Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin | www.floatingkitchen.net

Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin

This post was originally published here on October 24, 2016. I’ve since updated the text and photographs.

Tomorrow we turn the calendar to November. And I think the internet will go into full-fledged Holiday mode. It will be a steady stream of mashed potatoes, green bean casseroles and exquisitely decorated pies and cookies for the next two months.

So I figured it would be best to finish out the month of October with one final recipe for an easy, weeknight dinner.

Not that I have any qualms about making an entire meal out of Holiday side dishes and desserts alone. In fact, I may even prefer that on many occasions! But it’s nice to have some options.

This Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin is hearty and satisfying. And it’s a great way to highlight fresh pumpkin in a savory dish. There are a lot of different pumpkin varieties that can be used for this recipe. I usually opt for a Sugar Pie Pumpkin or a Fairytale Pumpkin, because they are tasty AND easy to find. But you have lots of choices…especially if you include other Winter squashes in your search. This guide is a fantastic resource for helping to identify and select an edible pumpkin/squash variety for you needs. I highly recommend it!

Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin | www.floatingkitchen.net

This Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin uses one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts: a grocery store rotisserie chicken. In my opinion, these are one of the best money AND time savers you can purchase. It helps make this chili recipe come together in just 45 minutes. So you can have dinner done in a flash!

My favorite part about chili is always the toppings. It’s a fun and easy way to customize your bowl. I always reach for avocado and tortilla chips! What are your favorite chili toppings?

Cheers,

Liz

Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin

Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin

At a Glance:
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chili:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. ground oregano
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin (about 1-inch cubes)
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups cooked, cubed/shredded chicken
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • Juice from 1 lime

For Serving:

  • Fresh cilantro, minced
  • Red onion, minced
  • Avocado, diced
  • Roasted and salted pepitas

Instructions

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Then add the pumpkin purée, all the spices and the salt and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 
  2. Add the chicken broth, pumpkin and beans. Bring the chili up to a boil, scrapping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Then turn the heat down to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Add the chicken and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. Stir in the agave nectar and lime juice. 
  3. Top with fresh cilantro, minced red onion, chopped avocado and pepitas before for serving, if desired.
  4. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Gluten Free Goddess.

23 comments on “Chicken and White Bean Chili with Pumpkin”

  1. Looks and sound delicious Liz! I myself love pumpkin, so I can eat enough for the two of us! Can’t wait to check out all the pumpkin recipes! Thanks for sharing!

  2. This recipe sounds so good! And I am totally with you on the whole pumpkin front. I just started baking/cooking with them, and I love the flavor. Happy #virtualpumpkinparty! xoxo

  3. I LOVE pumpkin chili!! I need to make a vegetarian version of this ASAP… maybe with chickpeas? 😀

  4. I am a pumpkin lover, but I agree that August is just too soon. I too am up to my elbows in watermelon in the late summer. But once October hits, I am ready. And this chili is just perfect for our chilly days. Yum!

  5. All I want in life is this pumpkin chili!! Gorgeous, friend!

  6. Hi Liz, I really appreciate about your hobby. Your pumpkin chili recipe looks very yummy. I want to try it certainly. Thanks for sharing.

  7. I’m not a fan of spiced/too sweet pumpkin or squash soups, so this would be my ideal fall soup!

  8. Mmmmm, looks delicious Liz!! I love the contrast of the blue chips against the orange pumpkin. So pretty! Happy belated Pumpkin Day 🙂

  9. I love this, Liz! I feel like you’re the perfect example of why this pumpkin party makes sense (at least in my mind) – First of all, August is WAY too early. So this party gives us a chance to celebrate it now, when it MAKES SENSE. And secondly, I love how creative people get with pumpkin, whether it’s canned or fresh, to find ways to make it work for them, especially if they’re not into the whole “pumpkin spice” scene. Your chili is perfect and it sounds delicious. I also totally love the shortcut of using rotisserie chicken. We do that all the time. Thanks so much for joining in! xoxo

    • Thanks for hosting and organizing, Sara! And yup – definitely many ways to make pumpkin work for everyone! 🙂

  10. This sounds very good, though I would sub the pumpkin for butternut squash – or purple sweet potatoes. I’ve never been a big fan of pumpkin, though I try to eat it. But my husband doesn’t like it at all. Fortunately we do like both butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

  11. great chili recipe and I love all chilis, white bean is nice with chicken and even pumpkin, a nice tweak, thank you!

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