Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry
This comforting Pumpkin Chicken Curry is the best way to warm up on a cold Fall evening. It is made with pumpkin, tender chicken, Thai red curry paste, and coconut milk and is ready in less than 30 minutes for an easy, cozy dinner!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pumpkin or Kabocha squash bite-sized pieces, 1 lb
- 1 can Coconut Milk 14oz
- 3 tablespoon Red Curry Paste adjust to taste
- 1 pound Chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar or palm sugar
- 5-6 Kaffir lime leaves crushed
- 8-10 Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup Red Bell Pepper sliced, or a mix of red and green.
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 Lime or Lemon juiced
- Roasted Peanuts optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the kabocha squash/pumpkin with water. Dry it and remove the skin (you can leave the skin on if you prefer). Cut and remove the seeds by scraping them off with a spoon. Then, cut the pumpkin into bite-sized cubes (about 1-inch).
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 1/2 cup of coconut milk to a boil on medium-high heat. Then add the curry paste and stir it well. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes (the oil may start to separate).
- Add the chicken thighs, stir, and cook for a minute. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime leaves.
- Then add the pumpkin and the rest of the coconut milk. Stir and simmer for about 3-4 minutes until you see a boil. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked through.
- Remove the lid and stir in Thai basil and red bell peppers. Stir and cook for a minute, then take off the heat.
- Taste and add salt if needed. Sprinkle some lime or lemon juice. Optionally, garnish with crushed peanuts. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.
Instant Pot Method
- Start the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Then add the curry paste and stir it well. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes (the oil may start to separate).
- Add the chicken thighs, stir, and cook for a minute. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, lime leaves, and pumpkin. Give it all a good stir and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Pressure cook for 4 minutes on high pressure. When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure manually.
- Open the lid and set to sauté mode. Add remaining coconut milk, Thai basil, and red bell peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off.
- Sprinkle some lime or lemon juice. Optionally, garnish with crushed peanuts. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
Spicy? Start with less red curry paste, 2-3 tablespoons, and add more based on your spice preference.
Veggies: I kept the recipe simple, just adding bell peppers. However, you can add other veggies such as broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, green beans, zucchini, or carrots, too. Add quick-cooking veggies after the pumpkin and chicken are cooked. For veggies such as carrots, potatoes, and baby corn, along with the chicken, before pressure cooking.
Variation: To amp up the flavor even more when using store-bought curry paste, you can sauté half a tablespoon of ginger and garlic in oil along with the paste.
Rice: While you are cooking the curry, don’t forget to cook the jasmine rice. You can also serve this curry with coconut rice or brown rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5341IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg