Description
A creamy and comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Pumpkin Curry, blending tender chicken breast with sweet pumpkin and fragrant coconut milk, infused with red curry paste and a touch of lime. This easy, hands-off recipe offers rich flavors and a perfect balance of spice and sweetness, ideal for cozy meals.
Ingredients
Curry Base
- 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, shaken
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 pounds sugar pie pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups) or 2 (14-ounce) cans pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
Finishing Touches & Garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
- Cooked rice, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Toasted cashews, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker. In the slow cooker pot, combine coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, and light brown sugar. Add pumpkin pieces and chicken breasts, making sure they are submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for about 8 hours, until pumpkin is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Shred Chicken. Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker using tongs or a slotted spoon and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Blend Pumpkin. Season the remaining liquid in the slow cooker with kosher salt. Use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender and blend the pumpkin until completely smooth. If using canned pumpkin puree, skip this blending step.
- Add Chicken and Bell Peppers. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add the sliced red bell peppers. Cover and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes until the peppers soften.
- Finish with Spinach and Lime Juice. Stir in the baby spinach and fresh lime juice just before serving, allowing the spinach to wilt gently in the residual heat.
- Serve. Spoon the curry over cooked rice and garnish with lime wedges, minced fresh cilantro, and toasted cashews for added texture and freshness.
Notes
- You can substitute butternut squash for pumpkin to vary the flavor and texture.
- If you prefer a less spicy curry, reduce the amount of red curry paste.
- This curry can be prepared a day in advance for enhanced flavor; reheat gently before serving.
- Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce to make the dish gluten-free.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with firm tofu or chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
