Chef Tip #1: We are going to cook the entire recipe in one 12-inch cast iron camp Dutch oven. However, I suggest you have TWO 12-inch cast iron camp Dutch ovens at the ready (or one 12-inch and a 10-inch). We will first sear and brown our chicken; the chicken will be hot but not fully cooked when we get to the “sauté the vegetables” step. So, what do we do with the chicken while we are sautéing the vegetables? I suggest you have a 2nd camp cast iron Dutch oven “near” the heat but not over or on the heat. This way the chicken can stay warm while we sauté the vegetables.

Note on the “prepared chicken:” I always brine my chicken in a beer and salt brine. If I am using chicken breast, I first tenderize the chicken breast meat and then brine for one hour before packing the chicken breast meat to camp. If I am using chicken thighs, I brine the thighs for about 3 hours before packing for camp. And, I usually brine at room temperature and refrigerate after I have removed the chicken from the brine.

Ready to Cook

Step 1: Preheat your 12-inch cast iron camp Dutch oven over 30-40 charcoal briquettes (or equivalent heat source). Keep a 2nd Dutch oven nearby (not on or over the heat but near the heat) as a warming pot (optional).

Step 2: Add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the Dutch oven. 

Step 3: Gather all your prepared ingredients and perform any fireside preparations. Set out your 6-8 pieces of prepared chicken on a cutting board or other surface and season with poultry seasoning first, then do a light dusting of cornstarch.

Step 4: Once the oil in the cast iron Dutch oven is hot and fry-ready (you’ll see wisps of smoke rising from the surface), pan fry 3-4 pieces at a time until golden brown on both sides. They do NOT have to be fully cooked at this point (better to remain a little raw). Store the pan-fried chicken in a separate Dutch oven to keep warm. 

Chef Tip #2: Is your chicken searing with as much “enthusiasm” as your first batch? If you feel you may not have enough heat for sautéing the onions and garlic, set another batch of briquettes to fire to finish searing the chicken and sautéing the vegetables. 

Chef Tip #3: Keep this in mind when adding chicken: the pot and oil are very hot, adding the chicken will cool it down; it’s an expectation. It’s supposed to do that. If you add too much chicken at one time, it will cool that pot too much and you will not get that good, golden sear. Take your time here. You can really add a lot of heat to the bottom of that camp cast iron Dutch oven. Really, really hot!

Chef Tip #4: When changing cooking types like we are here from frying to baking, start with a new, freshly prepared batch of briquettes for the next cooking type like when we start baking this dish.

Step 5: We are about to start baking and need to have a full, fresh set of charcoal briquettes ready. Start a new batch of charcoal briquettes for baking. Set 24 – 26 briquettes in the charcoal chimney and get them fired up.

Step 6: Remove any excess oil from the Dutch oven (a paper towel does quick work of this…don’t wipe…just pat the excess oil from the pan) and leave enough oil to sauté the onions and garlic. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until translucent(ish).

Chef Tip #5: Save that oily paper towel; it makes a great fire starter.

Step 7: Add your chopped green bell pepper, diced celery, and rice. Stir it all about for a few minutes to sauté and deglaze that pot.

Step 8: Add the can of Cream of Mushroom Soup, the can of Cream of Chicken Soup. Fill both cans with beer (20 ounces of beer) and pour the beer in the pot. Then, add the Sour Cream and a tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce. 

NOTE: You can just add all 24 ounces of beer.

Chef Tip #6: If you are struggling with your rice’s “doneness,” you may have not added enough liquid to the pot in the first place. This often happens when you are “measuring” the beer in the empty cream of chicken soup can. WATCH THE HEAD (foam)! Make sure you are adding TWO FULL cans of beer and not a can of beer with a head on it.

Step 9: Make sure all the ingredients except for the chicken are thoroughly blended. Then taste for saltiness. Add salt and pepper only if you need to. Your chicken has been brined and should be perfectly salty. Take a taste of the mixture in the pot and add salt and pepper as you enjoy a dish to taste. You may need to add some pepper but the soups that you added may have enough salt to “carry” this recipe.

Step 10: If you added salt and/or pepper, thoroughly blend the mixture again. Make sure there are no grains of rice stuck to the sides of the Dutch oven. Any grains of rice outside the liquid will not cook. Level off all the ingredients in the pot at this point.

Step 11: Add the chicken to the top and let the chicken rest on the top of the mixture. If, while sitting in the warming pot, any broth was created by the “waiting” chicken (the container or the Dutch oven you held the chicken in), pour that into the pot with the chicken and rice; just pour it in on the top; don’t worry about mixing it in.

Step 12: Place the Dutch oven lid on the pot. Start with a fresh set of 24 charcoal briquettes. Arrange them for baking. Place 8 briquettes under the oven and 16 on the lid. Turn the pot and then the lid every 10 minutes.

Step 13: Let the recipe cook until the chicken is 165°F / 75°C and the rice is completely cooked. If the rice is going to be underdone, it will be the rice closest to the top. Add beer and keep cooking if the rice needs more time.

Chef Tip #7: Cooking rice in a camp cast iron Dutch oven is kinda tricky. Noodles are as well. Here’s my suggestion for this recipe: When the chicken is almost done (around 135°F − 57°C or so), open the lid and remove some of the rice at the very top. Is the rice done? Yes? Perfect! Then let the chicken continue to cook to 165°F / 75°C. If not, add a bit of beer, broth, or water to the pot…just a bit…and then check again when the chicken reaches 165°F / 75°C. Yes? Perfect! But, what if not? Then, add a bit more liquid and remove the heat from the top of the Dutch oven. Leave the heat on the bottom. Keep checking until the rice is done.

NOTE: Only add liquid if the rice is not done AND the mixture has dried.

Step 14: Remove the pot from the heat and serve the chicken and rice hot straight from the camp cast iron Dutch oven.