Tenderized and Brined Chicken Breasts rolled and centered with Pepper Jack Cheese, buttered, and corn flake-battered on a bed of vegetables all cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. This is a crowd-pleaser for sure.
From Fire-to-Plate, I’ll show you how to create this recipe using either Chicken Breast, Bone-in / Skin-on Chicken Thighs, or Skinless / Boneless Chicken Thighs…in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven!
This recipe goes hand-in-hand with Beer and Iron’s “Let’s Make Enchiladas” Recipe. Here’s the link for that recipe: https://beerandiron.com/lets-make-enchiladas-cast-iron-recipe
This is a quick and easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe that will give your enchiladas a bit of a zip and a zing. It’s red but not considered spicy. This version is mild though it can be spiced up as you like. We’ll keep things on the mild side here at our home.
Though I love tomatoes and sauces made with tomatoes, this enchilada sauce does not have any tomato ingredients.
We’ll start with creating a roux. Do you know what a roux is? What about creating a roux? Here’s the how to: https://beerandiron.com/roux/
There’s a video on that page too.
This is a very simple-to-create recipe with only about 5 (real) steps:
A Mason or Ball Jar is handy to store the finished sauce in. This is not a canning recipe; you will need to use your Enchilada sauce right away or store it in the refrigerator. Also, expect some separation when you keep it in the refrigerator. The oils will float, and the solids will sink; FEAR-NOT! A bit of a shake and a stir sets the Enchilada Sauce world right again (one of the reasons cans in the store say “shake well before using”).
You will need a cast iron sauce pot or a smaller-sized Dutch oven or skillet that will hold at least 4 cups (or about a liter or a quart) of liquid but really no bigger than a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven. A larger skillet will work but I suggest you make sure the skillet will hold all that liquid (do a “dry” run with water to see if you can easily fit 4 cups of water in that skillet; make sure you account for frothing as well).
I have a pocked-up sauce pot that I found in the wild. An Asian piece that has become one of my most beloved pieces. This is the pot I will present this recipe in.
¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (Optional)
Ground Pepper to Taste
Salt to Taste
12 ounces of Beer (a Mexican Lager will go very well)
1 ½ Cups of Chicken Broth or Stock
Step 1: Measure out 1 ½ Cups of Chicken Stock or Broth. Have a 12-ounce can of beer out to reach room temperature (that’s about 1 ½ cups of beer). We will need these liquids to be at room temperature because we’ll be adding them to the hot roux and in that hot cast iron later.
Chef Tip: You can use the empty beer can or bottle to “measure” the stock or broth you will be adding to this recipe. 12-Ounces equals 1 ½ Cups.
NOTE: The Beer is a huge part of this recipe and will definitely influence the flavor of the Enchilada Sauce and inevitably the entire recipe. My suggestion is to use a mild Mexican Lager for your beer ingredient. Stay away from hoppy brews or sweeter beers. Start with a mild lager this first time and then experiment with other beers in the future.
Step 2: Measure out the oil and flour for the Roux. Keep these two ingredients separate from the other ingredients as well as separated from each other.
Step 3: Measure out all the other ingredients: ½ cup chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and the pepper (I use about 1 teaspoon of peppercorns then I grind them before putting them in my mixture). These six dry ingredients can be mixed and at the ready for later.
Wait a bit before adding salt.
We’ll start with creating a roux. Do you know what a roux is? What about creating a roux? Here’s the how to: https://beerandiron.com/roux/
Step 4: You will need a cast iron sauce pot or smaller Dutch oven that will hold at least 4 cups (or about a liter or a quart) of liquid but really no bigger than a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven. Heat the cast iron sauce pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat.
Step 5: Add the ¼ cup of oil to the pre-heating pot. Watch for very light wisps of smoke.
Step 6: Add the flour and keep stirring until the roux begins to give off that beautiful nutty aroma. You are looking for a cream-colored Roux. This only takes a minute or two.
