High Protein Pumpkin Cream Sauce Chicken Breast

This high protein pumpkin cream sauce chicken breast is the fall dinner to make when you want something cosy without a heavy cream sauce. Chicken breasts are seared until golden, then finished in a creamy pumpkin sauce made with pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt and parmesan — 42g of protein per serving, warm sage flavour, and dinner on the table in 35 minutes.

The sauce is the whole point. Pumpkin puree gives it body and a gentle sweetness, Greek yogurt keeps it tangy and high in protein, and a little parmesan ties it together. It tastes rich, but there is no heavy cream in it at all — and it comes together in the same pan the chicken cooked in, so the browned bits from searing end up in the sauce.

Why you’ll love it

• 42g protein per serving, about 410 calories
• A creamy fall sauce with no heavy cream — pumpkin and Greek yogurt do the work
• One pan, 35 minutes total, and it serves 4
• The sauce is just as good the next day over rice or mashed cauliflower

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 700g total)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 8–10 fresh sage leaves, plus extra to serve

Equipment used

• A large skillet, for searing the chicken and making the sauce in one pan
• A whisk, for blending the pumpkin sauce smooth
• Tongs, for turning the chicken without tearing it
• An instant-read meat thermometer, for checking the chicken is cooked through

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (74°C / 165°F inside). Transfer to a plate.
3. Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, chicken broth and nutmeg. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the Greek yogurt and parmesan until the sauce is smooth. Do not boil it after the yogurt goes in, or it can split.
6. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the top and warm gently for 2 minutes.
7. Scatter the sage leaves over the top and serve straight from the pan, with the extra sauce spooned over each breast.

Tips

• Take the pan off the heat before adding the Greek yogurt. High heat curdles yogurt, but a warm pan keeps the sauce silky.
• Pound the thick end of each breast flat so the chicken cooks evenly and stays juicy.
• Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling — the filling is sweetened and spiced, and it will throw the sauce off.
• Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of broth, never on high heat.

Estimated nutrition per serving

These are estimated macros based on standard ingredient values, not lab-measured results.

More high-protein recipes to try

• High Protein Thanksgiving Stuffed Chicken Breast with Cranberry and Spinach
• High Protein Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken Thighs for Thanksgiving
• Crispy Baked Thanksgiving Turkey Cutlets with Sage

FAQ

Can I use canned pumpkin puree? Yes — canned pumpkin puree is exactly what this recipe is built for. Just check the tin says “pumpkin puree” and not “pumpkin pie filling”, which is sweetened and already spiced.

Is this high protein pumpkin cream sauce chicken breast good for meal prep? Yes. It keeps 3 days in the fridge and reheats well. Store the chicken in the sauce so it stays moist, and reheat gently on the hob with a splash of chicken broth.

Can I make it dairy-free? You can swap the Greek yogurt for a plain dairy-free yogurt and skip the parmesan, but the protein will drop — the yogurt and parmesan add about 5g of protein per serving.

What should I serve it with? Mashed cauliflower, rice, or roasted green beans all work. The sauce is generous, so serve something that can soak it up.

High Protein Pumpkin Cream Sauce Chicken Breast

Sophia Martinez

Seared chicken breasts in a creamy pumpkin and Greek yogurt sauce with sage. 42g protein — 35 minutes, serves 4.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 410 kcal

Equipment

• Large Skillet for searing the chicken and making the sauce in one pan
• Whisk for blending the pumpkin sauce smooth
• Tongs for turning the chicken without tearing it
• Instant-read meat thermometer for checking the chicken is cooked through

Ingredients

  

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 700g total
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 8–10 fresh sage leaves plus extra to serve

Instructions

 

• Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (74°C / 165°F inside). Transfer to a plate.
• Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Whisk in the pumpkin puree, chicken broth and nutmeg. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the Greek yogurt and parmesan until the sauce is smooth. Do not boil it after the yogurt goes in, or it can split.
• Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the top and warm gently for 2 minutes.
• Scatter the sage leaves over the top and serve straight from the pan, with the extra sauce spooned over each breast.

Notes

Take the pan off the heat before adding the Greek yogurt, or it can split. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Keyword chicken breast, dinner, high protein, pumpkin cream sauce, thanksgiving

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