Campfire Creamy Chicken Soup

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This campfire creamy chicken soup is a flavorful and hearty meal, easy to prep at home and then assemble to finish cooking on site.

Prep Time35

Cook Time at Camp:30

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 400kcal

1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried herb mixture (such as Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups water, divided

4 cups chicken broth
½ cup quinoa
2 pounds sweet potatoes, diced into 1” thick pieces, then halved or quartered (peeling potatoes optional)
14 ounce can spinach
8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese (low-fat cream cheese), softened (optional), or use 1 cup heavy cream

Add oil, onions, carrots and sea salt to a large soup pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until onions and carrots begin to soften.
Add garlic powder, herb mixture, and red pepper flakes (if desired) and stir. Add chicken and 1 cup water. Cover pot and simmer over medium heat about 25 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
Use a fork or tongs to pull the chicken out of the pot and onto a cutting board with ridges (to catch the juice). Use two forks to pull the thigh meat apart.
Add chicken, as well as the onion, carrot and liquid mixture to a storage container. If there’s room, add about 1 more cup of cold water to help cool down the soup base. (If using plastic freezer bags, allow soup base to cool before adding.)
If using within 2-3 days, refrigerate and keep in an ice cold cooler at camp. Alternatively, freeze and use within 3 months.

Prepare a campfire with medium-sized flames. Place the metal cooking grate over the fire.
Add soup base to a cast-iron Dutch oven. Add 4 cups broth, quinoa, potatoes and spinach (with liquid). Set Dutch oven on campfire grate and bring to a simmer.
Cook about 20 minutes until the potatoes are softened and quinoa is cooked. Remove soup from heat.
Place the cheese in a separate mixing bowl. Ladle a little of the hot broth from the soup on the cheese and whisk until cheese is melted.
Slowly pour the cheese into the soup, stirring while pouring. Stir until cheese is mixed through.
Taste soup, adding more seasoning as desired. (Salt or garlic if it tastes bland, more red pepper if you want more spice.) Serve immediately.