Savory Pumpkin Chicken Soup
My savory pumpkin chicken soup is the perfect meal for fall! It’s cozy, warm, and hearty. The onion, garlic, and thyme bring out savory notes in the pumpkin. I love making this soup for lunch on chilly days. It’s so simple to whip up, nourishes your body, and tastes amazing! I hope it finds a special place on your table this season. This recipe includes a video tutorial so you can make it alongside me, step-by-step!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
I can’t think of a cozier meal for fall than pumpkin soup. It feels like a hug and makes your house smell amazing. A bowl of this soup goes perfectly with my sourdough honey cornbread, sourdough garlic knots, or sourdough Parker House rolls.
There’s something about a side of bread that makes a bowl of soup more special!
Inspiration Behind My Pumpkin Chicken Soup Recipe
Almost every fall, I like to develop a brand new soup recipe for the blog. It’s a fun way to try something new and get creative! So this year I knew I wanted to bring a seasonal flavor into the soup.
I almost did a chicken veggie soup but wanted it to be more fall inspired, so I went with a pumpkin base instead.
After lots of taste testing and figuring out the best way to bring the savory notes out of the pumpkin, I developed this recipe!
What Does Chicken Pumpkin Soup Taste Like?
It’s got a hearty, creamy, savory flavor with notes of chicken, pumpkin, herbs, garlic, and onion. It’s seriously fall in a bowl. The chicken and spices bring out the savory flavor of the pumpkin. It’s not sweet at all, and the pumpkin flavor is subtle.
Why We Love This Soup and So Will You!
Oh, this soup is one of my husband and I’s new favorites! It’s got everything you’d want for a fall meal. Here are a few reasons we love it, and so will you:
- Tastes like Fall: The flavors are like fall in a bowl, and it makes the house smell amazing!
- Super Easy to Make: With only 10 minutes of prep work and 20 minutes total of cooking, this is an easy 30-minute meal!
- Simple Steps: The steps are really simple to follow; no overwhelming instructions here.
- Nourishing and Wholesome: The ingredients are all wholesome and nourishing, perfect for chilly weather when everyone gets the sniffles.
Tips for Making Pumpkin Soup with Chicken
- Be sure to cut the chicken breast into small bite-sized pieces. You don’t want them to be too big.
- For the best soup texture, use half and half instead of milk.
- Use a no salt added chicken broth or stock for this soup.
- Cook the chicken in the same pot as the soup. The flavors will be so much better!
- After adding the liquid to the pot, be sure to scrape the bottom to get any drippings from cooking the chicken.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
- avocado oil: you can also use melted butter
- boneless skinless chicken breast: make sure it’s a large chicken breast or 2 small
- onion: you can use a white or yellow onion
- sea salt: I like using sea salt but you can use regular salt if desired
- ground black pepper: this adds so much flavor to the pumpkin
- salted butter: I like using salted but you can use unsalted
- all-purpose flour: this is a great base for a roux
- no salt added chicken broth/stock: if you use reduced/low sodium be sure to add less salt to the soup. Instructions on how to do this are in the recipe card.
- half and half: you can also use heavy cream or milk
- canned pumpkin purée: you can use homemade just know it may create a different consistency of soup
- fresh garlic cloves, minced: if you don’t have garlic cloves use garlic powder. If you do this you will still need to add the garlic powder below.
- dried thyme: you can also use fresh if desired
- garlic powder: make sure it’s salt-free
- onion powder: make sure it’s salt-free
Variations
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a more veggie flavored soup.
- Add chili powder for a kick of flavor.
- Double the roux (butter and flour) for a thicker soup.
- Add gnocchi or pasta for a fun twist.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
- stainless steel medium-sized pot
- bamboo ladle
- glass storage containers (my favorite for storing leftovers)
How to Make Pumpkin Chicken Soup
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Heat avocado oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat.
Finely dice onion. Set aside.
Cut chicken into small bite sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir to evenly coat each piece of chicken.
When oil is hot, add chicken and diced onions to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Once fully cooked, remove chicken and onions from pan and set aside. The bottom of the pan may have drippings stuck from the chicken, don’t worry about it being stuck on. It will come off/deglaze in the following steps.
Add butter and melt over low heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk for 1 minute to cook the roux.
Add chicken broth, half and half, pumpkin purée, minced garlic cloves, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add 1 1/4 tsp salt (only you’re using a no salt added chicken broth/stock, if not salt to taste) and 3/4 tsp pepper. Stir to combine.
