Smoky Pumpkin Chicken Chili
A chunky one-pot fall chili with tender simmered pumpkin cubes, kidney beans, peppers and smoky spices, topped with juicy seared chicken breast. Hearty, gluten-free and ready in about an hour, it's the cozy game-day dinner for the first truly cold weekend of autumn.
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Ingredients
Serves 6
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts2 large, pounded to an even 3/4-inch thickness
- 1 tbsp smoked paprikadivided
- 1.5 tsp kosher saltdivided
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oildivided
- 1 large yellow oniondiced
- 1 red bell pepperdiced
- 2 poblano or Anaheim peppersseeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlicminced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 lb pie pumpkin or butternut squashpeeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoeshalved
- 2 15-oz cans red kidney beansdrained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juiceabout half a lime
- 0.5 cup sour cream or Greek yogurtfor serving; skip for dairy-free
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantrochopped, for serving
- 0.25 cup toasted pepitasfor serving
The method
Pat the chicken dry. Rub it all over with 1 tsp of the smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp of the salt and the black pepper.
3 minHeat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken without moving it until deeply golden, 5 to 6 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Move it to a cutting board to rest; keep the drippings in the pot.
12 minLower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the onion, red bell pepper and poblanos. Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly golden, about 6 minutes.
6 minStir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, the remaining 2 tsp smoked paprika, the cinnamon and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and brick red, about 2 minutes.
2 minAdd the pumpkin cubes, cherry tomatoes, kidney beans, chicken broth and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
3 minPartially cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is fork-tender but still holds its shape, 18 to 20 minutes. Press a few pumpkin cubes against the side of the pot to thicken the chili; if it still looks thin, simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes.
20 minTurn off the heat, stir in the lime juice and taste for salt. Slice the rested chicken across the grain. Ladle the chili into bowls, fan the chicken slices on top and finish with sour cream, cilantro and pepitas.
4 min
Timings are a guide. Use the instruction and your own judgment as you cook.
Tips
- Pumpkin or squash: Use a small sugar (pie) pumpkin, not a carving pumpkin, which is watery and stringy. Butternut squash works just as well and is easier to peel.
- Keep the cubes chunky: Cut the pumpkin into even 3/4-inch pieces so they turn tender without collapsing. Mashing just a few at the end gives the chili body without any flour.
- Shredded instead of sliced: Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it back into the pot if you’d rather serve it family-style.
- Make ahead: The chili keeps for 4 days in the fridge and tastes even better the next day. Store the chicken separately and slice it just before serving. The chili (without toppings) freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Heat level: For more kick, add a minced jalapeño with the peppers or a pinch of cayenne with the spices.
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