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Chicken enchilada on plate with tortilla chips and wedge of lime.
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5 from 1 vote

Campfire Chicken Enchiladas

These campfire chicken enchiladas are filled with veggies, chicken, and beans, then covered in pepper jack cheese and cooked in a cast-iron Dutch oven. A delicious camping meal!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 625kcal
Author: Sarah Trenalone

Equipment

  • charcoal briquettes
  • 12" Campfire Dutch Oven
  • long metal tongs (for moving coals)
  • lid lifter
  • pot holders
  • aluminum foil
  • mixing bowl
  • mixing spoon
  • measuring cup + spoon
  • large spoon or spatula (for serving)
  • can opener (if cans aren't pop-top)

Ingredients

  • 10 flour tortillas (already cooked, amount approximate) Use small or medium tortillas, not large burrito-style tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced (seeds + membrane removed) I prefer sweet red, yellow or orange peppers
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 10-ounce cans enchilada sauce (red or green) Or use a 20-ounce bottle or can, divided
  • 14 ounce can black beans, drained
  • 10 ounce can chicken Use 2 cans for extra meat, or use other cooked chicken meat 
  • 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
  • ¼ cup pickled jalapeños (optional)
  • 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Instructions

Prepare Campfire + Enchilada Ingredients:

  • Preheat campfire coals until very hot. Once coals are hot, set aside around 15-20 coals aside for easy access (you'll be setting them on top of your Dutch oven).
    Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and set them on the hot charcoals or on the campfire grate for a few minutes to warm them up. (I do this while dicing the vegetables.) Set aside (still wrapped in foil).
    Add oil, diced onion, peppers, taco seasoning and salt to the Dutch oven. Set the oven on the coals and cook until tender.
    Bell peppers and onions cooking in cast-iron pan over hot coals.
  • Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and scoop the veggies out into a bowl. Add the beans to the veggies and stir.
    Unwrap the tortillas and open the canned chicken. Drain the canned chicken.
    Pour one can (about 10-ounces) of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the Dutch oven.
    Opened can of chicken, bowl of beans, peppers, and onions, and tortillas ready to be assembled.
  • Use the foil from the tortillas or a cutting board as a workspace (if needed).
    Add about ¼ cup of the veggie mixture to a tortilla. (Filling amount is approximate and will vary depending on the size of your tortillas.) Add a little canned chicken to the tortilla.
    Roll the tortilla and set it seam-side down in the Dutch oven / enchilada sauce.
  • Repeat, filling remaining tortillas and placing them in the sauce.
    If you've got extra filling, spoon it into the Dutch oven. I like to add it under the enchiladas, spooning in just before I add the last few filled tortillas.
    Enchiladas nestled in cast-iron pan for cooking.
  • Top the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
    Optionally, add a layer of pickled jalapeños on top of the cheese.
    Enchiladas in cast-iron pan covered with shredded cheese and jalapenos.
  • Close the Dutch oven lid. Set the oven on the hot coals and top the lid with 15-20 pieces of hot charcoal.
    Using lid lifter to uncover cast-iron pan with cooked enchiladas inside.
  • Cook 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. If you used tomatoes, you'll likely need to cook the enchiladas the full 20 minutes to let the liquid simmer down.
    Allow enchiladas to cool down for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a lime wedge.
    Campfire chicken enchiladas with melted cheese and jalapenos on top in cast-iron pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 2511mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2707IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 473mg | Iron: 6mg