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This Simmered Kabocha Squash with Ground Chicken is a cozy Japanese-style dinner with tender Japanese pumpkin and finely crumbled chicken in a savory, lightly sweet ginger-sesame sauce.
Unlike the simple simmered kabocha served as a side dish, this version adds chicken to make it a full meal. The squash is sliced thinly, so it cooks quickly in one skillet while still holding its shape.
A cozy Japanese-style dinner, not just a side dish
During my travels in Japan, I saw kabocha used in the kind of simple, everyday cooking that families make at home. It is often simmered until tender and served as one part of a meal.
Here, I cook the Japanese pumpkin with ground chicken, ginger, scallions, and a simple sauce so it can stand on its own for dinner. Enoki or shiitake adds savory flavor, but the heart of the dish is the naturally sweet kabocha and chicken.
Ingredient Notes
- Kabocha squash: Also called Japanese pumpkin, kabocha has firm orange flesh and edible dark-green skin. Its flavor reminds me of sweet potato, pumpkin, and roasted chestnuts. Choose one that feels heavy for its size and has firm skin without soft spots.
- Ground chicken: The mild flavor works well with the sweet squash. It also breaks into small bits that spread throughout the skillet, giving you chicken in every serving.
- Enoki or shiitake mushrooms: Either one works. Enoki is delicate, while shiitake has a deeper savory flavor. The mushrooms support the kabocha and chicken rather than taking over the dish.
- Ginger-sesame sauce: Soy sauce and chicken stock make the savory base. A small amount of sugar balances the rice vinegar, while toasted sesame oil gives the dish a warm, nutty finish.
Why I slice the kabocha so thin
Kabocha is a dense winter squash. Large chunks take much longer to soften, so I slice it ⅛ inch thick for this quick skillet recipe. At that thickness, the squash becomes tender in about 5 to 6 minutes.
When you slice a kabocha half crosswise, the pieces may look like long, curved half-moons. Cut those into shorter sections about 1½ to 2 inches wide. This helps them fit evenly in the skillet and makes them easier to serve and eat.
Keep the skin on. It is edible and helps the thin pieces hold their shape as they simmer. You only need to trim away any especially rough, dry, or tough-looking spots.
If you are starting with a whole kabocha, pierce the skin deeply in several spots with a fork or the tip of a paring knife to let steam escape. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 3 minutes to soften the hard exterior slightly. Let it rest for 1 minute before handling. You’ll find the complete cutting instructions in the recipe card below.
A few things to watch while it cooks
Give the chicken a head start
Cook the ground chicken over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the squash. Break it into fine, small bits while it cooks. This gives the chicken enough time to cook through without leaving the kabocha in the pan for too long.
Cover the pan for the short simmer
After adding the kabocha, mushrooms, and sauce, reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet. The trapped steam helps the thin squash slices become tender with only a small amount of liquid.
Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes and stir gently from time to time so everything cooks evenly.
Stop while the kabocha still holds its shape
The squash is ready when a fork slides through with little resistance. It should be tender but not falling apart.
Taste the dish after the squash is cooked before adding more soy sauce or salt. Kabocha has natural sweetness, so it may need less additional seasoning than you expect.
What to serve with kabocha and chicken
Serve this kabocha and chicken with boiled noodles or steamed rice. The small pieces of ground chicken and savory sauce mix easily through the noodles or settle into the rice, making it a complete meal.
For a vegetable side, try my Japanese spinach salad with sesame dressing or Japanese cucumber salad. The spinach adds more greens, while the cucumber salad brings a cool, juicy crunch that balances the tender kabocha.
Simmered Kabocha Squash with Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅔ lb kabocha squash measured after removing the seeds
- 2 scallions
- 1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
- 3.5 oz enoki mushrooms or fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 pinches coarse sea salt divided
- ½ lb ground chicken
- Drizzle Toasted sesame oil for serving
Simmering sauce:
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce gluten-free if needed
- 2 tbsp chicken stock
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Cut open the kabocha: Scrub the kabocha under running water and pat it dry. If you have a whole kabocha, pierce the skin deeply in several places with a fork or the tip of a paring knife to create steam vents. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 3 minutes to soften the rind slightly. Let it rest for 1 minute, or until cool enough to handle.
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, slowly cut the squash in half, working around the hard center stem instead of cutting directly through it. Gently rock the knife back and forth as you cut. Cut each half in half again to make 4 quarters. If your kabocha is already halved or quartered, begin here. Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon.
