Camp Paella with Chorizo and Chicken
Dry-cured chorizo, arborio, and saffron in one skillet over the fire. No fridge involved.
- calories
- 720
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 90
- protein
- 34 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 35 min
- total time
- 45 min
- water
- 950 ml boiled
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Canister stove
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Dry-cured Spanish chorizo | 8 oz | the hard kind, sliced thin; fresh chorizo needs a fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Foil-pouch chicken | two 7 oz pouches | or 3 oz freeze-dried chicken, rehydrated in the broth |
| Arborio rice | 2 cups | |
| Chicken bouillon | 4 tsp | enough for 4 cups of broth |
| Ground saffron | 1/2 tsp | |
| Dried minced onion | 1/4 cup | |
| Garlic powder | 2 tsp | |
| Paprika | 2 tsp | smoked if you have it |
| Freeze-dried peas | 3/4 cup | |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | |
| Salt and pepper | 1 tsp each |
Method
- Boil 950 ml of water in the pot or a second vessel. Stir in the bouillon and saffron and keep it hot at the edge of the fire.
- Set a wide skillet over the grate. Add the oil and the chorizo slices. Cook two or three minutes until the fat runs orange.
- Add the dried onion, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir for a minute, no longer, or the paprika turns bitter.
- Pour in the rice and stir until every grain is coated in the red fat.
- Add the hot broth. Bring it up to a boil, then move the pan to lower heat and leave it alone for 18 to 20 minutes. Do not stir once it settles.
- When the liquid is nearly gone, scatter the peas over the top and lay the drained chicken across the surface. Cover with foil for 5 minutes.
- Pull it off the heat, salt and pepper it, and let it sit another five minutes before serving.
The original is a party dish built around fresh chorizo, an oven, and a fridge. Two swaps make it a camp dinner instead: dry-cured Spanish chorizo, which is shelf-stable and gives up the same red fat, and shelf-stable chicken added at the end rather than seared and baked. The onion and garlic go in dried, since neither is doing anything a powder cannot do once the paprika and saffron arrive.
Arborio is the reason this works over a fire. It absorbs a lot of liquid and stays forgiving about uneven heat, so a hot spot on one side of the grate gives you a crust rather than a ruined pot. Leave it alone while it cooks. Stirring releases starch and turns the whole thing into risotto, which is a different dinner.
Packing
Rice, bouillon, saffron, onion, garlic, paprika, and peas go in one zip bag as a dry mix. Chorizo and chicken pouches travel loose in the food bin.
Variations
- A squeeze of lemon at the end, if you carried one for something else.
- Swap the chicken for a pouch of smoked mussels once the rice is done.
- Skip both meats and use vegetable bouillon plus a handful of dried mushrooms.
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/blogs/recipe/chicken-chorizo-paella