Step 7: Slowly add the chicken broth to the roux. Be careful. It’s a cooler liquid being poured into hot oil (speaking simplistically). Stir the broth and roux in well (it may look like it’s “curdling up;” that’s normal).
Step 8: Pour in your beer. Watch for a head or frothing to form.
Step 9: Add all the mixed, dry ingredients (the seasonings and spices) and whisk everything up well. The froth will turn to a pink or reddish color.
Step 10: Reduce the heat a bit and then check for saltiness. Just a little sip from a spoon will tell you what you need to know. Add salt per your taste preferences.
Step 11: Now, let the sauce thicken up. Be sure to scrape the edges every once in a while to remove the thicker stuff that will gather around the edges of the pot while the enchilada sauce simmers and thickens
The sauce should thicken up well in about 10-15 minutes. We are not looking for a cake batter thickness. We need the thickness to be thicker than V-8 Juice or Tomato Juice but as thick or a little thinner than Pizza Sauce.
Note: These “thickness” references are not ingredients for this recipe. I am using them as references. Enchilada sauce thickness preferences are subjective. Thicken to your favor.
And there you have it. Salsa De Cerveza – Sulae’s Red Enchilada Beer Sauce for tonight’s Enchiladas! And, likely some leftovers for tomorrow’s breakfast.
I love this stuff with eggs.
And that’s it y’all. This is one of my all-time favorite sauces to make. I’ll use it in other recipes too including the Beer and Iron’s “Let’s Make Enchiladas” Recipe: https://beerandiron.com/lets-make-enchiladas-cast-iron-recipe
My name is Sulae and I love to share the magic that comes from my black pots and pans. You all be sure to sign up for the newsletter and I’ll keep my messages short-and-sweet as well as few and far between. You keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those frosted glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time on beerandiron.com
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Pillows of the Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. An easy recipe for having homemade biscuits in camp. We’ll use Half & Half in our example. This recipe will work with Buttermilk, Kefir, Old Milk, and even Beer and Milk.
Chicken Breast, Lemon, Beer, Capers, and Butter. This is a super-easy recipe for most any night of the week. Easy at home and easy in camp.
Chicken Piccata is kind of like cooking Chicken Marsala but it’s not creamy like Chicken Marsala. Yes, the sauce we make will thicken up but there’s no mushroom or cream. Don’t misunderstand; “not creamy” does not mean “not good.” Though creaminess does invoke images and flavors of those we’ll likely find in heaven, we don’t want to think that creamy somehow makes everything better. This Beer and Lemon sauce is delicious!
This is a pretty quick and easy recipe that will go with almost any night of the week. Of course, there’s some brining involved (as always). But that brine time gives you the opportunity to set everything up and get ready for the flow of this cook. Not to mention, there’s your beer-with-family and friends time. ENJOY!
A 12” cast iron skillet should do the trick. A larger one would be great if the chicken breast you have are on the extra large size (affiliate).
Lodge Cast Iron Chef Collection Skillet, Pre-seasoned – 12 in: https://amzn.to/3J313eQ
Lodge L10SKL Cast Iron Pan, 12″, Black: https://amzn.to/42pQ3iE
If you are cooking large chicken breasts or doubling this recipe:
Lodge 15 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet: https://amzn.to/3J5LEuh
Cutting board to cut the chicken and then the lemons. Use a separate one for the chicken and for the lemon. We’ll be creating lemon wheel garnishes and those bits of lemon will not cook to temperature.
Knife. Make sure it’s very sharp. We’ll need to cut the chicken breast in slices. AND, we’ll need to cut the lemon slices thin for our garnish.
Meat tenderizing tool(s)
Zipper bag or bowl (or both) to store the chicken while it brines.
Bowl to hold the flour Wooden spatula for stirring and turning.Optional: Meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken to no undercook or overcook. ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer: https://amzn.to/45UxupF
Step 1: Take 2-3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts and cut them lengthwise for two thin-sliced chicken breast pieces from each chicken breast. You’ll end up with 4-6 halves.
