Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Stew
This time of year, a hearty stew with some crispy bread is pretty hard to beat for me. Warming, a little kick, a one pot big batch that’s freezer friendly? That’s a whole love language for me. This Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Stew was creamy, sweet from the pumpkin, a little spicy from the jalapeño, and packed with juicy chicken thighs! The chickpeas gave some texture, the bell pepper added crunch, and the spice blend and fresh herbs created so much flavor. This was easy to make, and my family really loved it. It exuded fall and winter vibes and most definitely had everybody going back for another serving!
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Why is stew such a staple during fall and winter?
When it’s cold outside, we naturally just want something warm! It physically comforts us and really causes us to relax while eating, since the dish is warm and slurp worthy. Plus, pretty much all stew ingredients are in season during the fall! You’ve got carrots, potatoes, onions, squash, turnips, and more. These veggies love being simmered in a big pot – it pulls out their natural flavors and softens them to the perfect, tender texture.
Stews are also typically freezer friendly, which many Americans look for in a recipe this time of year. We are busy, and we want meals that can be made in a big batch, stretching our ingredients and feeding our families more than once! Besides, fall is made for pumpkin, and it’s incredibly good for you too!
Did you know?
Sweet and spicy is one of the world’s oldest flavor pairings. Ancient cuisines often paired sweet fruits with things like honey, savory meats, and warm spices to create one cohesive dish. The sweetness also helps to naturally balance out the spiciness, which makes this flavor profile something most people like – there isn’t too much of any one flavor! The sweetness hits your tastebuds, meanwhile the spiciness is sensed by pain receptors in your brain. It’s like a whole sensory experience with a dish like this!
I think that’s pretty cool. Food is so much more than just food. It’s a journey!
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the chicken:
Bone-in Chicken Thighs
Salt
Black Pepper
Paprika
Olive Oil
For the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew:
Yellow Onion
Red Bell Pepper
Jalapeño
Garlic
Thyme
Tomato Paste
Paprika
Cumin
Chili Powder
Allspice
Cayenne
Canned Pure Pumpkin
Chicken Broth
Brown Sugar
Worcestershire
Salt
Black Pepper
Bay Leaves
Chickpeas
Half and Half
Apple Cider Vinegar
For serving:
Chives
Parmesan Cheese
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Baguette
What equipment do I need?
- Stockpot
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Cheese Grater
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Tongs
- Meat Thermometer
- Paper Towel
- Small Dish
- Whisk
How do I make it?
To prep the ingredients:
To get started on this recipe first wash all of the veggies and herbs, then pat them dry. Dice the yellow onion, mince the garlic, then deseed and dice the red pepper and the jalapeño pepper.
Pro Tip: Reserve some of the seeds and pith in the jalapeño if you want some spice!
Push the thyme off the sprigs, then set everything to the side for now.
To prep and cook the chicken:
Get out the chicken thighs and pat them very dry with paper toweling. Next, add the salt, black pepper, and paprika for the chicken to a small dish.
Whisk to combine, then rub the spices all over the chicken.
Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.
Get out a stockpot, then heat the oil for the chicken on medium. Add the thighs skin side down and cook undisturbed for a few minutes, flipping once when deeply golden brown in color.
Cook a few minutes more, working in batches if you need to, and removing the thighs to a plate until ready to use.
To make the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew:
In the same pot, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Add the garlic and thyme, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn and cooking until fragrant.
Next, add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, chili powder, allspice, cayenne, and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.
Pro Tip: This helps to deepen those flavors and really build up the spice profile!
Next, add the pumpkin and slowly pour in the broth, stirring until smooth. Stir in the brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, and the bay leaves.
Nestle the chicken thighs into the stew, skin side up.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
Partially cover and simmer for a while, adding the chickpeas in the last 15 minutes, and cooking until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 190-200F°.
Pro Tip: The chicken should be basically falling off the bone. That’s when you know it’s ready!
Once everything is done, remove the chicken thighs from the pot, discard the skin and bones, then shred the chicken between two forks and return back to the pot.
Pro Tip: The reason we are discarding that beautiful crispy skin is because it won’t stay crispy during the long simmer anyway. However, all of that rendered fat and flavor infuses into the stew, while the skin also helps protect the thighs from drying out as they cook low and slow!
Next, stir in the half and half and the apple cider vinegar.
Simmer uncovered another couple minutes, then remove from heat.
To serve:
Scoop the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew into bowls and top with thinly sliced chives, freshly shredded parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve with a crispy baguette and enjoy!
Tips:
- This dish was still family friendly even with the spice. If you’re wanting it even spicier – consider reserving all of the seeds in the one pepper, adding another jalapeño, or topping with red pepper flakes when serving.
- Sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- This makes a big batch! With about 10 servings, this recipe is perfect for a crowd.
- The chicken thighs add a ton of flavor here. However, if you don’t feel like dealing with the bones, consider using chicken breast instead. Just remember, chicken breast only needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F – beyond that, it will quickly dry out.
Love, love, love pumpkin this time of year? I hear ya!
Looking for more freezer friendly winter stews?
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 lbs. Bone-in Chicken Thighs
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Paprika
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
For the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew:
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 Jalapeño Pepper deseeded and diced
- 5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 4 Thyme Sprigs removed from sprigs
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- ¼ tsp Allspice
- ½ tsp Cayenne
- 3 – 15 oz Cans Pure Pumpkin
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 – 15 oz Can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Half and Half
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
For serving:
- Chives thinly sliced
- Parmesan Cheese freshly shredded
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Baguette
Instructions
To prep the ingredients:
- To get started on this recipe first wash all of the veggies and herbs, pat them dry, then prep them.
To prep and cook the chicken:
- Get out the chicken thighs and pat them very dry with paper toweling.
- Next, add the salt, black pepper, and paprika for the chicken to a small dish.
- Whisk to combine, rub the spices all over the chicken, then set aside on a plate until ready to cook.
- Get out a stockpot, then heat the oil for the chicken on medium.
- Add the thighs skin side down and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, flipping once when deeply golden brown in color.
- Cook 3 minutes more, working in batches if you need to, and removing the thighs to a plate until ready to use.
To make the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew:
- In the same pot, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Add the garlic and thyme, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn and cooking until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Next, add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, chili powder, allspice, cayenne, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Next, add the pumpkin and slowly pour in the broth, stirring until smooth.
- Stir in the brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, and the bay leaves.
- Nestle the chicken thighs into the stew, skin side up, then bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, then simmer for 40-55 minutes, adding the chickpeas in the last 15 and cooking until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 190-200F°.
- Once everything is done, remove the chicken thighs from the pot, discard the skin and bones, then shred the chicken between two forks and return back to the pot.
- Stir in the half and half, the apple cider vinegar, then simmer uncovered another 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
To serve:
- Scoop the sweet and spicy pumpkin chicken stew into bowls and top with thinly sliced chives, freshly shredded parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve with a crispy baguette and enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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