Creamy Pumpkin Parmesan Chicken with Wild Mushrooms

Crispy seasoned chicken nestled in a silky creamy pumpkin parmesan sauce with rosemary sautéed wild mushrooms. All cooked in one skillet. An easy weeknight supper or the perfect festive holiday meal for two!

Panic set in this morning when I realized it was mid-November and I still have several pumpkin recipes to share! I swear this happens every year, pumpkin-recipe-palooza, and then not enough time to post. #FoodBloggerProblems

Stuck in pumpkin paralysis, I polled my Instagram fam about which recipe to post first and this pumpkin parmesan chicken won by a landslide.

This is not my first savory pumpkin recipe, in fact, I have found that pumpkin is the perfect companion to curry (like in my Pumpkin Cauliflower Chickpea Curry recipe), chili (Pumpkin Turkey Chili – YAAAAS!), and even tacos! (Pumpkin Mushroom Tacos… come on!!).

I thought this chicken dish would be the perfect meal for an easy unconventional small Thanksgiving celebration. If you are hosting this year for only a few people and have the “scaries” when thinking about making a turkey for 2 or 3 people, throw convention out the window and make this delicious, easy, and festive dinner instead! (Additional Thanksgiving sides welcome).

How  to Make Easy Crispy Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs

I love using chicken thighs for this recipe, this method of cooking produces crispy flavorful skin and juicy tender chicken.

It's quite easy as well, just follow these simple steps:

• Dry the chicken – make sure the chicken is thoroughly dry before adding it to the pan. If the skin is moist or wet it won’t crisp up as well.
• Season – Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Roast – This is the best part- simply add the chicken thighs to a cast-iron skillet and roast in a 400° oven for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°.

I found that smaller chicken thighs take 38-40 minutes and larger chicken thighs take 45 minutes

Tips to Make Perfectly Sauteed Rosemary Mushrooms

The hardest part about sauteeing mushrooms is leaving them alone to just do their thing! A chef taught me years ago, when you saute mushrooms follow these tips:

• Get your pan screaming hot. I like to use a large cast-iron skillet.
• Add a good amount of olive oil or butter (or ghee)
• Toss in your mushrooms in a single layer
• DO NOT TOUCH THEM
• DO NOT SALT THEM

Don't stir them around, don't shake them. Leave them alone for at least 4 minutes.

It's hard.

It requires patience.

It is Oh. So. Worth. It.

Once they have browned on one side you can move them around, and then salt and pepper them at the end of cooking. If you add salt too soon it will cause the mushrooms to release too much water and they will become soggy.

No one wants a soggy mushroom 🙂

How to Make Easy Creamy Pumpkin Parmesan Sauce

This sauce is so crazy easy. Simply add the pumpkin, almond milk (or any kind of milk you want to use), and butter to the pan. Whisk together until thick and creamy and then add the parmesan and turn off the heat.

That is it. Pumpkin perfection in about 4 minutes!

Putting it All Together

I like nestling the chicken thighs into the sauce with the mushrooms and then topping with an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Side Dishes to Serve With This Healthy Chicken Dinner

This creamy pumpkin chicken dish would be absolutely delicious with the following sides:

• Perfect Mashed Potatoes and Mashed Parsnips
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Sauteed Kale
• Garlicky Sauteed Spinach
• Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Escarole Citrus Salad

MORE HEALTHY SAVORY PUMPKIN RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE

PUMPKIN PEANUT BUTTER SOUP

PUMPKIN TACOS WITH SHITAKE MUSHROOMS

PUMPKIN CAULIFLOWER CURRY

PUMPKIN TURKEY CHILI 

I hope you love this Creamy Pumpkin Parmesan Chicken Recipe. If you make it be sure to tag me @abrapappa on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!

Creamy Pumpkin Parmesan Chicken with Wild Mushrooms

Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Crispy seasoned chicken nestled in a silky creamy pumpkin parmesan sauce with rosemary sautéed wild mushrooms. All cooked in one skillet. An easy weeknight supper or the perfect festive holiday meal for two!

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 769 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 lbs. chicken thighs (bone in-skin on)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pumpkin Parmesan Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter or ghee
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup plain almond milk
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Rosemary Sauteed Mushrooms

• 2 lbs. cremini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Prepare chicken thighs by assuring they are completely dry. Place in a cast-iron skillet or on a sheet pan. Coat each chicken with olive oil (dispersing between each chicken thigh) and salt and pepper.
• Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Sauteed Rosemary Mushrooms

• In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat add olive oil and mushrooms. Do not move or touch mushrooms for 4 minutes.
• Add whole rosemary sprigs, salt, and pepper, move mushrooms around the pan, saute for an additional 4 minutes or until mushrooms are browned and tender. Remove from pan and set aside. (remove rosemary sprig)

Pumpkin Parmesan Sauce

• In the same mushroom skillet (with the mushrooms removed) combine the pumpkin puree, almond milk, and butter over medium-low heat. Whisk until well combined, creamy, and smooth. Add parmesan cheese, turn off heat and stir well. 
• Add mushrooms to sauce, stir to combine. Nestle crispy thighs into the sauce and top with additional parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley

Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 769kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 46gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 850mgPotassium: 1544mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5183IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 203mgIron: 3mg

Snap a photo when you try this recipe!Tag me! @abrapappa or #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!