Pumpkin Chicken Chili is a welcome, cozy fall meal that you can make in cold months

How is it almost Halloween? This month flew by in record speed. I don’t know why, but October is almost as busy as December. It’s time to load up on candy for the darling trick-or-treaters and make a couple of big pots of chili for the family and friends that cycle through our house on Halloween night.

We always make two kinds of chili for Halloween. Randy makes “manly” beefy chili, and I make this week’s recipe — Pumpkin Chicken Chili. Nothing warms you up like a big, hot bowl full of chili on a cold night. I love Halloween not because dressing up is my thing. I love it because everyone gets really into decorating, and kids from all over the city come to participate in the fun. If you come to my door, you’re getting candy. I don’t care how young or old you are.

A couple of shortcuts for this recipe, in case you’re tight on time: Roasting your own chicken creates lots of flavor, but if you need to, grab a rotisserie chicken instead. The second shortcut is to replace the pumpkin cubes with butternut squash cubes. You can purchase them already cut up.

If you do decide to stay strict with the recipe, be careful when chopping the pumpkin. A pumpkin’s density paired with its curves and a sharp knife can be a bit dangerous. Please, no trips to the ER this Halloween.

This Pumpkin Chicken Chili is delicious – once you make it, I’m confident you’ll work it into your dinner rotation. Fall soups make for welcome, cozy dinners and are perfect leftovers for lunches through the week. Most people think of sweet pumpkin treats, but savory pumpkin is just as delicious.

Hope your Halloween is spooky, your chili warms you right up, and you enjoy having a bit of normalcy back in this year’s holiday season.

Equipment to make Pumpkin Chicken Chili

• Grab a sheet pan to roas tthe pumpkin.
• Pull out your measuring spoons to get the proper amount of spices measured.
• Simmer the soup in a Dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot.

Heather Christo’s “Generous Table”

This recipe was previously published in the Wichita Eagle.

This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 2:59 PM.