Chicken Black Bean Pumpkin Chili
Chicken Black Bean Pumpkin Chili is a hearty but healthy fall meal! Pair it with cornbread or tortilla chips, and dig in!
Happy first day of fall!
But first, I know what you're thinking - pumpkin in chili?! Don't worry, it tastes nothing like a mash-up of pumpkin pie and chili. There aren't any pumpkin-y spices to be found in this chili - only pureed pumpkin. The pumpkin puree adds a teeny tiny hint of sweetness and also gives it a boost of Vitamin A and potassium. Who knew eating pumpkin was so good for you?!
Along with the health benefits from the pumpkin, this Chicken Black Bean Pumpkin Chili also stays healthy with the lean ground chicken. If you want to go totally vegetarian, just omit the chicken and add an extra can of black beans.
Another thing this chili has going for it? I had it to the simmering point of the recipe within 20 minutes of starting. Granted, I was in a rush so I was whipping through things pretty quick. However, if you get the chicken on the stove right away, you can chop up the veggies while the chicken is cooking. Then it's just a matter of opening a bunch of cans and dumping it all in.
A little note about the heat level - I kept mine pretty mild because 1) I'm a wuss and 2) I wanted Lars to be able to eat it. I put a range for the amount of cayenne pepper to add so I would just start on the lower end and add more and more to your liking.
Like all chilis, toppings are also a personal preference. I consider cheese, plain Greek yogurt, and green onions not optional. I also loved breaking up some tortilla chips and putting that on top of this chili, too. Add whatever you prefer! Cilantro would be delish, too.
Looking for more chili recipes? Check these out!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ⅛-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on how spicy you like it
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn
- chopped green onion shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt for topping
- cornbread or tortilla chips to serve with
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the ground chicken as it cooks into small pieces.
- Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until beginning to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt, stir well, and cook another minute.
- Add beans, pumpkin, diced tomatoes, and corn, and stir well.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes to let flavors develop.
- Serve topped with green onion, cheese, and sour cream/Greek yogurt and along with cornbread or tortilla chips
- Enjoy!
Looking forward to trying this yummy fall dish! -w
Thanks Wendy!
Deeeeeelish!!
Thanks Jan!! 🙂