Campfire Chicken Chili
One pot, mostly canned and cooler ingredients. Smoky peppers carry the flavor.
- calories
- 600
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 75
- protein
- 38 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 35 min
- total time
- 45 min
- water
- 500 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
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Ground chicken | 1.25 lbs | cooler-safe, will thaw during transit |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | in a bottle or camp container |
| Onion | 1 large | diced; prep ahead or chop at camp |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | minced; prep ahead or mince at camp |
| Bell peppers | 3 (mixed colors) | diced; prep ahead or chop at camp |
| Poblano peppers | 2 medium | diced; prep ahead or chop at camp |
| Celery ribs | 2 | diced; prep ahead or chop at camp |
| Chicken broth | 2 cups | fresh or powdered (4 bouillon cubes dissolved) |
| Tomato sauce (canned) | 15 oz | |
| Black beans (canned) | 30 oz (2 cans) | drained and rinsed |
| Corn (canned) | 15 oz | drained |
| Chipotle peppers in adobo | 2-3 peppers | plus 1-2 tbsp sauce |
| Smoked paprika | 1.5 tsp | |
| Ground cumin | 1.5 tsp | |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp | |
| Dried thyme | 1 tsp | |
| Bay leaf | 1-2 | |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over the campfire or camp stove on medium-high heat.
- Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the diced onion, garlic, bell peppers, poblano peppers, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, drained beans, drained corn, chipotle peppers with sauce, and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili should thicken slightly.
- Remove from heat. Fish out the bay leaf. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper.
- Serve hot. Leftover chili keeps in a cooler for a day.
One pot, mostly canned goods and cooler ingredients. Brown the chicken and peppers, add the cans, and let it simmer while you set up camp. Most of the flavor work is done by the peppers and spices, not technique.
The smokiness comes from two sources: chipotle peppers in the sauce and smoked paprika in the spice mix. They add depth that reads as hours of simmering. Twenty minutes over heat is enough for everything to meld.
Packing
Prep and dice vegetables at home; store in a sealed container in your cooler. Ground chicken from freezer will thaw during transit. Canned goods in a dry bag. Pre-measure dry spices (paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, bay leaf) into a small sealed bag.
Variations
- Substitute ground beef or ground turkey for the ground chicken.
- Use different beans: kidney beans, pinto beans, or black-eyed peas instead of black beans.
- Add diced jalapeños or extra chipotle peppers for more heat.
- Top with fresh cilantro, diced onion, lime wedges, shredded cheese, or sour cream if you have a cooler.
- Use canned chicken instead of ground chicken; shred before adding to the pot.
- For a shelf-stable version, use freeze-dried ground chicken and powdered broth.
https://2nerdsinatruck.com/southwest-chicken-chili