Jamaican Chicken and Pumpkin Soup

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

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Sub the plantains with potatoes if you’re not obsessed with them like I am. 😜
6. 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

1. 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. 
2. 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…
3. 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

1. Jamaican Stew Peas
2. Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup
3. Jamaican Oxtail Soup
4. Brown Stew Chicken
5. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This blog post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos