This Pumpkin Chicken Soup makes an easy, tasty and healthy one-pot meal that can be made in less than 30 minutes. The perfect recipe for meal prepping as it’s freezer-friendly and makes a quick dinner for those busy weeknights! {Gluten-free & paleo}
Table of Contents
Why Make Curried Pumpkin Chicken Soup
- Easy to make – In fact, it’s so easy that after the first time making it, I had memorized the ingredients and could make it off by heart. It’s that simple. As an added bonus, it can be made in under 30 minutes!
- One-pot meal – All of the ingredients are tossed into a pot for super easy prep and clean up.
- Perfect for meal prep – I love making up a large batch of this soup ahead of time for busy weeknights or storing in the freezer for later.
- Family-friendly – This soup is packed with flavour and the fact that it’s so easily customizable makes it a hit with both kids and adults!
Pumpkin Chicken Curry Soup Ingredients
- Shredded chicken – you can either prepare your own shredded chicken using one of the methods listed below or purchase a pre-made rotisserie chicken for super easy prep.
- Pumpkin – use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree or use fresh pumpkin puree. If you opt for canned, just make sure it’s the pure pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie filling, as that has a sweeter flavour and is much higher in sugar. The two can be easily confused since the packaging looks relatively similar.
- Coconut milk – for the purpose of this soup, you can use light or full-fat coconut milk. The full-fat will provide a creamier texture. For best results, go for the canned coconut milk; not the coconut milk purchased in a carton.
- Red curry paste – my favourite red curry paste is the one from Thai Kitchen. It’s amazing in this soup as well as this Thai Shrimp Curry Soup.
How to Make Curry Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
- Step 1: In a large saucepan, add olive oil and cook red pepper, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender.
- Step 2: Add in the broth, red curry paste, pumpkin puree, coconut milk and paprika and stir until smooth.
- Step 3: Stir in the shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Step 4: Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
Pumpkin Curry Soup Recipe Tips
- If the soup has been sitting for awhile, it may thicken up a bit so you may wish to add a bit more broth or coconut milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Although the recipe instructions say the garnishes are “optional,” they are HIGHLY recommended for optimal flavour. I used a half cup of cilantro, and the juice of one lime to flavour up the pot of soup. Then, I topped each serving with some diced avocado and additional cilantro.
- This soup pairs well with something that has a bit of crunch that can be used to dip into the soup or as a shovel to scoop up the chicken. I like to cut up a whole-grain tortilla or pita into wedges or strips, brush a little olive oil over top, and sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder and bake for about 10-15 minutes in the oven preheated at 375 F or until lightly browned and crispy. Just make sure you watch them closely as they can burn easily.
- This pumpkin chicken soup is also a great recipe if you’re looking to do some meal prepping or batch cooking. Just double or triple the recipe and freeze the soup in individual containers or large ziploc bags for quick and easy future meals. This method of batch cooking makes life SO much easier.
Pumpkin Chicken Curry Recipe FAQs
How to make shredded chicken
There are a few different options for preparing the shredded chicken. If you choose to do your own shredded chicken, I recommend prepping it ahead of time to cut down on preparation time when making this soup.
Here are some options for shredded chicken:
Slow cooker: Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker and cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours. Shred using two forks.
Instant pot: Add the chicken breasts and chicken stock to the bowl of your pressure cooker. Arrange the chicken breasts so that they are spread out in an even layer. Cover and set the pressure cooker lid valve to “sealing.” Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, followed by a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release (carefully flip the valve to “venting”) to release whatever pressure remains. Remove the lid and use two forks to shred the chicken.
Boil chicken breasts: Place chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water or broth and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Shred chicken.
Use a rotisserie chicken: The easiest method is to purchase a pre-made rotisserie chicken or make one yourself and simply remove the chicken from the bone. This is especially great if you’re really tight on time.
How long should you boil chicken to shred it?
The amount of time that you boil chicken will depend on the size of your chicken breasts. Start by simmering them for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove one breast from the pot and check its doneness. The internal temperature should be 165°. If they need more time, continue to simmer and check their doneness every 5 minutes until they are fully cooked through and tender enough to shred.
How do you thicken pumpkin soup?
If you’d like a thicker soup, there are a few different options. First, you can add less broth. This option will result in the soup having a slightly stronger flavour since it won’t be as diluted with the broth.
An even better option is to use a slurry to thicken the soup using either cornstarch or flour.
To thicken with cornstarch: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water for each cup of soup.
To thicken with flour: Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with ¼ cup cold water for each cup of soup.
After adding the slurry for both the cornstarch or flour method, bring the soup to a boil and allow it to simmer until thickened.
Is pumpkin chicken curry soup healthy?
