Improv Dinner: Pumpkin Chicken Curry

Another busy day, another exhausted me, another home late Nick... the exact equation equaling one of my improvised dinners!

It's easy to come home tired from a long day at work and want to plop yourself down on the couch and eat cereal for dinner. But that's how college students get scurvy. And I can't let that happen to us. So with aching feet, and nothing planned for dinner, I opened up my pantry, fridge, and freezer all at the same time to take inventory and (hopefully) be inspired. First thing I found? A can of cream of pumpkin soup sitting right next to my tin of curry spice. Done. What goes into a curry do you ask? Everything and anything!

I think it was at this moment that I started getting really excited. As I looked a little deeper, I found some garam masala, a can of coconut milk, a bag of carrots in the bottom of my fridge, some frozen veggies (including my forever favourite chopped spinach!), and a frozen half roasted chicken I saved for just for this moment! The ingredient list may look long and daunting, but don't worry. You can easily substitute anything into this recipe, according to what you have on hand. This was a great kitchen cleanse. And then we got to eat it!

Pumpkin Chicken Curry

2 cups spring onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small red chile
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cumin
2 carrots
400 ml coconut milk
420 g cream of pumpkin soup
400 g canned lentils, rinsed
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup chicken stock





Roughly chop the spring onion and garlic. Sweat on low heat in a big pot with the oil and all the seasonings and spices for 5 minutes. This mixture should look a little like a paste by now. Chop up the carrot into bite sized pieces and throw into the pot as well.

The steam kinda steamed up my camera lens :)

 Now you can add your canned ingredients: coconut milk, pumpkin soup, and lentils. Simmer the pot for 15-20 minutes until your kitchen smells warm and spicy, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning at this stage. I added a pinch more salt. But if it tastes good to you, then you don't have to add any more. Throw in the defrosted spinach, shredded chicken and chicken stock to help loosen things up a bit. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to warm the chicken through. Serve and enjoy!

You can make some steamed rice to go with this. If you have some saffron hanging around, steep it in some water before adding it to your rice cooking pot to give the rice a bright yellow color and surprising flavour. For some added nutrition, throw in some frozen peas!

I served mine with poppadums because I love dipping them in curries. All you have to do is microwave them one at a time for one minute and you get crispy crunchy poppadums without the hassle or added fat of deep frying them :)

This was a delicious and healthy dinner that I was able to put together in about 45 minutes, all while watching Friends reruns. Bliss!