Creamed Chicken and Potatoes
Freeze-dried chicken and vegetables with mashed potatoes. A substantial one-pot dinner that needs time to rehydrate properly.
- calories
- 470
- weight
- 5.2 oz
- cal / oz
- 90
- protein
- 27 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 16 min
- water
- 600 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
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Campfire coals
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant mashed potato flakes | 1/2 cup | the shelf-stable kind, not fresh |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried chicken | 1.5 oz | unseasoned if you can find it, to control salt |
| Freeze-dried mixed vegetables | 1/4 cup | peas, carrots, corn |
| Powdered milk | 3 tbsp | for creaminess |
| Oil | 1 tbsp | olive oil or canola, in a small dropper bottle |
| Chicken bouillon cube | 1 | crushed |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Boil 600 ml of water.
- Pour the water into a pot or bowl with all dry ingredients. Stir hard to break up clumps in the potato flakes and powdered milk.
- Let sit for 15 minutes. The freeze-dried chicken and vegetables need the full time to absorb water and soften.
- Stir in the oil, adjust salt and pepper, and eat.
The mistake here is rushing. Fifteen minutes feels long when you are hungry, but freeze-dried chicken and vegetables genuinely need that time to fully absorb water and soften. Cut it short and you end up with crunchy cores and a grainy texture. The powdered milk and oil thicken the potatoes into something creamy without fresh dairy. Everything is shelf-stable and travels light.
This works best at basecamp where you have time, or when you are already boiling water for something else. The ratio scales linearly if you want to double it for two people.
Packing
Mix potato flakes, freeze-dried chicken, vegetables, powdered milk, and crumbled bouillon cube into one quart freezer bag at home. Carry oil in a small dropper bottle. Salt and pepper go in a separate small bag or mixed in.
Variations
- Add 1 tbsp powdered sour cream mix for tang.
- Substitute freeze-dried beef or pork for the chicken.
- A teaspoon of garlic powder or dried onion mixed into the dry bag upgrades the flavor.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/04/11/commercial-meal-review-thrive-life-creamy-mashed-potato-bowl