Pumpkin Chicken Chili

Now that we’re really into those cold winter months here in Los Angeles, all I’ve been craving is soups & stews. I just want to eat a big bowl of something super warm to keep me going when I feel like freezing… even though its only been in the 60’s here haha. This creamy Pumpkin Chicken Chili is the perfect thing to warm you up this winter, and is actually pretty easy to make even though the ingredient list may seem like a lot (plus you probably have more than you think already in your pantry).

I partnered up with Milk & Eggs to bring you this amazing recipe.  You can order close to every ingredient needed here, and have them delivered straight to your door!  Milk & Eggs is a food delivery service that sends you farm fresh produce right to your door!  Heres a little more about this amazing company.

*Also make sure to check out my promo code for you guys at the end of this post!

Their produce goes fresh from farms to you. Fresher foods = better health!  Prices are always low because there is never any waste, inventory, middlemen, or complicated distribution centers.  You can order once or subscribe to get weekly or bi-weekly produce. Subscriptions can be updated, paused, or changed at anytime. And you save on the process of ordering, buying, and picking up groceries!  They also carry so many amazing vegan products, like different vegan milks, yogurt, cheeses, broths, pastas, jerky, dumplings, etc. on top of a huge selection of the most delicious produce!

Like really, who doesn’t want amazing vegan foods delivered right to their door?  Especially when you can make yummy recipes like this using their products!  Big thanks to Milk & Eggs for sending me the ingredients needed for this recipe, and a few others (which will be up soon, so stay tuned!).  Definitely go check them out if you are interested in getting some farm fresh produce and vegan products delivered to your door!  And you can check them out at www.milkandeggs.com.

You’ll first want to start out by making your “chicken”. Now there are plenty of brands out there that make vegan chicken- Gardein, The Abbot’s Butcher, Beyond Meat, etc. You can definitely use any of those for this (just make sure if it’s not ground, that you shred / chop it up before hand!). Milk & Eggs carries Beyond Meat Chicken as well as The Abbot’s Butcher Ground Chicken (which would work great here).

But if you’d like to make your own, it’s super easy! I’m sure a lot of you have heard of Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP). Unfortunately Milk & Eggs doesn’t carry it, but if you have a stocked vegan pantry you probably already have it! If not, you can get it at most grocery stores, I usually buy the Bob’s Red Mill brand, any asian grocery store (sometimes called soy curls), or off amazon!

You’ll need roughly 1-1 1/2 pounds of it once it has been hydrated. That means you’ll need less of that to actually hydrate, around 3/4 of a pound or even less- this stuff REALLY puffs up. In a pot, bring your vegetable broth & seasonings to a boil. You’ll have to follow the package instructions for how much liquid you’ll need, every brand is different- but make sure you make a bit extra than needed incase it dries out too much. Put your dry TVP in a large bowl, add in your hot broth, and cover immediately. Let sit for a few minute (this will happen fast) until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, taste it & if it’s still a little hard in the center, add some more liquid and cover again until it’s soft all the way through. Now you could do this with just plain water instead of the mix I did, but I find that the mix of seasonings and vegetable broth gives it more flavor and makes it taste more like chicken! Set this aside until your ready to use it in your chili.

For the Chili itself, finely chop all your vegetables & herbs. Add some oil to a stock pot over medium heat & add in your onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until almost fork tender- about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables & transfer to a bowl. Add in some more oil, then add in your hydrated TVP. Allow to brown slightly, then add back in your vegetables, along with all the spices & fresh herbs. Stir and cook for a minute or two, just to let all the flavors hang out together.

Once that’s done, add in your vegetable broth & pumpkin puree. Scrape up any bits off the bottom of the pot, and mix well. Bring to a light boil, then reduce to a simmer. While that’s cooking, drain & rinse your white beans. Add them to the pot, along with your creamer (make sure it is UNSWEETENED AND UNFLAVORED), and stir to combine. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes until the beans are warmed through and the soup has thickened slightly. I like to serve mine topped with fresh parsley & crushed red pepper, but add any toppings you like, or none at all!

As always, I love seeing your recreations of my dishes, so make sure to tag me in photos on Instagram @plvntfood or #plvntfood so I can like & share them! Love y’all with all of my cold heart.

This recipe is a super minimal effort meal, with maximum flavor results.  I really hope you guys enjoyed this recipe, and if you’re going to order the ingredients off Milk & Eggs, you can use my code PLVNTFOOD for $15 off any $35+ order!