Chef Tip: If the chicken breasts are slightly frozen, they will be easier to cut. Not frozen solid, but that in-between frozen or slightly frozen and still cuttable by a knife. If you put the chicken in the brine while still a bit frozen, just let it brine for a bit longer.
Step 2: Tenderize the cut chicken slices and then brine the slices for about 30-60 minutes in a beer brine. Here’s the link on how to make a beer brine: https://beerandiron.com/2023/02/simple-roasted-chicken (This recipe shows how to brine a whole chicken but the brine recipe is the very same).
Step 3: After the chicken has been in the brine for about 30-60 minutes, remove the sliced chicken breast and set it on a tray covered with some paper towels. Pat dry the chicken breast meat.
Step 4: While or after the chicken has been in the brine, place a bowl out with the flour and have it ready for the chicken when the time comes.
The Lemon: The lemon flavor is like the cornerstone of this recipe. It’s what makes it what it is: lemony, caper-topped, and a buttery delight. I use two lemons in my recipe. But, you can use one depending on your lemon preferences. If you use one AND you want to use some of the lemon for garnishing, then be sure to skip Step 5 and jump to Step 6 and disregard the “2nd lemon in half” part.
Step 5: Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze out the juice. Remove the seeds. The pieces of pulp can remain or be removed. It’s up to you.
Step 6: Cut a 2nd lemon in half. Thin cut slices of lemon from the largest part of the cut. Cut as many thin slices as you think you’ll need to garnish this recipe. Then, squeeze the lemon from the rest of the 2nd lemon.
NOTE: Other than the lemon slices, you will not use the lemon peel in this recipe. Discard or use in another recipe (maybe one that calls for lemon zest…hummm…).
Step 7: Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to accommodate the chicken breast and to have some air space between the pieces while you cook the chicken. Place 3-4 tablespoons of butter to melt in the skillet.
Step 8: Coat the chicken breast with the flour on both sides, and shake off any excess flour. Set them aside and until the cast iron skillet is ready.
Step 9: Once the butter is hot and ready, add the chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken on one side until the color looks “delicious.” Then, turn the chicken to the other side. Let the chicken cook in the skillet until the chicken reaches 165°F / 75°C.
Step 10: Pull the chicken from the skillet and place it somewhere to keep it warm. Cover it if you need to. We will be using this same skillet in the next steps; you’ll need a 2nd “somewhere” to keep the chicken until we are ready to add it back to this main skillet.
Step 11: The pan will have bits and pieces of that chicken with some remaining butter. We’ll be deglazing the pan at this step. Pour in the 1 cup of beer, add the 3 (or more) tablespoons of lemon juice, and drained capers. “Scrape” gently the pan as you mix these ingredients and deglaze the pan.
Lemon Ring Garnish: Don’t add the lemon rings here. The lemon will cook right out of the rings and you’ll end up with these wagon wheel looking lemon slices.
Step 12: Keep to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes (more or less) to thicken up a bit.
Step 13: Lastly, return chicken to the skillet and baste in the heavenly sauce. Flip it about to get some of the capers on the top (garnish) and then add the lemon wheels / slices all about in a most artistic manner to really bring it home (visually).
READY TO EAT!
And that’s it y’all. We got ‘er done.
My name is Sulae and I love to share the magic that comes from my black pots and pans. You all be sure to sign up for the news letter and I’ll keep my messages short-and-sweet as well as few and far between. You keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those frosted glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time on beerandiron.com.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
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A very easy meatball recipe cooked with beer and in cast iron. But, don’t mistake easy as in trading for delicious; it’s that too.
Pork, rosemary, potatoes, bell pepper, and thickened with seasoned bread crumbs. An easy Cast Iron Camp Dutch Oven Recipe with few ingredients. Easy. Delicious.