Yes, one of my favourite aspects of this recipe is that it’s packed with nutrients! The pumpkin in this recipe increases the fibre content to 4 grams per serving, which can help promote that feeling of fullness and also aid in weight control and overall digestive health.
Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin A, which is key for healthy vision, proper cell growth, and a strong immune system.
Additionally, one cup of cooked pumpkin provides a third of the daily vitamin C requirement and contains B-complex vitamins such as folate, niacin, vitamin B6, thiamin, and pantothenic acid. That’s a lot of nutrients in a bowl of soup, not to mention the protein and iron found in the chicken!
How long does pumpkin soup last in the fridge?
You can store this soup in the fridge for up to four days in an air-tight container or covered saucepan.
Can you freeze pumpkin soup?
Yes! It’s one of my favourite soups to make ahead of time and store in the freezer because it freezes beautifully! You can store it in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
To store: Store this pumpkin chicken curry soup soup in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to four days.
To freeze: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
To reheat: You can reheat this soup on the stove in a large saucepan over medium low heat until heated through. Be careful not to turn up the stove too high as it may cause the soup to stick to the bottom of the pan. You may wish to add some additional broth or coconut milk to the soup when reheating it to thin it out a bit as it tends to thicken the longer it sits.
From frozen: Pull it out of the freezer 24 hours before serving and place on the stove in a large sauce pan until heated through.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Chicken Curry Soup
The best part about this soup is that it’s easily customizable and you can spruce it up with lots of toppings.
Try out the following add-ons:
- Cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Homemade crispy tortilla strips or store-bought tortilla chips
- An extra drizzle of coconut milk
You can also serve it with any of the following sides for an even more fall-inspired dish:
- Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Kale Beet Salad
- Christmas Wreath Salad
- Spinach Orange Salad with Pomegranates & Almonds
- Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries
- Green Bean Almondine Recipe
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have red curry paste? Try using a couple of teaspoons of curry powder instead.
- Extra veggies: Add extra diced pepper or toss in some diced carrots, spinach or kale.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- For extra creaminess: Use full-fat coconut milk. You can also increase the amount if desired.
What Readers Are Saying
“This soup is amazing. I didn’t have red curry paste so I used 2 tsp curry powder and added more bell pepper.” – WeLoveTheFair
More Similar Recipes
- Curry Chicken Marinade
- Easy Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Chicken Potato Soup
- Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Lemon Chicken Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Pumpkin Chicken Curry Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups no salt-added chicken broth
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 2 cups pure pumpkin puree can use fresh or canned
- 1 400mL can coconut milk (can use light or full-fat)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 cups shredded chicken (the equivalent of about three 4-ounce chicken breasts)
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro chopped
Optional garnishes (but highly recommended):
- Additional cilantro
- Lime juice
- Sliced avocado
- Baked crispy whole-wheat tortilla strips or pita chips*
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add olive oil and cook red pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender.
- Add in the next five ingredients (through to paprika) and stir until smooth. Stir in the shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Just before serving, stir in cilantro. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice, additional cilantro, diced avocado and crispy baked tortilla or pita chips, if desired.
Notes
- If the soup has been sitting awhile, it may thicken up a bit so you may wish to add a bit more broth or coconut milk to thin it out to desired consistency.
- Although the recipe instructions say the garnishes are “optional,” they are HIGHLY recommended for optimal flavour. I used a half cup of cilantro, and the juice of one lime to flavour up the pot of soup. Then, I topped each serving with some diced avocado and additional cilantro.
- This soup pairs well with something that has a bit of crunch that can be used to dip into the soup or as a shovel to scoop up the chicken. I like to cut up a whole-grain or corn tortilla into wedges or strips, brush a little olive oil over top, and sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder and bake at 375 F for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Just make sure you watch them closely as they can burn easily.
- This recipe is great if you’re looking to do some meal prepping or batch cooking. Just double or triple the recipe and freeze the soup in individual containers or large ziploc bags for quick and easy future meals.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in September 2018 but was updated in September 2020 to include better tips and photos.
Just made it for the Mrs and she just couldn’t get enough of it and now she’s made me the official saucier for our home!!
That’s awesome!! Great way to score those brownie points ;)
This soup was amazing. It is going into the regular rotation once it gets cold (though now that I’m writing this it would be a good cold soup without the chicken.)
I kept the chicken out until the vegetables had become completely soft and I used an immersion blender to get it to the consistency I wanted. Then I added the chicken and let it simmer several more minutes. I don’t think that was really necessary. I probably won’t do that next time, but it gave it a smoother consistency.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup — thanks for leaving a review and sharing your modifications! I bet it tasted delicious all blended up. And yes, you could totally serve it as a cold soup without the chicken. Great idea!
I threw in a big tablespoon of apple butter as well. This recipe is killer. A genuine party in the mouth.
Oooh love that idea of adding apple butter! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review :)