Easy Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk
This dairy free, Thai-inspired Pumpkin Curry recipe is the perfect chicken curry dish made with tasty authentic spices, creamy coconut milk, fresh veggies, and everyone’s favorite squash. Paleo, Gluten Free, & Whole30.
You will love my Pumpkin Curry Chicken! This is a healthy, feel-good Fall dish the whole family will love. Red curry paste meets pumpkin puree and coconut milk to make a creamy, dairy free sauce. This pumpkin curry recipe combines authentic South Asian spices with everyone’s favorite orange squash.
Ingredient Notes
pumpkin puree: wondering which pumpkin is best for curry? Make sure to use regular canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling!
ginger paste: this can be found at your local grocery store, but you can also use minced fresh ginger if you prefer.
jarred red curry paste: a popular brand that I love is Thai Kitchen. You can find red curry paste at your local grocery store. I don’t prefer curry powder for this particular recipe.
coconut milk: I prefer to use full fat coconut milk, but if you only have light coconut milk, that will be ok.
boneless, skinless chicken breast: I get my chicken breast from ButcherBox and slice the breasts into chicken pieces or cubes to make it easy to saute.
How to Prepare Pumpkin Curry
- Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add in the cubed chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. It’s ok if it’s not fully cooked through – it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Next, add the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil to the pan along with the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, carrots, and ginger. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add in the red curry paste and stir until fragrant.
- To make the sauce, add in the pumpkin puree, coconut aminos, coriander, turmeric, salt, and coconut milk. Stir. Add the chicken back into the pan and stir. Let everything simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli florets and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until they are bright green and tender.
- Serve the pumpkin curry chicken as-is or over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice, and top with cashews and fresh cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Protein Substitutions: You can easily substitute Shrimp or Beef in this recipe. Follow the same instructions, just adjust the cooking time for the protein you choose. Shrimp will only need about 1-2 minutes on each side!
Rice: For this Thai-inspired recipe, using Jasmine rice is ideal! This differs from white rice in that it is long grain and is primarily grown in Thailand.
Optional Toppings: For extra crunch, topping with cashews is a delicious addition to this recipe. You can also top with fresh cilantro, which adds delicious flavor!
Alternative Cooking Methods
Instant Pot:
- Using the Instant Pot sauté feature, sauté the chicken, then remove it.
- Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and pepper and sauté.
- Add the chicken back in long with the coconut milk and everything else and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Quick release then add the broccoli and cook on sauté again for 2-3 mins.
Slow Cooker:
- In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onion garlic ginger and bell pepper.
- Add it to the slow cooker.
- Top with full chicken breasts and remaining ingredients minus broccoli.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours then add broccoli during the last 30 mins of cook time.
FAQs
Is this pumpkin curry Thai? Yes! Curry is a traditional dish with sauce/gravy in South Asian cuisine. It features spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, and ginger. It is often made with coconut milk, meat, and served over rice. While this pumpkin curry recipe may not be as traditional, it features many of the same authentic flavors and spices. Curry is typically naturally gluten free.
Can I make this pumpkin curry recipe vegan? Yes! If you are looking for vegan recipes with curry, you’re in the right place! Simply eliminate the skinless chicken breast to make this recipe vegan.
Can I use butternut squash to make curry? Yes! You can easily swap the pumpkin puree for canned butternut squash puree, if you prefer.
Is this chicken curry recipe Whole30 compliant? Yes! This recipe is dairy free and gluten free, and all other ingredients are compliant, except the rice. Be sure to serve over cauliflower rice to make it Whole30-friendly meal.
Can I freeze pumpkin curry? Yes! You can store this chicken curry sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Be sure to freeze the sauce separately and make fresh rice when ready to serve.
Other Curry Recipes to Make
- Instant Pot Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry
- Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Bowls
- Whole30 Thai Coconut Curry Turkey Meatballs
If you try this pumpkin curry chicken and love it, a 5-star rating and review below would mean the world! Don’t forget to share what you make and tag me on Instagram! Happy cooking 🙂
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Easy Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup carrot chips, or regular sliced carrots
- 2 tbsp ginger paste , or minced fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, 100% pumpkin, NOT pie filling!
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Optional Toppings
- cashews
- cilantro
Equipment
- Deep 12 inch skillet
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add in the cubed chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. It's ok if it's not fully cooked through - it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Next, add the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil to the pan along with the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, carrots, and ginger. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add in the red curry paste and stir until fragrant.
- To make the sauce, add in the pumpkin puree, coconut aminos, coriander, turmeric, salt, and coconut milk. Stir. Add the chicken back into the pan and stir. Let everything simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli florets and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until they are bright green and tender.
- Serve the pumpkin curry chicken as-is or over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice, and top with cashews and fresh cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
