Chicken Curry with Pumpkin

This Chicken Pumpkin Curry is a flavorful, comforting dish that combines tender chicken and creamy coconut milk, as well as rich pumpkin, in a fragrant Indian-inspired spice blend. Perfect for a hearty meal, it pairs well with rice or naan.

An easy chicken curry recipe that will fill your whole house with Indian aromas and the stomachs of your whole family with creamy, rich, savory flavors.

If you’re looking for some new pumpkin recipes to use loads of fresh or frozen pumpkin this season, I got you! Surprise your friends or family with a little culinary journey to India or Thailand tonight.

Why You’ll Like This Curry Recipe

• Universal – you can make it on the stovetop, in an instant pot, or slow cooker (I’ll share all three methods).
• Family-friendly – good hearty portions and easy to satisfy even picky eaters.
• Perfect weekly meal prep recipe for weeknight dinners under 30 minutes.
• Not spicy but has a pleasant warmth to it. Even though it is a year-round dish, it works really well during fall and winter.
• Really simple to make but very satisfying to eat. It is one of those dishes that is supposed to make you feel good.
• Minimal clean-up as it is a one-pan dish.
• Healthy! Pumpkin is packed with fiber, vitamins A, B6, C, E, and minerals. The recipe itself is also gluten and dairy-free.

Ingredients Notes

This recipe calls for 5 main components: chicken meat, coconut milk, pumpkin, broth, and aromatics.

Although there are many different curry recipes, this one is a mix between Indian and Thai flavors, because Thai use coconut milk in cooking more often, but the famous Indian Chicken Korma curry has coconut milk in it too.

You can also play around with spices and add a more Thai or Indian twist.

• Chicken breast, diced (450g). We need boneless skinless chicken meat, so breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs work the best. Chicken breasts are easy to overcook to rubbery taste so make sure to dice them before cooking.
• Small fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed. If it is not pumpkin season, it is ok to use homemade or canned pumpkin puree. Small pumpkins are pie pumpkins, Autumn Gold, and Naked Bear. Not jack-o-lantern pumpkins. Frozen pumpkin is ok to use, you don’t even need to defrost it ahead of time, but it may need more time to cook down.
• Full-fat coconut milk – 1 whole can not the carton box. Coconut milk cooks down with spices and curry and makes a fragrant, delicious, rich curry sauce that is not easy to forget. If you don’t have coconut milk, you can use heavy cream, half & half, or yogurt. Lite coconut milk doesn’t really work in my curry, unfortunately, but coconut cream may!
• Aromatics and spices: onion and garlic (regular yellow onion and minced garlic), minced fresh ginger (or ground ginger), curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric. I use yellow curry powder in my recipe, but you can make spicy curry too by using red curry paste instead of the powder.
• Vegetable oil (olive oil is best) is what we need to cook chicken cubes. You can also use ghee to saute the onion and garlic or peanut oil.
• Chicken broth or chicken stock is one of the 3 ingredients in the curry base alongside coconut milk and pumpkin. You can also cook the rice to serve with curry in chicken broth.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley or fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need

• Skillet – it is basically a one-pan dish, but you need a large pan to make sure all the liquids will fit in

How To Make Pumpkin Chicken Curry

Making pumpkin chicken curry is actually very easy: we saute the aromatics, add and sear the chicken, and mix in the liquids with pumpkin to make curry and serve.

1: Saute The Aromatics

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add the onion and sauté onion until softened – for about 5 minutes. 
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, and turmeric to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant.

2: Cook The Chicken

1. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
2. While the chicken cooks, start the rice cooker, if you want to serve rice with this curry.
3. At this stage we are searing the chicken so it may not be fully cooked inside, but don’t worry, it will slowly finish cooking together with curry sauce.

3: Add Coconut Milk And Make Pumpkin Curry

1. Stir in the pumpkin cubes, coconut milk, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook until the pumpkin is tender and the chicken is fully cooked (fork tender) – about 20 minutes.
2. The curry itself should also thicken when it is closer to being done.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serving Suggestions

Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired, and serve curry in a bowl with fluffed basmati rice (or any other cooked rice you like), barley, or naan. Warm that naan up!