Add cooked chicken and onions back to the pot. Stir to combine and scrape the bottom of the pan to help remove any browning from cooking the chicken earlier.
Simmer soup over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Take off heat and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
How to Make it in a Slow Cooker
If you’d like to make this recipe in a slow cooker, it’s so simple!
- You’ll want to make the roux (melted butter and flour) in a pan on the stovetop.
- Cook it for 1 minute then whisk in 3 cups of chicken broth/stock until no clumps are left.
- You don’t need to let the liquid thicken in the pan, instead pour liquid into the slow cooker.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. The chicken pieces can go in raw.
- Stir to combine and cover with lid. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours. Enjoy!
My Favorite Pumpkin Soup Toppings
You can add any toppings to this soup that you would like. Here are a few ideas:
- a swirl of cream or sour cream
- roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- extra thyme, dried or fresh
- freshly grated parmesan
Our Favorite Sides to Serve with this Soup
When you make a batch of soup, it’s almost necessary to serve it with some kind of bread. Am I right?! At least that’s the way we do it in our house haha!
Here are Tyler and I’s favorite breads to serve with my pumpkin chicken soup:
- sourdough honey cornbread
- sourdough garlic knots
- sourdough Parker House rolls.
- sourdough buttermilk biscuits
- sourdough Texas toast
- sourdough steakhouse roadhouse (Texas Roadhouse-inspired)
- quick and easy sourdough garlic bread
Storage Instructions
Once the soup has cooled down completely, store it in an airtight container, preferably glass. It’ll last for 2-3 days.
My Favorite Way to Reheat Soup
There are only two ways I reheat soup. In the oven or on the stovetop. I never use a microwave; it zaps all the flavor! So, for the best flavor and texture, pour the leftover soup into a pot and warm over medium heat.
If you’d like to warm it back up in the oven, set the temperature to 350 or 375 degrees Fahrenheit and heat until warm.
Freezing and Thawing Instructions
You can easily freeze this soup, preferably in a glass freezer-safe container. It’ll last about 1-2 months in the freezer.
To thaw, you’ll simply place the container in the fridge overnight. Use within 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! I recommend using no salt added stock for my recipe.
In my recipe, you will use 3 cups of chicken stock, preferably a no salt added option.
It depends on the recipe you’re using. For mine, you’ll cook the chicken first and then add it back into the soup while it simmers.
I recommend using a pumpkin chicken soup recipe rather than just adding pumpkin to chicken soup.
In my soup, it’s the blend of onion, garlic, and thyme! They bring out the savory notes of the pumpkin.
The mix of onion, garlic, thyme, and salt gives your pumpkin soup more flavor.
Yes! If you use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic you’ll end up adding 2 tsp of garlic powder to the soup.
More Homemade Soup Recipes to Try
If you’re looking for more easy soups made from scratch, try a few of these:
- Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup
- Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe (Inspired by Olive Garden)
- Game Day Chili (no beans, pasta optional)
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Chowder
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup (with sweet potatoes)
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Savory Pumpkin Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or melted butter)
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small)
- 1/2 of a yellow onion
- sea salt (specified in steps below)
- ground black pepper (specified in steps below)
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups no salt added chicken broth/stock (not low or reduced sodium)
- 1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Heat avocado oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat.
- Finely dice onion. Set aside.
- Cut chicken into small bite sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir to evenly coat each piece of chicken.
- When oil is hot, add chicken and diced onions to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
- Once fully cooked, remove chicken and onions from pan and set aside. The bottom of the pan may have drippings stuck from the chicken, don’t worry about it being stuck on. It will come off/deglaze in the following steps.
- Add butter and melt over low heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk for 1 minute to cook the roux.
- Add chicken broth, half and half, pumpkin purée, minced garlic cloves, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add 1 1/4 tsp salt (only you’re using a no salt added chicken broth/stock, if not salt to taste) and 3/4 tsp pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add cooked chicken and onions back to the pot. Stir to combine and scrape the bottom of the pan to help remove any browning from cooking the chicken earlier.
- Simmer soup over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Take off heat and enjoy!
Video
Yum! Perfect soup for a cozy day.
Thank you!
What a great idea and a perfect fall combination of flavors. This is an awesome recipe!
Thank you so much!
This is a the perfect soup for Fall. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You’re so welcome! It really is such a good fall soup!