Fall means pumpkin spice and I am incorporating those flavors into every meal I eat like this curry chicken recipe! Marinate the chicken in a delicious sauce. Then, create a fall twist to a curry sauce. The pumpkin replaces cream for a lighter and delicious sauce.
What is Curry
I do have to preface, this is not the most authentic take on a curry; however, I did mention that.
Curry is a dish in South Asian cuisine known for having a lot of spices. You can make it with coconut milk, some with different meats (or vegetarian versions), some with lots of sauce and some with little sauce. But, it can be more of a soup-y type of dish, a chicken and sauce dish or just some heavily seasoned chicken.
My pumpkin curry recipe takes on the classic chicken curry and gives it some fall flavors.
Why Do I Love Pumpkin Curry
It reminds me of fall! In Florida, we don't get much of a fall season so I try to make the most out of it.
This pumpkin curry is such a fun take on a classic recipe.
Quick Substitutions
I use tomato sauce, which I think is kind of cheating. But, I always have it open in my fridge and use it when I just need a little tomato taste. You can substitute crushed tomatoes or something similar.
Any type of milk works; however, I do use almond milk as that is what I always have.
Essential Ingredients
These are the essential ingredients that you will need to make the best pumpkin curry.
We can subdivide the ingredients into two categories, the marinade/chicken and the sauce.
Marinade Ingredients:
- Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- Chicken tenderloins
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Salt
Sauce Ingredients:
- Diced onions
- Minced garlic
- Tomatoes
- Ginger
- Cumin
- Curry powder
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- Milk
- Pumpkin
Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
You can really use any yogurt to marinate the pumpkin curry; however, I always use plain, nonfat greek yogurt as it has extra protein and is pretty good for you.
Chicken Tenderloins
Use any type of chicken; however, I really prefer chicken tenderloins. These are very tender, hence the name. I love using little cut up piece of chicken; however, you can also use full pieces. You can also try chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or another type of meat.
Diced Onions and Minced Garlic
You can buy pre-minced garlic; however, I love mincing my own with this mini food processor. You can also use that for the onion, depending on how big you like the pieces.
Tomatoes
I use tomato sauce, which I think is kind of cheating. But, I always have it open in my fridge and use it when I just need a little tomato taste. You can substitute crushed tomatoes or something similar.
Ginger
I just use ground ginger; however, you can also use fresh ginger and sauté it a little with the garlic.
Cinnamon
I love the pinch of cinnamon because it adds sweetness to the pumpkin curry; however, you can skip it.
Butter
By butter.. I mean margarine. I always use ICBINB light margarine. But, you can use real butter.
Milk
Any type of milk works; however, I do use almond milk as that is what I always have.
Pumpkin
You are going to need pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.
How to Make Chicken with a Pumpkin Sauce
Start by marinading the chicken. Slice chicken up into bite-sized pieces. Then, season the chicken with the 'marinade' seasonings.
Place into a bowl, baggie or container and add in the yogurt. Then, toss to combine. Place a lid on the container (or seal the bag) and store in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the chicken to marinade in the sauce.
Once the chicken is done marinading, heat a large pan over medium / high heat. Drizzle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
Add chicken (without rinsing or rubbing off the marinade) and sauté until fully cooked. I move around and flip the chicken every few minutes. Then, set the pumpkin curry chicken aside on a clean plate.
In the same pan, add the butter and allow it to melt. Then, add the diced onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Combine with the remaining sauce ingredients and bring the heat down to low/medium. Then, stir everything together and allow it to come to a slight simmer.
Once simmering, remove from heat, add the chicken back in, then, toss the pumpkin curry to coat.
There is tons of sauce to serve over rice or veggies!
FAQs
You can store pumpkin curry in the fridge for up to three to four days in an air tight container. To heat it up, I typically pop it in the microwave for a few minutes; however, you can also add it back to the stovetop.
More of my Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Curry
Fall means pumpkin spice and I am incorporating those flavors into every meal I eat like this curry chicken recipe! Marinate the chicken in a delicious sauce. Then, create a fall twist to a curry sauce.
Pumpkin Curry
Equipment
- Stovetop
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon light margarine ICBINB
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- ⅛ cup diced white onion
- ⅛ cup crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
- ⅓ cup pure pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon ginger ground
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Start by marinading the chicken. Slice chicken up into bite-sized pieces. Then, season the chicken with the 'marinade' seasonings.
- Place into a bowl, baggie or container and add in the yogurt. Toss to combine. Place a lid on the container (or seal the bag) and store in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the chicken to marinade in the sauce.
- Once the chicken is done marinading, heat a large pan over medium / high heat. Drizzle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Add chicken (without rinsing or rubbing off the marinade) and sauté until fully cooked. I move around and flip the chicken every few minutes. Then, set the pumpkin curry chicken aside on a clean plate.
- In the same pan, add the butter and allow it to melt. Then, add the diced onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Combine with the remaining sauce ingredients and bring the heat down to low/medium. Then, stir everything together and allow it to come to a slight simmer.
- Once simmering, remove from heat, add the chicken back in, then, toss the pumpkin curry to coat.
Nutrition
Click here to automatically calculate your Weight Watchers points. This dish is zero point for me; however, may be different for you.
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