This Pumpkin Soup with Chicken is exactly what you need after a long cold day and don’t want to cook. This soup is creamy yet has a kick from the red pepper flakes and fresh ginger. With this soup only taking 10 minutes to prep and being something the whole family can eat, it is a no brainer for dinner. The great flavour in this easy recipe will have everyone coming back for more!
This dish is something that I crave when the weather starts to change to fall! The smell that fills my house while it cooks is enough to make you feel relaxed and cozy. Soup season is my favorite time of the year. Any recipe that I have the chance to make in an instant pot and have it taste like I have been cooking all day is a hit with me. If you enjoy this recipe, you will enjoy my other dairy free and gluten free soups during soup season like my Dairy Free Lobster Bisque, Gluten Free Tomato Soup, Pumpkin Slow Cooker Soup, Butternut Squash Curry, and Cauliflower Leek Soup.
If you have extra pumpkin on hand after making this recipe, you will want to check out my other pumpkin recipes on my blog like my Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal, Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread, Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins, and my Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This chicken pumpkin soup is so simple! You simply place it in the instant pot and let it cook.
- The clean up is as simple as the preparation with just having your instant pot to clean up.
- Kids will love this dish as well because it tastes sweet they won’t realize that it is also healthy for them. You can also add in hidden vegetable to this recipe without your kids even knowing!
- This pumpkin chicken soup only takes minutes to prepare.
- This hearty soup can be modified to meet just about any dietary needs. This recipe is naturally gluten free, dairy free, soy free, whole30, and paleo. It can also be made vegan if you use tofu instead of chicken.
Ingredients
- Canned pumpkin puree– ha this one is a no brainer! At the beginning of Fall I bought cases from Trader Joe’s. If you are an avid pumpkin lover like me I highly recommend buying a case when it first comes out, or it will sell out. While you can use fresh pumpkin, canned pumpkin is a lot easier!
- Coconut cream-I prefer coconut cream vs. coconut milk because it is thicker and dairy free, however any kind of milk like product will work.
- Chicken bone broth– This is the base of this soup and what gives it flavor. You can use store bought chicken stock or make your own bone broth using my Bone Broth recipe. Just be sure to use chicken bones instead of beef bones.
- Yellow onion-I always use yellow onion vs. purple onion in recipes that are more sweet than savory.
- Chicken-I like using skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can also use chicken thighs. You can also use a rotisserie chicken or whole chicken meat like the chicken from my Whole Chicken Recipe.
- Almond butter-Be sure to use smooth almond butter. This adds richness to the soup and give you a thicker soup.
- Garlic, red pepper flakes and fresh ginger-This is what gives this recipe a nice kick to it! I like using fresh ginger and using a ginger zester to break it up.
- Cooking oil-Like olive oil or avocado oil to sauté the onion and spices in.
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Broth-While chicken broth is my go to for this recipe, you can also use a vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
- Extra vegetables and fiber-I like to sneak in extra veggies sometimes if I have them on hand, especially if you have a picky eater at home. A few of my favorites are red bell pepper, sweet potatoes and black beans!
- Milk-Since I am dairy free, I prefer using a dairy free milk in this recipe, but you can also use regular milk or heavy cream here. Just note it may change the consistency of the soup.
- Fresh cilantro-To serve and sprinkle on top! A few of my other favorite toppings are green onions and more red pepper flakes.
- Chipotle peppers-If you like your soup to have a nice kick to it!
- Brown rice-You can add this to the soup if you are in need or more carbs with your meals.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
- Tip # 1: When you open the coconut cream, if there is a thicker layer up top, you will want to make sure to get all of the contents from the can into the instant pot.
- Tip # 2: If you do not like spicy food, you can lessen the amount of red pepper flakes that you place into the soup.
- Tip # 3: If you prefer a smoother soup, you can use an immersion blender in the soup base after you remove the chicken.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! You can omit the chicken and use a vegetable based broth.
Yes! You can use almond milk or a regular dairy based milk.
Yes, you sure can! If you want to make it on the stovetop instead, sauté all ingredients in the bottom of the pot instead of the liquids on the stovetop on medium heat, then add the milk, pumpkin, broth and chicken in on low for 1 hour.
You can store this creamy pumpkin soup in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month.
Other Soup Recipes You Will Love
Are you interested in a list of my go to healthy alternatives?
Download your FREE guide below
Pumpkin Soup with Chicken
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 can pumpkin puree Roughly 15 ounces
- 1 can coconut cream Roughly 15 ounces, make sure it is the cream not milk. The cream will make the soup creamier.
- 2 cups bone broth
- 1 whole yellow onion, diced in small pieces Yellow vs. red onions, because yellow onions are sweet!
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins I like the chicken tenderloins over the chicken breasts, because they are easier to shred. If you are opting for the vegan option, you can omit the chicken.
- 1/3 cup almond butter Make sure it is the kind without anything else added in it but pure almonds. You can use pure peanut butter if you are not doing whole30. If you are doing AIP omit the almond or peanut butter all together.
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes Less if you do not like as much spice. Omit if you are doing AIP.
- 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger (ground) You can use a zester to grate this.
Instructions
- Place all liquids plus the almond butter in the instant pot and whisk together. This is mostly to break up the almond butter.
- Now, add the remaining ingredients.
- Secure the lid and press the button pressure cook.
- Move the pressure cook time to 8 minutes (note, it will actually take longer than 8 minutes to cook but this means 8 minutes to build up the pressure.)
- Let the pressure cooker be and when it is done it will beep.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Once the soup is done, you can garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley on top.
Lori says
Really good. I love the simple instant pot method for this!
Allianna Moximchalk says
The Instant Pot is amazing!
Beth Ellyn Dipaola says
This was delicious! I had actually NEVER used my instapot before but Allianna’s instructions were so easy I had to try! The soup was perfect. I had to add a little salt and I halved red peppers (because my husband doesn’t like things spicy). At the end I tossed in some spinach for some extra veggies.
We both loved it and will definitely make it again 🙂
Allianna Moximchalk says
I as glad you enjoyed it!