Camp Cooking: Claypot Chicken Rice Recipe · i am a food blog (2024)

The weather has taken a turn for the best! It was GORGEOUS out today and the forecast is looking sunny which means, camping season! Last year we started camping in late May but maybe this year we’ll be able to head out a bit early? Fingers crossed, anyway.

In the meantime, here’s a camp recipe that I made on repeat last summer: claypot chicken rice. Everything is cooked in one pot (or skillet with a lid) and when you prep everything at home, it comes together in a flash. This is perfect for any camper or caravanner! On a side note, we recommend that you get your camper insured with a company like One Sure Insurance so that it has cover for accidental damage as well as equipment cover. I know some people are all about the dehydrated foods for ease of cooking, but if you’re just going on a short weekend trip and aren’t hiking out to the backcountry, then this is the recipe for you.

Claypot chicken, if you haven’t had/heard of it, is a classic Chinese dish. They have versions of it all over Asia, but the one I’m most familiar with is the Hong Kong variety: rice and chicken and Chinese sausage cooked in a claypot then drenched in a sweet and savory soy sauce. The flavor of rice cooked over a charcoal fire can’t be beat. I love how the juices from the sausage and chicken soak into the rice. Plus, if you’re lucky, there’ll be some crispy rice at the bottom.

This camp version follows the same general rules: chicken, Chinese sausage, and rice cooked up in a pot. For ease, I stirred in some of the sauce before cooking everything and saved some extra to pour on top. Seriously good, especially when you’re outside, hanging next to the campfire.

Happy claypot-ing!
xoxo steph

Claypot Chicken Rice Recipe
serves 2
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes
total time: 30 minutes

• oil, for the pan
• 2 chicken chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 links Chinese sausage, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup rice of choice
• 1/4 cup sliced wood ear mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1.5 cups water
• sliced green onions for garnish
• chili flakes, if desired

Notes: To make this easy to cook while at camp, I precut the chicken and froze it, which kept it nice and cold. I pre-sliced the Chinese sausage as well as mixed up the sauce and put it in a glass bottle. At the campsite, I just sliced up the garlic and green onions, but if you’re cooking this on the first day you arrive at camp, you can go ahead and do that at home too.

In a pot with a lid, heat up a touch of oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sausage, lightly fry, stirring occasionally, until golden. Stir in garlic, fry until lightly golden. Stir in rice, mushrooms, half of the sauce, and water. Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high then turn heat down to low, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes. Let stand, with lid on, for 5-10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff, and serve with green onions, extra sauce, and chili flakes, if desired. Enjoy!