Trail Curry Chicken Stoup
Freeze-dried chicken and instant rice with dried apples and curry. Fills you on cold nights.
- calories
- 515
- weight
- 6.3 oz
- cal / oz
- 82
- protein
- 38 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 21 min
- water
- 1000 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
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Winter / snow
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant rice | 1 cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried chicken | 1 cup | |
| Dried apples | 1/3 cup | crumbled |
| Dried tomatoes | 1/4 cup | freeze-dried if possible |
| Dried onion | 1 tablespoon | |
| Dried garlic | 1 teaspoon | |
| Dried parsley | 2 teaspoons | |
| Mild curry powder | 2 teaspoons | |
| Chicken broth concentrate | 4 teaspoons | or 4 packets; low-sodium |
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon | carried in a dropper bottle |
Method
- Measure all the dry ingredients and oil into your pot.
- Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, stirring often to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat and cover the pot tightly.
- Let sit for 10 minutes. In cold weather or at altitude, wrap the pot in an insulated cozy to finish cooking.
- Stir and season with salt to taste.
Freeze-dried chicken rehydrates in minutes and tastes far closer to fresh than sun-dried or home-dehydrated versions. Instant rice does the same. Both are already optimized for one-pot trail cooking, so this is less an adaptation than a collection of ingredients designed to work with nothing but a stove and boiling water.
The curry and apples seem unusual together, but they balance each other. Curry powder in the broth gives the whole pot a backbone of flavor that pushes beyond just hot salty rice. The dried apples soften into the broth and add sweetness that tames the spice instead of making it clash. It tastes intentional.
Packing
Mix all dried ingredients and spices into a single freezer bag at home. Seal tightly, especially around the freeze-dried chicken, or the texture will degrade. Oil travels separately in a small dropper bottle or can be added to the bag if sealed well.
Variations
- Add freeze-dried peas or carrots for more vegetables.
- Stir in lemon juice powder or a squeeze of fresh lemon at camp to brighten the curry.
https://trailcooking.com/2022/07/05/chicken-apple-soup