The perfect comforting dinner for cooler weather, this creamy pumpkin chicken with broccoli and sage will put a smile on your face! Paleo, Whole30, low-carb, dairy-free.
A delicious one-skillet meal
I’m definitely getting a head start this year on my Fall recipes, but it is by far my favorite season. I can’t help myself, honestly!
And really, I do sometimes make Fall recipes all throughout the year, since I enjoy comforting, warm spiced foods all the time.
Pumpkin has been a fan favorite for many years now when it comes to Fall recipes. I’m a huge fan of the delicious taste of pumpkin, especially when mixed with something creamy to form a thick sauce. Since milk and cream are off the table, coconut cream steps up nicely in this recipe to form that creamy sauce.
When you mix it with the delicious aroma of sage, you’re left with a well-rounded and flavorful meal. I find it somewhat reminiscent of butternut squash soup, but in a different form.
Easy to make and super comforting for cooler weather
For this recipe, you’ll want to start by cooking the chicken in a large pan over medium heat until cooked thoroughly. Remove from the pan and add in the pumpkin (make sure it’s 100% pure, not pumpkin pie filling!), canned coconut milk and broccoli.
Simmer until the broccoli begins to soften. Add back in the chicken, as well as the spinach, sage, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional minute or two.
To help thicken the sauce, you will need tapioca flour and room temperature water. Tapioca starch behaves like corn starch in that it does not dissolve well into warm liquids, so you must use room temperature or cool water.
Add the tapioca flour and the water into a small dish. Stir until the starch dissolves fully. Pour into the sauce and stir to incorporate. It should thicken up very quickly.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before serving.
My sauce didn’t thicken enough, help!
You probably just need more tapioca flour and water mixture. Stir an additional 2 teaspoons tapioca flour with room temperature water. Add in and stir to combine
Can I use something other than tapioca starch to thicken the sauce?
Yes, you can. I also like cassava flour, but it is sometimes more difficult to find.
Corn starch would also work, but it is not allowed on paleo and Whole30 diets. You can also omit the thickener, if you find it unnecessary, or the sauce is cooked long enough to evaporate the excess liquid.
If you give this creamy pumpkin chicken with broccoli and sage a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a recipe!
You may also enjoy:
Creamy Pumpkin Chicken with Broccoli and Sage
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw chicken breasts sliced into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 heads broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced sage dried would also work
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or starch
- 2 tablespoons room temperature water
Instructions
- Cook chicken in a large pan over medium heat until full done. Remove from pan, setting aside for now.
- Add the pumpkin, coconut milk and broccoli to the pan, and simmer until the broccoli begins to soften, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the spinach, cooked chicken, sage, salt and pepper and allow to cook for an additional minute or two.
- To a small dish, add tapioca flour and room temperature water. Mix until fully dissolved. Add mixture to the pan. Stir well and the mixture will begin to thicken. If needed, add an additional 2 teaspoons of tapioca, dissolved in 2 teaspoons of room temperature water to thicken further. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
