Pumpkin Chicken Curry

I had some pumpkin in the freezer and decided it'd be good to use in a curry inspired by Jamie Oliver.  Tomato and curry powder predominate in this dish, so if you or a family member isn't a fan of pumpkin, don't be afraid to make this!  The coconut milk gives the curry a nice creaminess.  I tried adding broccoli when reheating one of the servings, but  cauliflower works much better due to its neutral color and less bitter taste.  Cauliflower (gobi) is commonly used in Indian cooking.

Nutrition Highlight: Pumpkin

Like sweet potatoes, pumpkin gets its orange color from beta-carotene, which converts into the active form of Vitamin A. 

Vitamin A is an antioxidant that protects skin, decreases risk of cancer, and is essential for eye health. 

I recently attended a lecture on phytochemicals by a UCLA professor.  Color in fruits and vegetables indicates the presence of phytochemicals, which fight disease and protect vital organs like the heart.  Dark green and orange fruits and vegetables are high in carotenoids.

• Pumpkin has these antioxidant carotenoids:
• carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein & zeaxanthin 
• Lutein and zeaxanthin are in the retina and help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts by filtering out UV light.

Tips for Using Pumpkin 

Don't just reserve pumpkin for that Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. As little as 1/4 c of canned pumpkin (just as healthy as fresh) has 1.7 g fiber, 75% of DV for Vitamin A, 8% of DV for Vitamin E and 6% of DV for iron and magnesium.  (Sources vary on amounts of vitamin A in pumpkin.) 

• Stir pumpkin into oatmeal, chili, mac 'n cheese, hummus, and pasta sauce.  
• Try a tablespoon of pumpkin in hot milk or coffee with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
• Mix equal amounts of pumpkin and plain yogurt with some cinnamon and pepitas sprinkled on top.

Cooking Tip

Toast millet before cooking.

Toasting enhances the flavor of millet, which has a very mild taste.  Pour the millet into a dry skillet over high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, the millet will start to pop a little and will take 5-6 minutes to get toasty.  The aroma is wonderful!  

Pumpkin Curry Chicken 
Printable Recipe

This curry smells heavenly while simmering. The flavor of coconut milk does not predominate, but balances the tang of the tomatoes and spice from the peppers and curry powder. I'm fairly sensitive to heat, but 2 jalapeños didn't make it overly spicy.  

Don't skimp on pumpkin, because this gives body to the dish and also helps moderate the tomatoes' acidity.

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 in pieces 

1 T coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium onion diced

2-3 tsp freshly grated ginger, freshly grated (about a 1" knob)

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 1/2 cup canned pureed pumpkin (don't skimp)

2 T curry powder 

1 tsp cinnamon

1 serrano pepper or 2 jalapeño peppers, deseeded and diced (wear disposable gloves)

6 oz. can tomato paste

15 oz can whole coconut milk 

15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tsp salt 

4 c cauliflower (half a head), optional *read note on freezing first

cilantro or scallions, garnish

millet, cooked
whole wheat naan

roasted sweet potato wedges, optional

Heat oil in 12" skillet or dutch oven and saute onions until clear (not brown) for about 5 min. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper and cook for another 2 min. Blend in the curry powder and cinnamon.  Add diced tomatoes, pumpkin, coconut milk, and tomato paste. (NOTE: if prepping in advance, stop here and refrigerate.)

Heat sauce throughout. Add diced chicken, and cover and simmer for an hour to allow flavors to marry.  Curries develop their flavor over time, so they are even better the next day.

While the curry simmers, make millet.  Bring 1 1/2 c water to a boil and in a dry skillet, toast 1/2 c of millet as described above in the cooking tip.  The water will be ready about the same time as the millet. Add millet slowly to water, reduce heat to a simmer, cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Fluff then serve.  Millet is really good with "saucy" meals because it's absorbent and very mild tasting.

If adding cauliflower, add in the last 10 minutes of simmering. Serve over millet (1/2 c per person) with whole wheat naan.  Garnish with cilantro or snipped scallions.  I also recommend serving with some roasted sweet potato wedges, whose sweetness balances the tang from the tomatoes.  Makes 4-5 servings. 

Note on freezing: Since I'm cooking for one person, I ate 1 serving and froze the rest in 4 separate containers.  Cruciferous vegetables lose a lot of nutrients with heat, so by adding 1 c of cauliflower per serving upon reheating, you avoid overcooking it.