- Slice the kabocha: Measure out ⅔ lb of the prepared kabocha. There is no need to peel the skin. Place each half or quarter cut-side down and slice it into ⅛-inch-thick curved pieces. The slices may look like long half-moons, so cut them into shorter sections about 1½ to 2 inches wide. If any part of the skin looks especially rough, dry, or tough, carefully slice away only that area.
- Prepare the aromatics: Slice the scallions into small rounds and separate the white and green parts. Finely mince the ginger. Set them aside separately.
- Prepare the mushrooms: For enoki mushrooms, trim about 1 inch from the root end and cut the bundle crosswise in half. Gently pull the mushrooms apart into small, bite-size clusters. For shiitake mushrooms, remove the tough stems and thinly slice the caps.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken stock, sugar, and rice vinegar. Set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Preheat a large 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it feels warm when you hold your palm 2 to 3 inches above the surface. Add the avocado oil. Sauté the ginger and white scallion parts with 1 pinch of salt until fragrant, about 5 to 10 seconds.
- Cook the chicken: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground chicken. Season with the remaining 2 pinches of salt. Use a wooden spoon to break the chicken into fine crumbles. Sauté until it is no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the kabocha and mushrooms, then pour in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and stir briefly to combine. Cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir periodically so everything cooks evenly.
- Check the squash: The kabocha is ready when a fork slides through with little resistance. It should be tender but still hold its shape without becoming mushy.
- Taste and adjust: Taste the dish before adding more soy sauce or salt. Turn off the heat.
- Serve: Transfer to a wide serving bowl. Drizzle with a little toasted sesame oil and garnish with the green scallion parts. Serve hot or warm with steamed rice or cooked noodles.
Notes
- Cutting the kabocha ⅛ inch thick is important. The thin pieces become tender in 5 to 6 minutes. Thicker pieces will require a longer simmer. To make it easier to cut, microwave the halves on medium heat for 3 minutes total, flipping after 1 ½ minutes. This softens the squash slightly.
- Make-ahead freezer option:
- Add the raw ground chicken, raw prepared vegetables, and uncooked sauce to a freezer-safe bag. Everything should go into the bag raw. Press into a flat layer, remove the air, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To cook, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Add the frozen or thawed contents with ¼ cup water. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 20 minutes from frozen or about 10 minutes if thawed. Break up the chicken as it softens. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and broken into fine, small bits, and the kabocha is tender. If the pan looks watery, remove the lid for the final few minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently asked questions
No. Kabocha skin is edible and becomes tender when cooked. Keeping it on also helps the thin slices hold together. Trim away only the areas that look especially rough, dry, or tough.
This recipe is inspired by Japanese simmered kabocha, or kabocha no nimono. My version adds ground chicken, uses thin slices, and cooks in a skillet, making it a complete dinner rather than a simple vegetable side.
Yes. Peel the skin and remove the seeds first. Cut the squash into pieces about ⅛ inch thick and 1½ to 2 inches wide, just like the kabocha. Cooking time can vary slightly, so check the squash with a fork and stop when it is tender but still holds its shape.
More kabocha and winter squash recipes
- Use extra Japanese pumpkin to make my turmeric ginger kabocha squash soup. It turns the dense squash into a smooth and cozy soup.
- My roasted red kuri squash is brushed with miso butter and roasted until tender. It’s a simple way to try another naturally sweet winter squash.
- For a faster fall side, try my air fryer delicata squash. The skin is edible, so it requires very little preparation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
Not only do I love the yummy flavors in this recipe, the freezer-friendly meal prep is a real life saver!
Such a great freezer prep idea! This looks amazing.
Thank you so much!
Love the sesame oil you use in this recipe — such great flavor!
Such a tasty, easy to prepare, recipe! I loved the kabocha squash!
Sounds delicious! I love how many veggies are in this dish.
I’ve never used Kobocha squash for anything! Thanks for showing me a new ingredient!
First time ever using Kabocha squash. I always go to Asian market and wonder how to use these vegetables and was so excited to use this squash for this dish. Well, I was brave enough to take this dish to a social gathering and people were asking me for this recipe! So much flavor and easy steps to follow. Will definitely be cooking this through winter!
So happy to hear and thanks for sharing, Amita!
Kabocha is my absolute favorite type of squash and this looks fantastic! I can put that sauce on everything.
Loved the combination of sweet kabocha with savoury sauce and being a huge fan of enoki mushrooms, this was totally my gem. Really nice, we made with some rice noodles on the side.
Love Squash, we use Butternut here. Looks really delicious!