Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry

This Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry is a warm, cozy, and flavorful dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes. It is made with canned pumpkin puree, creamy coconut milk, and a simple blend of spices for a healthy meal that is naturally dairy free and gluten free.

It is the perfect way to use up leftover canned pumpkin and tastes amazing served over white rice or cauliflower rice. It also works great for meal prep and tastes even better the next day! If you want to use pumpkin in another savory recipe, try this one pot spicy pumpkin pasta.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comforting family meal  –The pumpkin and coconut come together with the variety of spices to make a really comforting dish – perfect for a chilly evening or after a long day!
• Customize spice to your liking  – The level of heat in this curry can be adjusted by adding more or less of the spicy ingredients like curry powder or cayenne. Start with a smaller amount and taste as you go. It is easy to add more heat but hard to take it away!
• Adjust for dietary preferences or restrictions – While this recipe is already gluten and dairy free, there are other adjustments you can make! You can easily make this recipe vegan by swapping the chicken for chickpeas. You can also adjust veggies or spices to your personal preferences. It is a very versatile recipe!

If you are looking for another curry recipe, try this coconut shrimp curry recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this pumpkin coconut chicken curry. For a full list of ingredients and amounts please head to the full recipe.

• Yellow Onion and Garlic – finely minced or grated garlic and diced onion adds depth to this dish
• Turmeric, Chili Powder, Cumin, Ginger, Pepper, Cinnamon – this great spice mixture makes for a really flavorful dish
• Chicken breasts – for this recipe, I recommend using boneless and skinless breasts but you can use thighs if you prefer
• Coconut milk – I recommend using full fat coconut milk
• Pumpkin puree – this recipe uses plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices and will make the curry too sweet.
• Red bell pepper – peppers sliced into strips adds flavor and color to this dish
• Butternut squash – you can use fresh or frozen; whatever you have on hand

Looking for another pumpkin recipe? Try this spicy pumpkin one pot pasta.

How to make Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry

Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet, add onion and garlic to the warm oil, and saute until soft and fragrant.

Step 2: While those cook, stir together salt, turmeric, chili powder, cumin, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon. Pour seasoning blend into the skillet and mix with the other ingredients to toast for another minute.

Step 3: Add cubed chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken, tossing occasionally. While the chicken cooks, whisk together the coconut milk and pumpkin puree until a smooth mixture remains. 

Step 4: Pour the coconut milk and pumpkin mixture into the skillet along with the sliced bell pepper and cubed squash. Mix everything together and let the liquid start to simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

Recipe FAQs

Storage and Reheating

Once prepared, store this pumpkin coconut chicken curry in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.