Comfort Food: Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Is it just me, or did pumpkin season fly by this year? I can’t believe we’re looking at November on the calendar already!
If you have not yet discovered the amazing superfood that is canned pumpkin, you’ve simply got to try out this recipe! As soon as you can. Canned pumpkin is no longer just for your standard pumpkin pie at the Thanksgiving table. You won’t believe how yummy (yet subtle and creamy) it tastes in this chili recipe.
Don’t even tell your kids there’s pumpkin in this recipe. They will never know! And you can just smile at them as they eat it up, knowing you’ve packed extra nutrition in their meal.
Without further ado…
Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 lb ground chicken or ground turkey (we prefer turkey around here)
- 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15 oz. canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 ½ Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper
- 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- Optional: sour cream, shredded cheese for the table
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add ground chicken or turkey to the pot and cook, stirring, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Return veggies to the pot.
- Add tomatoes, pumpkin, broth, chili powder, cumin, and ½ tsp salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I highly recommend serving this chili with some fresh-from-the-oven cornbread muffins. This meal is especially comforting on a cold winter’s day. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does!
Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe? I’m always looking for new ideas, so be sure to leave yours in the comments.