Cornbread cooked in cast iron. There’s really no other way to cook cornbread, is there? This is the simple recipe for cornbread that we use for everything from our round, basic cornbread to corn muffins to cornbread-topped chili. It’s an easy, 6 or 7 ingredient recipe that will create a nice, crumbly-centered, crunchy, and buttery-crusted cornbread.
I have created this recipe with beer, buttermilk, sour cream, and even a mixture of beer with another liquid ingredient. The key to this recipe is the consistency of the cornbread batter. You can experiment with other ingredients; just get an initial feel for the consistency of the batter.
This batter will be thicker and airier than most cornbread batters. That baking powder will start reacting fast when you add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
When cooked, the top (as it sits in the cast iron) will be lumpy and bumpy. But, that’s the faux top. It was bottoms up at my house growing up. We would always flip our cornbread and serve the buttery crust upside.
Don’t cut back on the butter. This recipe does not call for any oil. The oil…rather fat…will come from the butter we use in the skillet. The key to great cornbread that does not stick is the butter. When we preheat that cast iron skillet at 425°F / 215°C with that butter in the skillet, the cornbread will start to cook as soon as it hits that hot butter. We want that cornbread to “cook” on that butter and not on that cast iron. The excess butter will soak into that cornbread and give it that crunchy, buttery crust. It will also create a cornbread that will just pop out when it’s flipped later. And…AND! The butter will add to the seasoning of that skillet.
It’s important that you do not let that butter burn. And it’s equally important that the butter is not only melted before you add your batter but HOT! It’s that in-the-middle butter that you are looking for. You want the butter to be “toasted” but not dark brown like roux-color (dark red or dark brown). The butter should “brown” a little and that batter should sizzle a bit when pouring it into that pan.
Most of the time, after we pop out that cornbread, I will run a dry towel over that cast iron surface while holding the pan over the sink to catch the crumbs. Try it and your pan will come away even more beautiful than before you cooked that cornbread!
If you want to use a 12” skillet and create this recipe, then that’s A-OK. If you use the recipe as-is, you’ll end up with a thinner version of this cornbread (not better or worse…just thinner). If you want to create a ginormous batch of cornbread, double this recipe. That 12” skillet will hold almost twice the volume of that 10.25” skillet. That’ll be a lot of cornbread.
It’s amazing how much more the 12” skillet can hold versus the 10.25” skillet. I filled my Wagner 10.25” with water and poured it over into my Lodge 12” skillet. Then, I filled the 10.25” again and poured it into the 12” inch. Aside from a cup or so, the 12” took most of the water from the second fill.
(Affiliate Links)
Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet: https://amzn.to/3HN2BJg
Lodge Yellowstone – 10.25″ Skillet: https://amzn.to/3piSUMg
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-inch: https://amzn.to/44yKwZn
Lodge Yellowstone – 12″ Skillet (makes me wish my name was “Dutton”): https://amzn.to/3LZbfae
Lodge L10SKL Cast Iron Pan, 12″, Black: https://amzn.to/3VB5zq5
Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5
Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41
Silicone Spatula Set: https://amzn.to/3VFKkmZ
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4
Baking and Cooling Rack: https://amzn.to/4310Pxa
Dry Ingredients:
1 ½ cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 ½ cup All-purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup Half and Half
½ cup Beer
2 Eggs
FYI: 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar for more of a muffin, sweeter flavor.
RESERVE 4 Tablespoons of Butter (don’t add to the recipe).
Let’s get started. Mix your ingredients as per dry and wet. Keep them separate until you are ready to pour that batter over and into that hot cast iron skillet. The butter is NOT to be mixed into the recipe; the butter is to be added to the skillet and the cornbread will take up what butter it wants.
Step 1: Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to the 10.25” cast iron skillet.
Step 2: Preheat your 10.25” cast iron skillet with the butter in a 425°F / 215°C Oven. Keep an eye on it; don’t let the butter burn.
