The Best Campfire Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes
This Moroccan-inspired Dutch oven chicken and potatoes camping recipe is a mouthwatering family favorite and has been for many years.
I have been enjoying this dish for about twenty years. It’s just that good! So, I make it at least a handful of times per year. Moreover, it has successfully transformed into a delightful campfire cooking recipe, as food cooked over flames exudes an unparalleled flavor.
It’s hard to beat enjoying an aromatic plate of warm, tender, and juicy fall-apart chicken and potatoes on a cool evening at the campsite. You don’t want to miss trying out this recipe!
What’s convenient about this meal is that the side dish (potatoes) and the main course (chicken) are cooked together in a single Dutch oven. This means fewer pans, less mess, and a relaxed cooking experience! No one wants too many pots and pans to wash when camping.
You’ll want to add this dish to your camping food list for your next outdoor adventure for sure!
🍗 How to Cook Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes
Prior to cooking outdoors, whether it is at home on your fire ring or at a campsite, it is important to gather and prepare all your ingredients first.
Cooking outdoors over a campfire in this hands-off approach is just SO relaxing. I give myself a loose two hours from set up to dinnertime to make this recipe.
Make a list, check them off as you go, chop what is needed, and set them aside before you start the cooking.
🥔 Recipe Ingredients
Turmeric: is a golden-colored spice that is commonly used in Indian cuisine. It has a warm, earthy flavor and can be used to add color and flavor to rice dishes, curries, and soups. For this recipe, we used dried/powdered turmeric, rather than fresh root.
Cinnamon: This powdered spice adds a warm, essential flavor to Dutch oven chicken and potatoes. Don’t use too much, the right amount is perfection.
Whole chicken: use any size chicken you like for how many you are serving. Keep in mind longer cook times will be needed for a 6-pound chicken.
Potatoes: Baby potatoes or larger chopped potatoes work well for this recipe. You can use any variety you like!
Onion: White or yellow onion work well for this dish. Shallows or red onion would be fine as well!
Garlic: It is used sparingly in this recipe and it adds a delicate flavor that complements the other ingredients.
Ginger root: Fresh ginger has a flavor that is both zesty and sweet. Fresh and minced or grated ginger is preferred for this recipe but you can get away with powdered ginger as well.
Chicken stock: Use broth, homemade stock, or make it from Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base concentrate. It is necessary for added saltiness, flavor and moisture.
Preserved Lemons (or fresh lemons if you wish): Preserved lemons are a staple of Moroccan cuisine, and they can add a unique flavor to any dish. Fresh lemons can be used in a pinch.
Kalamata olives: If you’re a fan of olives, then you’ll definitely want to try adding kalamata olives to this dish. While not an essential ingredient, the contrast in color and flavor that they add is unbeatable.
Honey: Adding a splash of honey, whether it is raw or not, to the top of the chicken creates a mouth-watering flavor. In the oven method, the honey will help the top of the chicken become golden.
Cilantro: It is used only as a garnish at the end prior to serving. Sprinkled on top, it adds nice color to this dish.
🪵 Instructions for How to Cook Chicken in a Dutch Oven over Fire
For Dutch oven chicken and potatoes, it is helpful to start with a chicken that has had the spine removed.
If you haven’t done this before it is very easy and is a good skill to learn. This makes it more flexible to set the whole chicken down inside the Dutch oven with a cover and also allows for faster cooking.
Set your tripod up first. Start your fire at least thirty minutes prior to cooking with it. Hang your Dutch oven on the tripod to preheat it.
First, rub 1 tsp of sea salt on the outside of the chicken, coating all the surfaces with skin. Next, mix the turmeric and cinnamon together and rub them all over the exposed chicken.
Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven. Carefully place the whole chicken, breast side down, into the pot. Let it sear, undisturbed, for at least 5 minutes. The goal is to crisp up the skin and make it dark golden brown.
Proceed to turn the chicken, using tongs, browning all of the sides in this manner. Take time to do this step.
Over the campfire, it can be hard to turn the meat without tearing the skin in places with the tongs. But don’t worry, it will taste just the same if you break the skin!
