Orange Chicken and Rice
Instant rice with dehydrated chicken in a quick orange sauce. Five-minute dinner from a single pot.
- calories
- 380
- weight
- 5 oz
- cal / oz
- 76
- protein
- 23 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 5 min
- total time
- 7 min
- water
- 300 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
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant white rice | 1/2 cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried chicken | 1.5 oz | |
| Dried mixed vegetables | 0.5 oz | broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, onion |
| Soy sauce | 1.5 tsp | liquid in a dropper bottle, or soy sauce packet |
| Brown sugar | 2 tsp | |
| Dried orange zest | 1/2 tsp | |
| Ginger powder | 1/4 tsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1/4 tsp | |
| Corn starch | 1/2 tsp | |
| Red pepper flakes | pinch | |
| Salt | small pinch |
Method
- Boil 300 ml water. Stir in instant rice, freeze-dried chicken, and dried vegetables, then remove from heat.
- After 1-2 minutes, stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic, corn starch, and red pepper flakes.
- Let it sit another 2-3 minutes as the rice absorbs water and the corn starch thickens the sauce slightly.
- Stir and eat. The freeze-dried chicken will have rehydrated into full pieces.
This adapts commercial orange chicken meals for trail cooking. Instant rice saves fuel and time, and freeze-dried chicken rehydrates into full pieces in boiling water. The result tastes like chicken, not powder.
Most commercial freeze-dried meals are mostly sugar masking mediocre ingredients. This one cuts the added sugar by half and gets its flavor from orange zest instead. Brown sugar is optional — the dish works without it if you want less sweetness.
Packing
Combine instant rice, freeze-dried chicken, dried vegetables, and all seasonings into a single 1-quart freezer bag at home. Carry the soy sauce in a small dropper bottle or include a soy sauce packet.
Variations
- Use lime juice or vinegar instead of orange zest for a sharper acid note.
- Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a small drizzle of sesame oil for richness.
- Swap freeze-dried chicken for the same amount of freeze-dried shrimp for a different protein.
https://trailcooking.com/2024/08/28/commercial-meal-review-beyond-outdoor-orange-chicken-meal