Got some leftover chicken and canned pumpkin? This Pumpkin Chicken Soup is the easiest one-pot meal and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! The red curry paste adds maximum flavor with minimal effort while the pumpkin mellows it out. Perfect for a cozy night in! {Gluten-free & paleo}
Table of Contents
Curried Pumpkin Chicken Soup Recipe
When the temperatures drop, it’s officially soup season and this one is perfect for cooler days!
It’s loaded with protein-packed chicken, pumpkin puree, creamy coconut milk and infused with Thai curry flavors.
We like to garnish it with fresh cilantro and lime juice for flavors that POP!
Featured Comment
“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!!”
Elysia’s Recipe Recap
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 (and lightning quick).
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. It’s a great healthy meal for soup season!
Family-friendly: This delicious soup is packed with flavor and the fact that it’s so easily customizable makes it a hit with both kids and adults. It’s also not too spicy, despite the red curry paste, so don’t worry.
Serving Suggestions: We love serving this soup along with a side of this kale and beetroot salad or high protein pita bread to sop up every last drop.
If you love these flavors, you’ll also enjoy this Thai Shrimp Curry Soup and Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup, or check out these other High Protein Soup Recipes!
Ingredient Notes
- Shredded chicken: You can either prepare your own shredded cooked chicken using one of the methods listed below or purchase a pre-made rotisserie chicken for super easy prep.
- Pumpkin Purée: 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.
- Low sodium chicken broth: For extra protein, feel free to splurge on chicken bone broth can be subbed in as well.
- Full-fat coconut milk: For a rich, creamy soup and to mellow out the heat.
- Red curry paste: My favorite red curry paste is the one from Thai Kitchen.
How to Make Pumpkin Soup with Chicken
- Step 1: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, 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.
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.
How to Make Shredded Chicken
There are a few different options for preparing the shredded chicken. If you choose to make your own, I recommend prepping it ahead of time to cut down on preparation time when making this soup.
- Slow cooker: Place boneless skinless 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.
Recipe FAQs
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 flavor 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.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
To store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container or covered saucepan in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
To reheat: You can reheat this soup on the stove in a large pot 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 pot. 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. You can also reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
This recipe is also 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. This method of batch cooking makes life SO much easier.
To freeze: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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. Pull it out of the freezer 24 hours before serving and place on the stove in a large sauce pan until heated through.
Topping Ideas
Although the recipe instructions say the garnishes are “optional,” they are HIGHLY recommended for optimal flavor. I used a half cup of fresh cilantro, and the juice of one lime to flavor up the pot of soup. Then, I topped each serving with some diced avocado and additional cilantro.
You can also play with these topping options:
- Green onions
- Diced avocado
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Homemade crispy tortilla strips or store-bought tortilla chips
- An extra drizzle of coconut milk
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
Serving Suggestions
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.
You can also spoon it over a bed of brown rice or quinoa to make it heartier. It makes great grain bowls like this, too!
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have red curry paste? Try using a couple of teaspoons of curry powder instead.
- Extra veggies: Add extra diced red bell pepper or toss in some diced carrots, spinach or kale.
- Add more fiber: Add a can of black beans to really make this soup stick to your ribs. Corn works great, too!
- 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.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Potato Soup
- Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Soup without Noodles
- Chicken Meatball Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Pumpkin Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups no salt-added chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons 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 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups shredded chicken (the equivalent of about three 4-ounce chicken breasts)
- 1/2 teaspoon 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
- Adjust the consistency: If the soup thickens as it sits, simply stir in a splash of broth or coconut milk to thin it out to your liking.
- Don’t skip the garnishes: While optional, they really elevate the flavor. Try stirring in fresh cilantro and lime juice, then topping each bowl with diced avocado and extra cilantro.
- Add something crunchy: This soup pairs perfectly with baked tortilla chips for dipping or scooping. Brush tortilla wedges with olive oil, season lightly, and bake at 375°F until golden and crisp.
- Great for meal prep: Double or triple the batch and freeze in individual portions for quick, easy meals later on.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in September 2018 but was updated in October 2023 to include more helpful tips and photos. The text and formatting were updated again in December 2025.
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 :)