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This Instant Pot Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry is simple, cozy, and outrageously delicious! Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a busy weeknight or a special weekend dinner. I am telling you…this recipe is simple, flavorful, and one of my favorite Instant Pot meals to recommend!!!

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Overhead shot of a bowl of Instant Pot Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry. The curry, a creamy orange color, contains visible chunks of pumpkin, diced tomatoes, and shredded chicken. It is served over a bed of white rice in a white speckled bowl. Fresh cilantro sprigs garnish the curry. The bowl sits on a light blue linen napkin which sits on a white marble surface. Lime halves are arranged around the bowl on the marble surface as are sprigs of cilantro and a small bowl of red pepper flakes. In the background, is a small wooden board with a lime half and a glass of water. Another bowl of the chicken curry can be seen in the lower right of the photo.

With notes of Thai curry, lime, nutty pumpkin, and fire-roasted tomatoes, this curry is packed with flavor. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and incredibly satisfying. Using canned pumpkin makes it quick and easy without losing any of that comforting richness. And yes, being made in the Instant Pot means it’s mostly hands-off, which is always a win!

As a nutritionist, I love creating simple meals using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Pumpkin is one of my favorites because it’s packed with vitamin A, vitamin E, fiber, folate, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It adds natural creaminess and flavor to any dish! I especially love using it in recipes like my Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Chili or in a cozy, one-pan dinner like the Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Gnocchi Bake with Cottage Cheese, for another delicious way to enjoy pumpkin.

A close-up shot of a bowl filled with Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry served over white rice. The curry is orange, with chunks of chicken, pumpkin, and tomatoes. Fresh cilantro sprigs and a lime wedge garnish the bowl. A small blue linen napkin sits beside the bowl.

What You’ll Love About This Curry

  • Ready in just 30 minutes
  • Full of Thai flavors with curry, lime, and tomatoes
  • Naturally creamy thanks to pumpkin and coconut milk
  • Gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and family-friendly
  • Easy to customize for picky eaters

How to Make Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry in the Instant Pot

  1. Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot. Warm oil and cook onion, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes, then cancel sauté.
  2. Add pumpkin, tomatoes, curry paste, chicken broth, salt, and crushed red pepper. Pour in the watery part of the coconut milk only, reserving the rest.
  3. Add chicken breasts, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release when done.
  4. Stir in the remaining coconut milk. Remove chicken, shred with a fork, and return it to the pot.
A top-down view into a stainless steel Instant Pot. The bottom is covered with sauteed translucent diced yellow onions, minced garlic, and minced ginger. The mixture is lightly browned.
A top-down view into a stainless steel Instant Pot. Two large, raw chicken breasts are nestled among diced orange pumpkin, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, and diced translucent yellow onion, all submerged in a pale orange liquid. The ingredients fill about half of the pot.
A top-down view inside a stainless-steel Instant Pot, showing Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry. The curry base is a rich, vibrant orange-red color, speckled with diced tomatoes and cubes of pumpkin. Swirls of white coconut milk are distributed unevenly across the surface, creating a marbled effect. The curry fills most of the pot, extending to just below the rim. The pot itself is clean and reflective.

Serving Suggestions

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the curry and garnish with cilantro. Serve with my 10-minute Easy Rice.

Tips and Adaptations

  • For a smooth, creamy curry, remove chicken after cooking and puree the pumpkin mixture before returning the chicken. This is perfect for picky eaters!
  • Swap pumpkin for butternut squash if desired.
  • To make this in a slow cooker, saute onion, garlic, and ginger on the stovetop first. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Storing

Store in the fridge for up to one week or freeze in a freezer-friendly container for up to three months.

Overhead shot of Instant Pot Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry in a white ceramic bowl. The curry, featuring chicken, pumpkin pieces, and tomatoes, is served over white rice and garnished with fresh cilantro. Flakes of red pepper are scattered throughout. The bowl sits on a light blue linen napkin. Lime wedges and another bowl of curry are partially visible in the background. The background is a white marble surface.

Photo Credit: All photos taken in this post are by Loren at Fed and Nourished

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry

By Amy Rains
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
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Creamy, healthy, comforting, and absolutely delicious! This Instant Pot Thai Pumpkin Chicken Curry is the perfect fall dinner that is loaded with flavor and simple to make. You can also make in the Slow Cooker.
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely diced
  • 2 Cups fresh pumpkin or butternut squash, (or pumpkin purée from a can)
  • 1 14oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp red Thai curry paste
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp sea salt, (+ more to taste)
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper, (optional)
  • 1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk, (divided)
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions 

  • Select the saute function on your instant pot. Warm up the oil in your pot, then toss in onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for just a few minutes, continuing to stir. Select the cancel button.
  • Now add in pumpkin, tomatoes and their juice, curry paste, chicken broth, salt, and crushed red pepper (if using). Poke a hole in the top of the cream portion of your coconut milk, and pour in only the watery liquid to your pot. Reserve the cream portion of the coconut milk for the end of the recipe. Top the mixture with chicken breast. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve at the top is sealed. Now select the manual function, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • When cooking is complete, use a quick release. Once the steam has been completely released, open the lid of your Instant Pot. Stir in the cream portion of your coconut milk, and allow it to melt in the mixture. Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces, or shred with a fork.
  • Return the chicken to the mixture, add lime juice, and garnish with cilantro adding salt to taste. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or potatoes.

Notes

Optional: After cooking and removing the chicken to cut, you can also blend up the sauce with a blender or immersion blender to create and creamy and smooth sauce (great idea for picky eaters!). Then add the chicken back to the sauce prior to serving.
For the Slow Cooker: Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan. Add to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients (follow the same instruction of poking a hole in a can of coconut milk). Cook on low for 4-6 hours!
Tried this recipe?Mention @wholesomelicious or tag #wholesomelicious!

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5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. Cindy says:

    5 stars
    This was great! I like things a little spicier than my family so I added some sriracha to mine at the end and it was amazing!

    Reply
  2. Jen says:

    Hi Amy! Can I sub curry powder for red curry paste?

    Reply
  3. Amber says:

    I don’t see pumpkin listed in the ingredients. How much do you add?

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth says:

    Hi! I’m excited to make this – I did not see the amount of pumpkin listed in the ingredients. Is it a can? Thanks!
    P.S.- I love your recipes!

    Reply
    1. Amy Rains says:

      2 cups! Recipe is updated

      Reply
  5. Heidi Delvaux says:

    I’m not pumpkin on the list of ingredients.

    Reply
    1. Amy Rains says:

      2 cups! Recipe is updated

      Reply
  6. Helen says:

    How much pumpkin do you use?

    Reply
    1. Amy Rains says:

      2 cups! Recipe is updated

      Reply