Dinner Recipes

One Pot Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Pasta

By Clara ·
November 1, 2026

The chicken starts to brown, the onion softens in the same pot, and then the pumpkin goes straight into the broth with the pasta. There’s no separate saucepan to drain and no cream sauce to build on the side. I make this one pot creamy chicken and pumpkin pasta when I want a cozy, savory dinner that gets its creamy texture from the pasta cooking right in the sauce.

Plain pumpkin puree gives the broth body without turning it into a sweet dish, and dried sage brings an earthy note that suits the chicken. I brown the chicken first, then let the pasta simmer in the pumpkin broth until tender. Cream and Parmesan go in at the end, so the sauce stays smooth and the chicken doesn’t spend the whole cook simmering away. Every forkful comes up coated, with tender chicken tucked between the curls of pasta.

The Browned Chicken Is What Keeps Pumpkin From Tasting Flat

Pumpkin puree is mild, and a pot full of it can taste one-note if there’s nothing savory underneath. Browning the chicken first builds that deeper base before the pumpkin and broth go in. The browned bits left on the bottom of the pot carry plenty of flavor, so I scrape them up as the liquid is stirred in rather than washing the pot or starting over.

That’s also why this is a one-pot pasta instead of chicken served over a separate pasta side. The broth loosens the browned bits, while the pasta cooks directly in that liquid and takes on the savory flavor as it softens. Sage adds an earthy note that keeps the pumpkin firmly on the dinner side of the table. If you skip the browning and rush straight to the liquid, the dish will still cook, but it won’t have the same depth.

Why Plain Pumpkin and Short Pasta Matter in This Pot

• Pumpkin puree — Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling; pie filling is sweetened and spiced, which would push the whole pot in a different direction. A standard grocery-store can works well here because its smooth texture is consistent. There isn’t a direct swap that gives the sauce the same pumpkin flavor and body.
• Short pasta — Rotini works well because its twists catch the creamy sauce, and other short shapes can work too. Choose a shape of similar size so it cooks at a comparable pace in the broth. An everyday store brand is fine; the important part is using dry short pasta, not long noodles that are awkward to stir evenly in a skillet.
• Chicken breasts — Boneless, skinless breasts are lean and cook quickly in this format. Buy them fresh or fully thawed, and trim away any ragged bits that would cook faster than the evenly cut pieces. Boneless, skinless thighs are a good swap if you prefer a richer, slightly less lean bite.
• Heavy cream and Parmesan — Cream gives the sauce its smooth finish, while Parmesan brings a salty, savory edge. A block of Parmesan grated at home melts especially smoothly; pre-grated cheese is convenient, though the sauce may be a little less silky. For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened dairy-free culinary cream and nutritional yeast as described below.
• Low-sodium chicken broth — It supplies the liquid the pasta needs while leaving room for the salt and Parmesan to season the finished dish. Low-sodium broth is the useful choice here because broth brands vary in saltiness. The onion, garlic, and dried sage can be standard pantry staples; there’s no need for premium versions.

Build the Sauce Around the Pasta’s Simmer

Brown the Chicken Before Adding Liquid

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch deep skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, kosher salt, and black pepper, and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and 165°F in the thickest pieces. Don’t crowd the chicken into a smaller pan; it needs room to brown rather than steam. Transfer it to a plate while you build the base.

Soften the Onion, Then Add the Garlic

Add the finely chopped onion to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened. The onion should lose its raw, firm look without taking on much color. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds; garlic can turn bitter if it sits too long over the heat. Keep the pot as it is so the next ingredients can loosen the browned bits.

Simmer the Pasta in Pumpkin Broth

Stir in the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, short pasta, and dried sage, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10–13 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Keep the lid on between stirs so the pasta cooks in the simmering liquid, but don’t leave the bottom undisturbed for the whole cook. The pasta is ready when it’s tender, not chalky in the center.

Finish Gently With Cream, Parmesan, and Chicken

Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and cooked chicken, then cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring until the chicken is hot and the sauce looks creamy. Keep the heat low at this point; a hard boil isn’t needed to bring the sauce together. Remove the pot from the heat and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens as it sits, so it shouldn’t look quite as loose in the bowl as it does right when the pot leaves the burner.

Swaps That Keep the One-Pot Texture Intact

Questions That Come Up With Pumpkin Pasta

One Pot Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Pasta

One pot creamy chicken and pumpkin pasta combines tender chicken and short pasta in a pumpkin, sage, and Parmesan sauce. It simmers in a deep skillet or Dutch oven, then rests briefly until the sauce thickens.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

resting 5 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 820

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless; cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 0.75 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 1 yellow onion medium; finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz short pasta such as rotini
• 0.5 tsp dried sage
• 0.75 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Equipment

• 1 12-inch deep skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch deep skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and 165°F in the thickest pieces.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
4. Add the onion to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, pasta, and sage, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
7. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10–13 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender.
8. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and cooked chicken.
9. Cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is hot and the sauce is creamy.
10. Remove the pot from the heat and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes to thicken before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, let the pasta rest for the full 5 minutes so the sauce can thicken. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce may separate. Half-and-half can replace the heavy cream for a lighter sauce.