Thai-Style Chicken Pumpkin Soup

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (feel free to increase to 3/4 tsp if you like spicy)
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, halved and thinly sliced
• 15 ounces can solid-pack pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup mango nectar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro divided use
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups hot cooked rice (preferably jasmine or basmati)
• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes; cook for 1-2 minutes longer or until fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker crock.
2. Stir in celery, carrots, pumpkin, peanut butter, broth, water, mango nectar, and lime juice. Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours or on HIGH 4 hours.
3. Stir in rice wine vinegar and 1/4 cup cilantro. Stir together cream and cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir into soup. Turn to HIGH and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until soup thickens.
4. To serve, place about 1/2 cup of hot cooked rice in bottom of bowls and ladle soup around rice. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro, green onions and peanuts. Squeeze fresh lime juice over soup.
5. SUBSTITUTIONS: Feel free to substitute either sweet potato or butternut squash puree for the pumpkin. Cashew butter and coarsely chopped cashews may be used in place of peanut butter and chopped peanuts. Flat-leaf parsley may be substituted for cilantro or you may use a combination of cilantro, parsley, mint and/or basil, instead. If preferred, substitute another grain (i.e. quinoa, barley, etc.) for the rice.
6. NOTE: This recipe may be prepared on the stove top simply by using a Dutch oven when browning the chicken, and then following the remaining steps. Simmer over medium heat for 45-60 minutes, or just until carrots are fork-tender. After adding cream-cornstarch slurry, simmer uncovered for 4-6 minutes, or just until thickened.

extra virgin olive oil, chicken breasts, white onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper, celery, carrots, solidpack pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling, peanut butter, lowsodium, water, mango, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, cilantro, heavy cream, cornstarch, rice, peanuts, lime wedges

Taken from food52.com/recipes/75284-thai-style-chicken-pumpkin-soup (may not work)