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Slowcooker Pumpkin Chicken Chili is a perfect option for your fall nights! This chicken chili with pumpkin is full of hearty protein, vegetables, fiber and vitamins, and great for warming you up and keeping you nourished. It also works great as an instant pot pumpkin chili recipe. 

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Fall is chili season. And even better, it’s slowcooker pumpkin chili season.

Like most people, I tend to load up on canned pumpkin in the fall, and forget about it during all other seasons.

But, in reality, let’s remember that you can make this pumpkin chicken chili recipe any time of year because pumpkin and chicken chili recipes go beautifully together.

Iit’s the same with chicken and sweet potato chili, in case you’re wondering!

I’ve tested this recipe multiple times and had many readers email me sharing their successes and how much they loved it.

Everyone agrees that adding pumpkin to chili is such a game changer!

In fact, we made a few batches of this chicken chili with pumpkin for my son’s first birthday party and everyone loved it.

We also made these Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins and they were so great when dipping INTO the chili. What a great idea!

I’ll admit, it’s tough to choose between this, pumpkin sweetpotato soup and sausage tortellini soup when I want warm and nourishing.

They are all creamy and full of flavor, so it really depends on the mood I’m in.

Soups and chilis are some of the best meals for postpartum because they offer warm, nourishing nutrients to help the body repair.

Why We Love Chicken Pumpkin Chili

This pumpkin chicken chili recipe is one of my favorite recipes to date.

• Set it and go – With crockpot pumpkin chili, set it and go about your day, play with your kids, get a run in, etc. It’s so hands off, and who knows, it just may become your favorite instant pot pumpkin chili recipe too.
• Great leftovers – I could always eat another bowl pumpkin white bean chili. I love leftovers for lunch – easy and filling.
• Nutritious – As a Registered Dietitian, I’m a big proponent of soups because I think you can add a variety of great ingredients that aid the immune system. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, as well as Vitamins A and C (great for fall immunity!) and antioxidants.
• Easy to make in bulk and freeze for later – Don’t we all need more freezer friendly meals? We rely on them for busy seasons, like pregnancy, postpartum, solo parenting, getting back from travel, etc.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin – Like sweet potato, pumpkin is just such a versatile ingredient and addition to soups, stews and chilis. It offers so much flavor, texture and nutrition! Make sure you get pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
• Maple Syrup – Adds a mild sweetness and some micronutrients. You can omit this if you’d like, but I think it’s nicely balanced by the jalapeno and red pepper flakes. 
• White beans – I love using white bean pumpkin chili, so I prefer the white beans, as they have more texture to them than just black beans. But, any sort of bean will offer ample fiber, iron, magnesium, protein, calcium and B-vitamins!
• Canned tomatoes – High in Vitamin C and lycopene, an antioxidant!
• Ground Chicken or Turkey – I prefer chicken with these flavors, but ground turkey would also work! Or, to keep it vegetarian, just omit the meat.
• Onions – The best starter to a soup, in my opinion! Fresh or frozen onions both work.
• Jalapeno – optional, but the sweet and spicy balance is great with it!
• Broth – chicken, vegetable or bone broth
• Spices – We’re using cinnamon, chili powder, paprika, salt, pumpkin pie spice
• Crockpot or slow cooker (doesn’t have to be anything too fancy), or an instant pot

Adaptations

As stated above, you can certainly swap in other ground meat for the chicken, or keep it meat-free!

• For a vegan pumpkin chili, leave the cheese and meat out and load up on beans and/or plant-based cheese. 
• For a paleo pumpkin chili, omit the beans and use more meat.

How to Make Chicken Chili with Pumpkin

You’ll just need about 3 hours from start to finish to make slow cooker pumpkin chili. If you have an instant pot, it will be ready quicker (in 40 minutes) – make sure to check the notes in the recipe card!

Add your ingredients for your chicken chili with pumpkin to the slowcooker in the morning, and have it done by the time you get back from church or your long run.

Seriously, these are the best kind of recipes for marathon training, or for busy people who want to be efficient and not spend all day in the kitchen. My version of simple meal prep.

