Pumpkin Chicken Chili
A hearty chicken chili with pumpkin puree, white beans, chipotle in adobo, and tender shredded chicken thighs. Simmered in one pot and finished with fresh lime.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 15 ounces can white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1 lime juiced
- cilantro
- sour cream
- cheese
- tortilla strips
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pot. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. They don’t need to cook through yet.
- Stir in the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Toast the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin purée, white beans, chicken stock, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot, topped with cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, and fried tortilla strips.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are a great choice. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay tender during simmering and shred easily. Chicken breasts work too, but keep an eye on their cooking time.
- Sear the chicken first. Browning the chicken thighs before adding the stock develops extra flavor in the pot. They don't need to cook all the way through during this step.
- Toast the spices. Give the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder about 30 seconds in the pot before adding the liquids. This helps bring out their flavor.
- Use pure pumpkin puree. Look for plain, unsweetened pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices that don't belong in this savory chili.
- Adjust the chipotle to taste. Chipotles in adobo bring both smokiness and heat. Use less for a milder chili or add more if you like things spicy.
- Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked. Keep the pot covered as directed and cook until the thighs are tender and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Then remove and shred them before returning them to the chili.
- Finish with fresh lime juice. Stir in the lime after the chicken has been shredded and returned to the pot. The acidity brightens the pumpkin and smoky chipotle flavors.
- Add toppings just before serving. Cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and crispy tortilla strips make every bowl better. Store the toppings separately from leftover chili.
Nutrition (estimated)
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 11345IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 5mg