Once the chicken is nicely golden on all sides, set it aside on a tray, taking caution as it can be tricky if you are cooking a heavier chicken. The chicken can be slippery and you don’t want to drop it!
Next, add your sliced onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Sometimes an additional tablespoon of oil is needed at this time for sauteeing. It depends on how fatty your chicken is. Continue to saute until the onions wilt and start to turn golden.
When onions are cooked down, add the diced potatoes and chicken broth to the Dutch oven. Place the chicken back into the pot and add kalamata olives and lemons on top. Drizzle about a tablespoon of honey on top and place the lid on the pot.
Continue to stoke the fire, keeping it steady and hot, and cook the chicken with the lid on for one hour.
The liquid may start to boil over and out of the pot if you make the fire too hot so keep that in mind. A little spillage is OK but you don’t want to lose all that delicious flavorful broth!
At the end of one hour, check your chicken for doneness. A larger chicken, for example, will take longer than this 4-pound chicken. When chicken is cooked through, transfer it and the contents to a platter for serving. Garnish with cilantro.
It will be fall-apart goodness at this point and beautifully tender. Serve Dutch oven chicken and potatoes with a salad or cooked garlicky green beans for a perfect meal!
📝 Instructions for How to Make Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes in Oven
1. Preheat the oven to 375º. You may choose to leave the chicken whole and intact for this method. Start by preparing the chicken with salt and spices, and rubbing them onto the skin well, covering the whole chicken.
2. Put olive oil in your Dutch oven and turn the burner on medium heat. Heat oil.
3. Sear the chicken on all sides in the pot and set it aside. Sauté onions, ginger, and garlic until soft and starting to turn golden.
4. Next, add the broth to the pot, bringing it to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the reserved whole chicken. Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Take the pot out of the oven and add the potatoes, tucking them into the liquid so they are submerged. You can move the chicken and put potatoes under it if needed.
6. Add the wedges of lemon, and kalamata olives and drizzle the honey on top of the chicken. Bake for another 40 minutes, uncovered. The top of the chicken will be nice and golden brown. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!
📗 FAQS: Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes
If you are new to campfire cooking you may have some questions about the supplies needed for this recipe and how to use the camping tripod. Below are some helpful pieces of information for you to read through before you make this Dutch oven camping recipe.
🥘 What is a Dutch oven?
A dutch oven is a type of cooking pot that is typically made from cast iron. It has a heavy bottom and sides that make it ideal for cooking at high temperatures and it can be used directly over a campfire, on the stovetop, or in the oven.
Dutch ovens are often used for soups, stews, beans, or braising and roasting meat, as the even-heat distribution and tight-fitting lid help to lock in flavor and moisture.
Whether you’re a novice cook or a seasoned pro, a dutch oven is a kitchen essential, especially when camping.
🔥 Campfire Tripod Cooking Tips
Cooking Dutch oven chicken and potatoes using a camping tripod over wood is very satisfying plus it just plain looks cool! Cue the Western movie soundtrack! One can’t help but picture cowboys around a campfire cooking a pot of beans with this setup.
An adjustable camping tripod allows the cook to adjust the chain and raise or lower the Dutch oven to apply more or less heat to the pot.
✔ Set the tripod up BEFORE you start the fire. Make sure it is level and secure.
✔ Test hanging the Dutch oven on the tripod. Is it level and secure?
✔ Start the fire at least half an hour before you need it for cooking.
✔ When the fire and wood transform into coals, add two to four more logs parallel to one another, setting them on top of the coals.
✔ Set the Dutch oven on the hook adjusting the chain halfway from the uppermost position, just above the fire and coals.
✔ Let the Dutch oven heat up above the fire (keep the lid on to keep the inside clean) for at least ten minutes and then follow the recipe instructions for campfire Dutch oven chicken
I prefer to use a TALL campfire tripod so I can adjust the chain and pot easily with lots of room to spare. If interested in buying your own campfire tripod you can check the pricing for the one I use below.
🍋 What are Preserved Lemons?
