One-Pot Chicken and Rice
Freeze-dried chicken and cheese stirred into instant rice. One pot, ten minutes to a full meal.
- calories
- 800
- weight
- 6 oz
- cal / oz
- 133
- protein
- 28 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 15 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
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Freeze-dried chicken | 1.5 cups | slices or dices |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried mushrooms | 1.5 cups | sliced |
| Dried onion | 0.5 cup | diced |
| Dried celery | 0.25 cup | |
| Dried garlic | 1 Tbsp | |
| Low sodium chicken broth powder | 4 tsp | |
| Italian herb seasoning | 1 tsp | |
| True Lemon or citric acid | 1 packet | |
| Instant rice | 2 cups | |
| Freeze-dried Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese | 1 cup | |
| Olive oil | 2 Tbsp | or 2 packets from a camp stove oil carrier |
| Water | 4 cups | |
| Evaporated milk | one 12 oz can | whole milk, shelf-stable |
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium flame.
- Add the freeze-dried chicken, mushrooms, onion, celery, garlic, broth powder, Italian herb seasoning, and rice. Stir well to coat everything with oil.
- Pour in the water and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Maintain a light simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy. Adjust the heat as needed to keep it at a gentle simmer—don't let it boil hard or it will scorch.
- Remove from heat and stir in the freeze-dried cheese until it's completely melted.
- Taste and adjust with more True Lemon if needed. Serve immediately.
Evaporated milk rehydrates freeze-dried ingredients more effectively than broth alone, and it thickens the rice without needing fresh cream. The starches released by the cooking rice work with the milk solids to create a creamy base.
Add the cheese at the end off the heat—this prevents it from breaking. The True Lemon cuts through the richness and works like the acidity in a home kitchen where fresh vegetables would be doing the same job.
Packing
At home, combine the freeze-dried chicken, mushrooms, onion, celery, garlic, broth powder, Italian herb seasoning, and True Lemon in a quart-sized vacuum-sealed or freezer bag. Pack the instant rice in a separate bag so it doesn't absorb moisture from the herbs. In camp, you'll need a large pot (at least 3-4 liters) with an adjustable flame. Carry the olive oil in a small dropper bottle or camp packet, and the canned evaporated milk separately.
Variations
- Use powdered whole milk mixed with an extra 12 oz of water instead of canned evaporated milk to lighten the pack for backpacking.
- Add 0.5 cup freeze-dried peas or corn for color and texture.
- Substitute cheddar or pepper jack for Monterey Jack, or use a blend of freeze-dried cheeses.
- A splash of white wine or lemon juice would upgrade this at home, but shelf stability matters for trail cooking.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/04/24/boondocking-meals-chicken-and-rice-casserole