Light Winter Warmers

Chicken & Pumpkin Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 large pumpkin, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 237 ml milk
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 800g chicken chopped thigh fillets, excess fat trimmed
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic chopped cloves
• 125ml white wine (optional)
• 125g cream cheese
• 185ml chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• Baby spinach
• 25g finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Boil pumpkin until soft (around 15 mins), drain and mash. Season.
3. Fry the chicken until browned, remove from pan.
4. Fry leek and garlic, reduce to low heat and add wine, simmering for 2 minutes.
5. Add cream cheese, stock, cornflour and milk; add the chicken and thyme and simmer for 5 minutes or until thick; add spinach.
6. Pour the chicken mix into a baking dish, top with pumpkin mash. Bake for 20 mins.
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan and oil, bake for a further 10 mins.

Smokey Chipotle Mex Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 80 ml olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon smokey chipotle seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 litre chicken/veg stock
• 1 large pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled & chopped
• 2 jalapenos, sliced
• 170g sour cream
• 100g grated spicy cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium head. Add onion, garick and chipotle seasoning. Once browned, add stock and pumpkin, simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Once cooled, blend with a stick blender and reheat.
3. Add sour cream and tortilla chips to add texture.

All recipes from taste.com.au