Preserved lemons are a staple of Moroccan cuisine and they can add an exciting salty-tangy flavor to any dish. They are basically a pickle marinated in salty liquid.
Preserved lemons are made by placing fresh lemons (sliced lengthwise but not all the way through, leaving lemon intact) in a clean jar then stuffing and covering them with kosher or pickling salt. Then, you add enough fresh lemon juice to cover the lemons completely.
The jar is sealed tightly and stored in a cool, dark place for at least four weeks. After four weeks, the lemons are ready to use. Simply remove them from the jar, rinse off the salt, and add them to your favorite dish.
Preserved lemons can add an extra zing to everything from roast chicken to grilled vegetables. They are really great addition to this particular Dutch oven chicken and potatoes but not absolutely necessary.
Fresh lemons also work well and are a great substitution. But you can even skip the lemons entirely.
💡Final Thoughts on Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes
Dutch oven chicken and potatoes is a classic camping recipe that’s easy to make and satisfying. The best part is that you can customize it however you like by adding your favorite seasonings, skipping, or adding to what I have outlined in my recipe.
Give this recipe a try the next time you go camping – or even just in your backyard fire ring or your kitchen – and see how delicious it is! Let me know how you like it in the comments. Enjoy!
Interested in trying another recipe that cooks beautifully in a Dutch oven? Check out this Gluten Free Corn Casserole with Green Chiles!
Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 x 4lb whole chicken
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1.5 lb potatoes cut into bit size pieces
- 2 inch piece ginger root minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 preserved lemons, in wedges see note
- 1/2 cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp honey
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Instructions for Cooking Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes Over a Campfire
- Position your campfire tripod over the fire ring first, before lighting fire.
- Start fire at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Hang the Dutch oven to preheat over the fire for at lest 5 minute.
- First rub the sea salt on the outside of the chicken, coating the surfaces of the skin.
- Next, mix the turmeric and cinnamon together and rub them all over the exposed chicken.
- Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven. Carefully place the whole chicken, breast side down, into the pot. Let it sear, undisturbed, for at least 5 minutes. The goal is to crisp up the skin and make it dark golden brown.
- Proceed to turn the chicken as it browns, using tongs, browning all sides in the same manner. Don’t rush this step!
- Once the chicken is nicely golden on all sides, set it aside on a tray, taking caution as it can be tricky if you are cooking a heavier chicken. The chicken can be slippery and you don’t want to drop it!
- Next, add your sliced onion, garlic and ginger to the pan. Sometimes an additional tablespoon of oil is needed at this time for sauteeing. It depends on how fatty your chicken is. Continue to saute until onions wilt and start to turn golden.
- When onions are cooked down, add the diced potatoes and chicken broth to the Dutch oven. Place the chicken back into the pot and add kalamata olives and lemons on top.
- Drizzle about a tablespoon of honey on top and place the lid on the pot to cover.
- Continue to stoke the fire and cook the chicken with the lid on for one hour. The liquid may start to boil over and out of the pot if you make the fire too hot so keep that in mind. A little spillage is OK.
- At the end of one hour, check your chicken for doneness. A larger chicken, for example, will take longer than the 4-pound chicken in this recipe.
- When chicken is cooked through, transfer it and the contents to a platter for serving. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
Instructions for Cooking Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes in an Oven
- Preheat the oven to 375º.
- You may choose to leave the chicken whole and intact for this method. Start by preparing the chicken with salt and spices by rubbing them onto all surfaces of the skin.
- Put olive oil in your Dutch oven and turn the burner on medium heat. Heat oil.
- Sear the chicken on all sides in the pot,a few minutes per side, and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté onions, ginger, and garlic until soft and starting to turn golden.
- Next, add the broth to the pot, bringing it to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the reserved whole chicken.
- Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Take the pot out of the oven and add the potatoes, tucking them into the liquid so they are submerged. You can move the chicken and put potatoes under it if needed.
- Add the wedges of lemon, kalamata olives and drizzle the honey on top of the chicken. Bake for another 40 minutes, uncovered. The top of the chicken will be nice and golden brown.
- Remove to a platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!