If not naan, any Indian-style flatbread will work, and there is nothing better than dipping it in the curry, believe me! If not into Asian bread, use garlic bread – a delicious combo as well.

For a low-carb complete meal, serve the curry with cauliflower rice.

To bulk up the dish, serve it with cooked spinach, green beans, or roasted bell pepper. Lighter side ideas are cucumber, green salads, or chutney.

Fresh lime juice squeezed right before serving highlights and rounds up all the flavors and adds a little refreshing kick to the meal.

Chicken Curry With Pumpkin In A Slow Cooker

Slow-cooking the chicken will make the best flavors for this pumpkin chicken curry. It is a super easy dump-and-go way of making this dish.

1. Add all the prepped ingredients into the slow cooker except coconut milk.
2. Cooke on low for 6-7 hours. Once the chicken is fork tender, it is done.
3. Mix in coconut milk, and cook for another 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Chicken Curry With Pumpkin In An Instant Pot

1. Prepare the spice and aromatics mix. First, cook onion and garlic on saute mode for a few seconds, then add chicken and saute for 2 minutes. Press cancel.
2. Add chicken broth, pumpkin, and spices, stir, seal, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Open the vent and allow 15 minutes for pressure release.
3. Last, open the pot pour in the coconut milk, and stir. Add garnish and serve.

Substitutes & Variations

• Butternut squash can be substituted for the pumpkin when it is not in season. Sweet potatoes can replace half of squash or pumpkin too.
• Swap protein for shrimp, lamb, or beef (it will require you to adjust the cooking time).
• To add texture, use some cashews, pumpkin seeds, or peanuts for garnish.
• To bulk up the meal, you can use red split lentils, they are the softest and quickest to cook and can be easily turned into a smooth puree. Spinach and kale also make great healthy leafy additions.
• A very fragrant and Asian-style onion substitute is shallot. They are widely used in all Aisna cuisines and absolutely amazing in curries and main dishes.
• To make this recipe vegan you need to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and use a plant-based protein. Coconut milk is already vegan and dairy-free milk, but you can also experiment with almond milk. Instead of chicken use protein-rich chickpeas or tempeh!
• To add heat, you can use cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes mix), or straight chili powder as well. For even stronger Indian flavors, use garam masala – a sweet and warm spice blend or korma spice mix. There is also a mix called sambal oelek – which contains vinegar, chilies, and salt – and can be used in curry recipes too.
• Many curry recipes use tomato paste or passata to substitute fresh tomatoes and add flavors. I don’t use it at all and don’t think the dish misses something, but you can experiment.

How To Store Pumpkin Coconut Curry

Cool the chicken curry completely before storing or freezing.

The chicken curry with pumpkin tastes the best the next day when all the flavors meld together.

Storing. You can store leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in a microwave for 2 minutes.

Freezing. Chicken curry with pumpkin can be stored in the freezer for 2-4 months in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight and reheat over the stovetop on low heat. If it is too thick, add some water or broth.

Making Ahead. You can easily prep the spice mix and dice the chicken ahead. Make portions for meal prep and either refrigerate for 4-5 days or freeze in individual bags for 2-3 months. Then reheat in the oven for 15 minutes at 350F or stovetop.

Tips To Make The Best Pumpkin Chicken Curry Recipe

• To add a little sweetness to the curry to balance the heat, you can use light brown sugar.
• Taste before serving, curry is all about the right balance of spices.
• Chicken thighs tend to be more tender. If using chicken breasts, cut them into smaller cubes. You can also marinade the breasts beforehand to make sure they turn out super moist and soft.
• Sear the chicken in batches without overcrowding the pan.
• If the curry feels runny and watery, cook it down further and add a bit of cornstarch or tapioca to thicken it. 

If you love this dinner recipe, you’re going to love these other fall-inspired dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Pumpkin Dinners

Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Risotto

Autumn Pasta Salad

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