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.
30 minutes
Beginner-friendly
Quick Look: Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🥥 Servings: 4 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 207 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Cook on the stovetop in a skillet
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Chicken, full-fat coconut milk, and pumpkin puree
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Very easy; perfect for beginners!
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Lena left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I have had recipe this saved forever and finally made it tonight, it definitely lived up to the hype in my head! Really flavorful and easy. Will for sure be making this again soon.”
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.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry 🥥
- Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added sweeteners and spices that will throw off the flavor of the curry. Make sure the label says 100% pumpkin.
- Toast your spices. Add the dry spices to the pan for 30-60 seconds before adding the liquids. Toasting the spices briefly in the oil releases their flavor and makes the curry taste much more complex.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end. Every batch of spices is a little different. Taste the curry before serving and add more salt, a squeeze of lime, or a pinch of cayenne to get the flavor just right.
- Use full fat coconut milk. Full fat coconut milk gives the curry a much richer and creamier texture than light coconut milk. It also balances out the spices better.
I also use pumpkin in my healthy pumpkin chicken chili recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this curry vegan?
Yes! Swap the chicken for 2 cans of chickpeas. The rest of the recipe stays the same and it is just as delicious.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes, but canned pumpkin is much easier and more consistent. If using fresh, roast and puree the pumpkin first and make sure it has a smooth texture.
What do you serve with pumpkin chicken curry?
It is great over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Naan bread is also a delicious option for soaking up the sauce.
Can I make this curry ahead of time?
Yes! This curry reheats really well and the flavor gets even better the next day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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.
Check Out these other Comforting skillet dishes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Pumpkin Coconut Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion – finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic – finely minced or grated
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast – cut into bite sized cubes
- 1 15oz can full fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 red bell pepper – sliced into strips
- 10 oz cubed butternut squash – fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic to the warm oil and saute until soft and fragrant – about 4 minutes.
- 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.
- Add cubed chicken to the skillet and increase heat to medium. Cook the chicken, tossing occasionally for about 6 minutes.
- While the chicken cooks, whisk together the coconut milk and pumpkin puree until a smooth mixture remains.
- 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. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro.
Recipe Notes
- Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added sweeteners and spices that will throw off the flavor of the curry. Make sure the label says 100% pumpkin.
- Toast your spices. Add the dry spices to the pan for 30-60 seconds before adding the liquids. Toasting the spices briefly in the oil releases their flavor and makes the curry taste much more complex.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end. Every batch of spices is a little different. Taste the curry before serving and add more salt, a squeeze of lime, or a pinch of cayenne to get the flavor just right.
- Use full fat coconut milk. Full fat coconut milk gives the curry a much richer and creamier texture than light coconut milk. It also balances out the spices better.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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