Step 3: Blend all the dry ingredients together. Wait before you add the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients: 1 cup of half and half and the ½ cup of beer to a bowl and then add the two eggs. Whisk together well with a fork or whisk.
Before adding and mixing the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, wait until just before you are ready to add the batter to the hot skillet with the melted and slightly toasted butter.
NOTE: The butter will toast and there will be some solids that have “toasted” themselves out of that butter. That’s okay. It’s all good. You just don’t want burned butter.
Step 5: Once the skillet in the oven is wicked hot and the butter is just starting to brown (toast), pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well with a rubber / silicone spatula to create the batter.
Step 6: Remove the hot skillet from the oven and set on the stove top. Pour all the batter into the middle of the hot skillet and spread about as evenly as it will allow. The edges will be bubbling up from hitting that hot butter.
Step 7: Return the hot skillet with the batter to the 425°F / 215°C oven and let it bake for about 25 minutes…give or take. I like the top of the cornbread to bake until the top is toasted a bit.
Step 8: After 20-25 minutes and when it “looks” done, test the center with a knife like testing a cake for doneness. Some folks use a toothpick or something similar. I just use a table knife and see if anything wet still needs cooking.
Step 9: Remove the cornbread from the oven and let the cornbread cool just a bit in that skillet; the edges of the cornbread will start to pull away from the sides of the skillet just a bit as the cornbread cools. Don’t leave it too long; it’ll sweat, and you’ll lose that crunchy texture. It will not take long, about 2-4 minutes to be ready to remove.
Step 10: Cover the cornbread with a plate or a cutting board. Turn the skillet up and the plate down to flip the cornbread out and upside down. There ain’t no reason to wait for it to cool. Just start enjoying it!
Chef Tip: Add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar for more of a muffin-like, sweeter flavor.
Chef Tip: Buttermilk makes a GREAT cornbread. You will need to consider the consistency of butter milk and add a bit more beer (just a bit) to get the right consistency if you use buttermilk.
Chef Tip: Consider using a coarse-ground cornmeal instead of the finely ground cornmeal. It will give the cornbread a wonderful texture.
It’s kinda gunky ain’t it? Na. To me it’s a treasure. Want to read the story as to why this skillet is a treasure to me? Sure, you do. Here’s the link: https://beerandiron.com/2023/05/wagner-1891-original-cast-iron-skillet-story
And, it’s just that easy. This recipe can be modified and “played” with. Consider adding corn kernels to the batter or maybe some green chilies. Some cheese mixed in that batter is amazing!
Hey. My name is Sulae. And I love to share the magic that comes out of my black pots and pans. Y’all keep hanging out here at BeerAndIron.com and take a moment to sign up for the newsletter. Trust me, I ain’t gonna bug you.
We’ll see you all next time. And keep on cooking in those black cast iron beauties and enjoying those frosted glasses of that fermented barley pop! Que the pop, hiss, and gurgle-gurgle of beer pouring into your frosted Shaker Pint!
Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet: https://amzn.to/3HN2BJg
Lodge Yellowstone – 10.25″ Skillet: https://amzn.to/3piSUMg
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-inch: https://amzn.to/44yKwZn
Lodge Yellowstone – 12″ Skillet (makes me wish my name was “Dutton”): https://amzn.to/3LZbfae
Lodge L10SKL Cast Iron Pan, 12″, Black: https://amzn.to/3VB5zq5
Silicone Spatula Set: https://amzn.to/3VFKkmZ
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
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Beer Bread Recipe very simple and easy recipe to create a loaf of beer bread and bake that loaf of beer bread in cast iron.
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Chile Relleno Con Cerveza – Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven Casserole VersionSausage and Tots Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Chicken Marbella Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
I am always sharing fresh, flavorful, recipes cooked up in well-seasoned cast iron awesomeness with a bit of my liquid, hop-based, happy-maker as an ingredient.
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