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    Home » Recipe

    Published: Jun 27, 2023 by maxcozzi · This post may contain affiliate links · 297 Comments

    Campfire Braised Grilled Half Chicken

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This braised grilled half chicken is the perfect meal for cooking over a campfire or charcoal grill. It's one of those meals that feels really fancy, but is actually incredibly easy to make. It might just become your new go to grilled chicken recipe!

    grilled half chicken, campfire chicken

    A cast iron dutch oven is necessary for this recipe. My secret for this dish is to get that smoky, off the grill flavor but also the texture of tender braised chicken. To do this, I first grill the chicken half over the open flame and then finish it by braising in the dutch oven. 

    Doing this gets you the best of both worlds. I mean, what's the point of grilling or campfire cooking if you're not going to get that smoky flavor? 

    Because I usually cook this while camping, I stick to simple dry rub of just salt, black pepper, and brown sugar on the chicken. The sugar helps the skin caramelize and get really crispy. 

    After grilling chicken, I then add some veggies like shallots, mushroom, carrots, and celery to a dutch oven and put the chicken half right on top. Pour in a splash of wine (or whatever you're drinking), cover, and let it slowly cook for about 35 minutes over indirect heat. 

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    grilled half chicken, campfire chicken

    Campfire Braised Grilled Half Chicken

    A delicious and simple way to prepare half chicken over the grill or campfire. Flavored with thyme and white wine, the grilled chicken is braised in a dutch oven with vegetables.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

    Nutrition

    Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1374mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5466IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg
    Calories: 644kcal
    Author: Max Cozzi
    Servings: 2
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    Ingredients

    • 1 chicken half (about 2-3 lbs)
    • 1 stalk celery (cut into bite sized pieces)
    • 1 carrot (cut into bite sized pieces)
    • 5 crimini mushrooms (cut in half)
    • 2 small shallots (quartered)
    • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
    • ¼ cup dry white wine (or beer or brandy)
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
    • 1 teaspoon salt (divided)
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

    Instructions

    • Start a campfire or grill with the fire pushed to one side making an indirect heating area.
    • Rub the brown sugar and half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper onto the chicken half. Grill the chicken on the hot part of the fire for about 5 minutes per side, or until well browned.
    • While the chicken is browning, heat a dutch oven over the indirect heat zone. Add the celery, carrot, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, white wine, and the rest of the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
    • When the chicken is browned, move it into the dutch oven and cover. cook over low flame for 35 minutes or until the inside of the chicken is no longer pink.

    Notes

    Don't forget to serve with plenty of crusty bread to dip in the sauce!
    Course: camping, dinner
    Cuisine: American, campfire, French, grilled, Mediterranean, pacific northwest
    Keyword: bbq, bbq half chicken, campfire, easy, grilled, half chicken on grill, one pot, open flame, simple
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    Food Safety

    • Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    Max Cozzi, the creator of Redwood Kitchen food blog

    Hi, I'm Max! Welcome to Redwood Kitchen, where you will find tasty and approachable recipes. I am inspired by life in the PNW, from the Mediterranean climate to the asian influenced culinary scene.

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