If you’re heading off to work or will be out of the house for longer, just cook it on low. It takes 5-7 hours over low heat, versus 3 hours on medium-high heat.

How to Make Chicken Pumpkin Chili in the Instant Pot

You can easily make this pumpkin chicken chili recipe in the instant pot instead of the crockpot. 

• First, start with the saute function, and add olive oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeno, which is optional.
• Add your ground chicken and spices and continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the remaining ingredients and lock the lid.
• Set the instant pot to “pressure cooker” on HIGH for 14 minutes.
• Once the beeper goes off, let the Instant Pot manually release for 15 minutes. 

How to Store Pumpkin Chili 

Whether you make ground chicken chili in the crockpot or instant pot, you may have extra to store or freeze.

Let the chili cool completely, and then store in a tight tupperware in the fridge for up to 5 days. If it will be longer than that, just freeze it for later in a freezer-friendly container.

You can freeze it for up to 3-6 months. I love when I forgot about it and can look in our deep freezer and find it.

We love to freeze food and have it on hand for a postpartum meal plan or even for easy, freezable toddler meals you can just reheat when you have zero energy to feed them.

1. First, let your chili completely cool.
2. Once it’s cooled, you can parsel it out and store it in any type of freezer bag or freezer-friendly container you desire. Stasher bags, reusable silicone bags or upright containers to save space.
3. When ready to eat it, you can thaw it in the fridge overnight or for up to 12-16 hours. You can also thaw it in water, either in the sink or a large pot. If you’re in a rush, you can also pour it in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it.

I brought this to the tailgate last weekend along with bacon wrapped sweetpotatoes and both were a huge hit!

Another fun tailgate pairing for pumpkin chicken chili is these loaded sweetpotato nachos.

Both are great for entertaining because you can just leave them out!

Servings 8

Chicken Pumpkin Chili

Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN

Chicken Pumpkin Chili in the crockpot is the perfect white bean pumpkin chili with your choice of meat. Full of hearty protein, vegetables, fiber and vitamins, this pumpkin chili recipe is great for warming you up and keeping you nourished.

4.50 from 18 ratings

Print Pin

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsps brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1 15 oz. can chili beans or kidney beans
• 1 15 oz. can white kidney beans

Instructions 

1. Place olive oil in medium to large pan over medium heat. Add in onion, garlic and jalapeno, and sautee for a few minutes.
2. Add in ground chicken and spices (pumpkin pie spice, paprika, chili powder, cinnamon and salt). Cook over low-medium heat until meat browns (5-10 minutes).
3. Once hot, transfer to slow cooker and stir in remaining ingredients: broth, canned pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, chili beans and white kidney beans.
4. Stir until well combined. Cook for about 2 ½ – 3 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low.

Notes

To make in instant pot:

• Turn on instant pot and set to saute setting. Once it reads hot, add olive oil, chopped onions, garlic and jalapenos. Add the ground chicken and spices, cooking over low-medium heat until the meat browns (5-10 minutes).
• If there are any brown bits on the bottom of the pot, scrape them off. This will help avoid the instant pot signal that your food is burning.
• Add chicken broth, pumpkin, tomatoes, brown sugar and beans and continue to stir.
• Set instant pot setting to pressure cooker for 15 minutes on high.
• Once down, manually release pressure for 15-20 minutes. Remove lid and let cool. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Additional topping ideas: Yogurt, sour cream, jalapenos, avocado shredded cheese, sage, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips…so many good choices!

Equipment

Chicken Bone Broth Soup by Kettle and Fire, Pack of 6, Keto Diet, Paleo Friendly, Whole 30 Approved, Gluten Free, with Collagen, 10g of protein, 16.9 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Instant Pot Duo Nova Pressure Cooker 7 in 1, 6 Qt, Best for Beginners

Coombs Family Farms Maple Syrup, Organic, Grade A, Dark Color, Robust Taste, 32-Ounce Jug

McCormick Culinary Pumpkin Pie Spice, 1 lb

Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin, 15 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 23gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1038mgFiber: 10gSugar: 11g

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!