information

Calories

350

Protein

25g

Carbs

18g

Fat

20g

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Serving and What to Put It On

Rice is the obvious choice but I’ve also done this over cauliflower rice when I was trying to eat fewer carbs. Naan bread on the side is really good for scooping up extra sauce. You could add some lime wedges on the side — the acid cuts through the coconut milk in a way that’s nice. I served it with steamed broccoli once and that worked fine but didn’t add much. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar would probably be better for crunch and freshness.

Leftovers reheat well for about 3 days. The sauce thickens up in the fridge so add a splash of water or coconut milk when you reheat it.

Ways to Change It Up

You could swap the chicken for firm tofu if you want it vegetarian — press the tofu first and maybe pan-fry it separately before adding to the sauce so it doesn’t fall apart. Butternut squash instead of pumpkin works and honestly I can’t tell the difference. If you like heat add some red pepper flakes or a sliced Thai chili when you’re cooking the aromatics. Swap the cilantro for Thai basil if that’s what you’ve got. The brown sugar balances the curry spices but you could use honey or maple syrup, just start with less because their sweet.

I tried adding bell peppers once and they just got mushy and diluted the sauce.

Questions I Had While Making This

can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh cubes Don’t do it. Canned pumpkin purée turns the sauce into baby food texture and you lose the chunks. Fresh pumpkin cubes hold their shape and give you something to bite into.

how do I know when the chicken is actually done Use a meat thermometer and check for 165°F. The chicken will look opaque and white on the outside but that doesn’t mean it’s cooked through, especially if your cubes are big.

does this easy dinner recipe freeze well Yeah it freezes fine for up to 3 months. The coconut milk might separate a bit when you thaw it but just stir it back together while reheating and its fine.