Since this is the season of “put pumpkin into everything,” it’s the perfect time to bring pumpkin to the slow-cooked, welcome-home-after-a-long-day meal of your dreams! Punkin Chicken uses the autumnal flavor of pumpkin to accent a delicious, tender chicken dish bursting with floral-sweet apricot flavor and warming seasonal spices. Savory, vibrant, and easy to whip together, Punkin Chicken proves once and for all that pumpkin can improve anything! Have a bite and see for yourself!
Ingredients
- 3 pie pumpkins, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 8 (4-ounce) chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dried Turkish apricots, diced
- 1/2 cup apricot nectar
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- rice, optional, cooked and hot
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, optional
Directions
Step 1 –Place the pumpkin in a 5-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray.
Step 2 –In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Step 3 –Add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 4 –Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
Step 5 –In the same skillet, sauté the onion and the garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
Step 7 –Add the dried apricots, the apricot nectar, the apricot preserves, the lemon juice, the ginger, the cinnamon, the salt, and the pepper to the slow cooker.
Step 8 –Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender, about 4-5 hours. About 1 hour before the end of cooking time, transfer the pumpkin from the slow cooker and keep it warm.
Step 9 –Return the pumpkin to the chicken and stir to combine.
Step 10 –Top with the parsley and serve with the rice and the pomegranate seeds.
