Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup
Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup – This hearty meal is warm, comforting, and flavorful. The mouthwatering fusion of flavors is perfect for a cozy family dinner, a pick-me-up on sick days, or a cold-weather meal to warm your heart. ❤️
Jamaican chicken soup is anything but boring. Caribbean seasonings make this vibrant soup taste amazing. Plus, loads of vegetables ramp up the nutritional value and deliver an exciting array of textures and flavors.
And did I mention how easy this recipe is? Even getting all the ingredients is a breeze if you have a Caribbean market nearby! Once you gather the ingredients, it’s literally a matter of a few minutes to saute, assemble everything in the pot, and cook for half an hour. Then you’ve got a healthy pot of soup for pure comfort food.
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup?
You might recall that rice and peas are a typical dish served on Sundays in Jamaica. Well, chicken soup is this beautiful island’s Saturday tradition. This hearty deliciousness is filling to keep you going all weekend long!
Many Jamaicans add dumplings or spinners to the mix. I skipped them in this recipe, but feel free to add them in. Of course, we can’t forget the pumpkin. The Caribbean pumpkin or calabaza is traditional, but I used butternut because it’s easier to find in the States.
What You’ll Need
- Chicken – I use deboned chicken thighs cut into chunks for the base of my Jamaican chicken soup recipe. You could also use bone-in chicken, but cooking will take a little longer.
- Seasonings – Onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, paprika, scotch bonnet pepper, bay leaves, diced green onion, and allspice give this soup that classic Jamaican flavor.
- Veggies – Chayote is a green pear-shaped tropical fruit with a cucumber-like flavor that adds fresh notes to the soup. Green plantain, pumpkin (or butternut squash), and carrots are my go-to veggies for this soup.
- Cock Soup Mix – I used Grace cock soup mix to add flavor and depth to this soup. Maggi is another good option. However, the cock soup flavoring includes ground dried pumpkin. Adding a little pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree to the broth will add a more traditional flavor if you can’t find it.
- Broth – I like to use chicken broth for added flavor in the base of this soup. You can also use vegetable broth.
How to Make Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup
- Saute the Aromatics -Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven with oil, then add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, bay leaf, and scotch bonnet pepper or hot sauce. Stir for about 3 minutes to get the aromatics going. (Photo 1)
- Add the chicken, salt, and pepper. Stir for about a minute, then add the broth (or water and bouillon) to the pot. (Photo 2)
- Assemble – Finally, toss in the vegetables: green plantains, squash, pumpkin, chayote, carrots, plus the cock soup bouillon. (Photos 3-4)
- Simmer – Cover and cook on medium-low for about 30 minutes.
- Serve – Adjust the salt to taste, remove from the heat, and serve with bread or dumplings.
Recipe Variations
- You can use bone-in chicken thighs or any other cut of chicken. If using chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time so they don’t dry out. Or cook them separately and add them at the end just before serving.
- Jamaican chicken foot soup is delicious, easy, and full of collagen. Replace the chicken with chicken feet (you should be able to find them in ethnic stores or your local butcher). You can also add a couple of corn on the cobs cut into 2″ chunks.
- Make it beef soup. Replace the chicken with stew beef and the chicken broth with beef broth, and you’re good to go. Add the vegetables about 30 minutes before the beef is tender.
- Ground provisions refer to a variety of root vegetables for a healthy, hearty stew. This is the perfect opportunity to use taro, yams, sweet potatoes, and cassava (yuca). While corn on the cob and green plantains or bananas aren’t root vegetables, they also work to increase heartiness.
- Sub the plantains with potatoes if you’re not obsessed with them like I am. 😜
- DIY Grace’s cock soup mix. If you need gluten-free or MSG-free, mix a teaspoon each of garlic granules, onion granules, dried parsley, thyme, ground black pepper, and paprika. Add a tablespoon of ground turmeric for color and two tablespoons each of dried pumpkin powder, rice flour, and cornmeal, then add a pinch of red pepper flakes, celery seeds, and a few broken strands of gluten-free pasta and mix well. I don’t typically add salt, so I have more control over the saltiness of the finished product.
Tips and Tricks
- Not sure where to find chayote? Also known as christophenes or chocho, it’s available in most supermarkets and especially commonplace in Latino or Caribbean markets.
- Cook it in the slow cooker. You can also throw these ingredients minus the veggies in your crock pot and cook them on low for 5-6 hours. I like to add the vegetables about 30 minutes before I’m ready to serve the soup to keep them from getting too mushy. Speaking of mushy…
- Getting the flavors right is easy, so focus on texture. Tender chicken is quite simple, but avoiding seriously mushy vegetables is more challenging. Prevent the mush by checking them every so often during the cooking process. Adjust cooking time to suit your preferred texture.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Let the chicken soup cool before storing it in an airtight container. You can keep it refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat over medium heat on the stovetop when ready to serve it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve Jamaican chicken and pumpkin soup hot, with some dipping bread. Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days or freeze them for 2-3 months. Reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.
What Goes With Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup
Serve this hearty soup with some bread! I like to make either no-knead or homemade garlic bread. Round out your meal with a side of rice and a simple tossed salad. 🥗
More Sensational Jamaican Soups & Stews to Try
- Jamaican Stew Peas
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
- Jamaican Oxtail Soup
- Brown Stew Chicken
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This blog post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos
Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.5k) or more chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons (4g) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups (1.2l) or more broth (or water and bouillon)
- 2-3 green onions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon (2g) allspice
- 1 chayote, cut into large chunks
- 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2-3 cups (280-420g) butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1-2 carrots, cut into large chunks
- 2-3 tablespoons (8-12g) parsley (optional)
- 1 packet cock flavored soup mix
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven with oil, then add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, bay leaf, and scotch bonnet pepper or hot sauce. Stir for about 3 minutes to get the aromatics going. Then, add chicken, salt, and pepper, and stir for about a minute.
- Pour the broth into the pot, and toss in the vegetables: plantains, squash, chayote, and carrots. Add the cock flavor and adjust the salt to taste.
- Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Adjust seasonings to taste, remove from heat, and serve with bread.
Tips & Notes:
- Chayote, also known as christophenes or chocho, is available in most supermarkets and especially in Latino or Caribbean markets.
- You can also throw these ingredients minus the veggies in your crock pot and cook them on low for 5-6 hours. I like to add the vegetables about 30 minutes before I’m ready to serve the soup to keep them from getting too mushy. Speaking of mushy…
- Getting the flavors right is easy, so focus on texture. Tender chicken is quite simple, but avoiding seriously mushy vegetables is more challenging. Prevent the mush by checking them every so often during the cooking process. Adjust cooking time to suit your preferred texture.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I love this soup. It is easy to make, versatile and delicious. The chopping of veggies takes the most time. My only issue is the cock spice packet. It contains monosodium Glutamate which gives me headaches. Can I omit the spice packet or replace it with additional herbs?
Yes you can do that. You can also use a bouillon powder without MSG and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). Please tell me how it goes when you try it:)
My friend introduced me to this soup, she purchased it from a jamaican restaurant…FELL IN LOVE!!
I was determined to make it myself, I ran across yours and another one. Let’s just say I made your recipe twice Thee only thing I added was the pumpkin and chicken noodle soup mix (grace) couldn’t find the ghost pepper. Habenero was my go to just added half tsp of sugar. I haven’t been back to that restaurant anymore since I found this recipe. Thanks for sharing my WHOLE ENTIRE FAMILY LOVES IT!! I sincerely thank you so much.
Hi Lysa! I am happy you liked it! 🙂
Lemme talk loud enough for the back of the church! This recipe was so amazing and my family loved it. The next day there was 5 people I had to redirect to this website for the recipe. This will always be my Go To fall soup recipe. Also I have made the Goat and Oxtail entrée recipes and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have made me into an amazing cook with your easy step by step instructions. SO far all recipes are a Hit! Cant wait to try more
Hi Parker! I am so happy you get to enjoy the recipe! Yeah, this has been a winner fall soup for my family too!
Amazing recipe. I added a little bit of curry powder, because I love it. It was hard to find Scotch Bonnets and at first I used Habaneros – definitely not the same in this dish. I advice finding the bonnet peppers, it gives the soup a spicy fruity flavor that takes it over the edge! Making again next week. Thank you so much for this recipe
Thank you so much for sharing, Largo! 🙂
This is a fantastic recipe, well done.
Making this for the 2nd time and love this soup. I added 3 scotch bonnet peppers so that may have been a tad much, but I’m happily sweating.
I did not find any chayote and that is the only other change to the recipe. So delicious!
Oh Boy! You are a heat seeker- Glad it worked out well for you.
Excellent recipe & so easy to follow!! I didn’t have any plantain or cho-cho but substituted with potatoes and carrots and it still was amazing. Can’t wait to try it again following the recipe exactly as written. Thanks so much for sharing, can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
So happy to hear it worked out well.Appreciate your support. Thanks so much.
Love, love, love, I made this soup before and is about to make it again for the second time. Absolutely deliciousand easy to make. I definitely recommend.
Thank you, Jewel! 🙂
Really delicious and fragrant! Loved the variety of veggies that I’ve never used in soup before. Def will make again
Thanks for sharing, Drea! I’m glad you loved it!
Amazing!!!! Our new go to soup. I stepped out of my comfort zone with the chayote, plantain and hot pepper. Three things I’ve never cooked with so impressed with the taste, smell flavors. I used beef instead of chicken. Just amazing! Thanks ❤️❤️❤️
Came across this recipe this morning and cooked it this afternoon
That’s great! Thanks for giving it a try
Can you freeze this soup ?
Yes you sure can.
Could I replicate this with beef instead? If so what kind would you recommend?
Hi John. Yes, you can use beef. The more tender the beef the better. If you have a tough cut of beef, you would have to boil it until tender before proceeding. Do let me know how it works out for you.
So good I literally just made and ate it lol. Thank you
Lol.Awesome !!! Glad you loved it, Nia :)!
Made today, super easy and super delicious, slight variation with veg, used what I had on hand
Thank you
Hi Andrea! I am so glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
Hi there, I got all the ingredients to make this soup and I’m excited to taste it.
One quick question, cooking time states 50 mins but when I add up everything in the instructions it’s 34 mins.
Please could you confirm how long I will need to stew it for?
Thank you
And which broth should I use?
I would recommend chicken broth but you can also use vegetable broth if you prefer 🙂
Hi Rebecca, this soup is a fairly quick recipe. The time really just depends on how long you’d like the soup to simmer to allow the flavors to meld together.
This is too delicious and to think I underestimated it . Well done. I hope you have jerk chicken on here too love love
Hello Blessing,
Of course I do. Here’s the link https://www.africanbites.com/jerk-chicken/. Let me know what you think