Chicken Pumpkin Soup (Chicken Soup Joumou)
This Chicken Soup Joumou (Chicken Pumpkin Soup) is a hearty Haitian soup made with marinated chicken, creamy pumpkin, and fresh vegetables. It's a comforting, flavor-packed version of Haiti's beloved Soup Joumou that's perfect for feeding a crowd.
Servings 16 servings
Calories 385kcal
Equipment
- Large Stockpot
- Serving Spoons
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade
- 20 ready-to-cook chicken wings drumettes and flats
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ½ large onion
- 2 oz fresh ginger
- 1 habanero pepper
- 3 teaspoon Gonaïves seasoning
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Soup
- About 36 oz kabocha pumpkin about 2.25 lbs.
- 3 large carrots cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks (about 25 oz)
- 6 oz Brussels sprouts halved
- 8 oz fresh green beans halved if long
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 2 scallions divided
- ½ large onion
- 1 large shallot cut into large chunks
- Handful fresh parsley
- 1 habanero pepper
- ½ cup neutral oil divided as directed
- 18 cups water divided
- About 8 teaspoon Gonaïves seasoning plus more as needed
- 12 oz jumbo stuffing shells
Instructions
- Clean and thoroughly pat dry the chicken. Blend the onion, ginger, one habanero pepper, ¼ cup oil, apple cider vinegar, Gonaïves seasoning, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.Do not throw away the marinade when ready to start searing the chicken. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large stockpot. Sear the chicken in batches until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add the prepared vegetables to the same pot along with the reserved marinade and remaining ¼ cup oil. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until they begin to soften.Blend the pumpkin with 6 cups water until creamy.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the stockpot. Add the remaining 12 cups water, browned chicken, about 8 teaspoons Gonaïves seasoning, and remaining habanero.
- Stir, partially cover, and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom.
- Reduce to medium-low. Add the jumbo shells and cook until tender, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
The Ingredients That Matter
We have quite a bit happening in this pot, so rather than explaining carrots and potatoes to you, here are the ingredients worth talking about. Pumpkin: I used the same pumpkin I used for my Oxtail Soup Joumou—kabocha pumpkin. For this version, I left the skin on and didn't boil the pumpkin first. Instead, it goes directly into the blender with water and is blended until creamy. You may notice tiny green specks from the skin. That's completely fine. If you're keeping the skin, wash and scrub the pumpkin thoroughly before cutting it. No need to remove the seeds either, if you don’t want to. You can also boil the pumpkin until tender first, as I did for my oxtail version, if you prefer. Chicken Wings: I used 20 chicken wings—a mixture of drumettes and flats. The chicken gets marinated before being seared, which gives us another opportunity to build flavor before everything goes into the soup. Gonaïves Seasoning: I use our Gonaïves seasoning both in the chicken marinade and again to season the soup. Start with the amounts in the recipe, then taste and adjust. That's important with a large pot of soup like this. Jumbo Shells: Instead of using smaller pasta, we're using jumbo stuffing shells. They're added at the very end, after the chicken and vegetables are cooked. It will thicken the soup further. *** Calories are estimated per serving/ slice.Nutrition
Serving: 16servings | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 850mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g