Dinner in a Pumpkin
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 55 mins
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Servings
8 Servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Dinner in a Pumpkin
Description
"Dinner in a Pumpkin" starts with a medium pumpkin hollowed to create a serving vessel. The filling is made by cooking a sauce from chicken broth, seasonings, milk, flour, and cream cheese until thick. Separately, onion, garlic, carrots, broccoli, and corn are sautéed until tender, then combined with cooked rice or quinoa and chicken. This mixture is combined with the sauce and placed inside the pumpkin shell.
The pumpkin itself softens when baked, complementing the creamy, mildly spiced filling rich with vegetables and chicken. The sauce includes traditional poultry seasoning, onion and garlic powders, and black pepper, which gently deepen the profile without overwhelming the vegetables or pumpkin. The creamy texture contrasts with the slight firmness of the cooked vegetables and rice.
Serving this dish directly inside the pumpkin adds a rustic touch, making it suitable as a main course for a family meal or seasonal gathering. It pairs well with simple sides or a fresh salad. The filling can be prepared ahead, and pre-cooked chicken and grains streamline the assembly and cooking process.
Choosing a pumpkin around 9-10 pounds with about 10 inches height and 26.5 inches circumference ensures adequate size for filling and roasting. Leftover cooked chicken and grains can be used, and the sauce can be made in advance and reheated. The recipe offers flexibility in ingredients while creating a comforting, visually appealing casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin see note
Sauce:
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth low-sodium
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning or sub a pinch each of marjoram, sage and thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste if needed
- ⅛ teaspoon parsley dried
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed, light or regular
Casserole:
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil coconut, vegetable or olive oil, generic cooking oil
- ½ cup onion finely chopped, yellow or white
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup carrot finely diced
- 1 cup broccoli diced florets
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen
- 2 cups rice cooked, or quinoa
- 3-4 cups chicken cooked, see note
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut the top off the pumpkin and set aside - try for about a 6-7-inch opening. Clean out the seeds and insides of the pumpkin until the inner walls of the pumpkin are smooth.
- For the sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat bring the chicken broth and all the seasonings to a simmer. Whisk the milk and flour together until very smooth. Gradually pour it into the simmering broth while whisking quickly and continue cooking until the mixture is bubbly and thick. Off the heat, stir in the cubes of cream cheese and let them melt while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic (or garlic powder), carrots, broccoli and corn. Cook the mixture, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are slightly tender, 5-8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice or quinoa, chicken, and cooked vegetables. Stir the sauce to combine the soft cream cheese and pour over the other ingredients, mixing to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste (don't be shy - it may need another 1/2 teaspoon of salt or so).
- Lightly salt and pepper the inside of the pumpkin (the sides and bottom) and spoon the casserole into the pumpkin.
- Place the top back on the pumpkin and place a large rimmed baking sheet covered in foil in the oven. Most likely it will need to be on a rack placed low in the oven to fit the pumpkin. Carefully place the pumpkin on the baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet and pumpkin from the oven and let the pumpkin rest for 10 minutes before serving. Scoop the casserole out of the pumpkin - don't forget to scrape the soft, delicious sides of the pumpkin to get a bit of the sweet pumpkin meat in with the casserole (that's what makes it so tasty!).
- Be careful moving the pumpkin after it has baked. It probably should stay on the baking sheet - the sides will be ultra soft and I've learned the hard way that if the pumpkin is being moved from the baking sheet to a platter, it may split in half!
Notes
- Choose a medium pumpkin about 9-10 pounds and roughly 10 inches tall with 26.5 inches circumference to fit your oven and hold the casserole.
- Use good-quality cooked chicken, such as rotisserie, to simplify prep and add flavor.
- Cooked rice or quinoa and the sauce can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator until assembling the dish.
- Be careful to hollow the pumpkin until the walls are smooth to prevent leaks and ensure even cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Serving | |
| Calories | 329kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 62mg | 21% |
| Sodium | 347mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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