Chicken can be an economical choice but sometimes feels boring. Not this one! Chicken thighs are nestled into coconut milk for a delicious, flavourful meal.
I love to find ways to dress up chicken. I think our home-raised chickens taste great, but sometimes you don't want plain chicken. I also don't always want chicken breast as they can easily be overcooked. Chicken thighs though, especially with the bone and skin? They are super delicious and stay moist.
We'll also make our own gravy of sorts here. Call it gravy or sauce, either way, you'll be looking for ways to politely lick your bowl clean! Nothing beats rice as an inexpensive and filling side dish, but if you're cooking at home you can also do Instant Pot mashed potatoes or some pasta.
Key Ingredients
Chicken - Use thighs that still have the bone and skin as these really add to the overall flavour of the dish.
Garlic - Whole, fresh cloves are perfect but if you happen to have some fermented garlic ready, it'll really add something!
Fat - A mix of butter and some other animal fat is great. Either lard or that jar of bacon fat I know you've got on hand!
Spices - Yes, there's a long list, but it's worth it. Plus they are all pretty common options I bet you have in the pantry.
How to Make Chicken Thighs in a Dutch Oven
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Season the chicken well with salt and pepper and the entire seasoning blend.
Step 2: Ready your coals! I also give oven directions below. Then, melt your fat and butter.
Step 3: Brown the chicken, skin side down, then flip to get colour on the second side. You aren't cooking it through just yet.
Step 4: Remove the chicken to a plate to rest and add the garlic to the pot.
Step 5: Let the bite cook out of the garlic for a few minutes, then add the can of coconut milk. Heat and stir to combine.
Step 6: Nestle the chicken back into the pot and add your lid. You'll either be broiling inside, or using coals to heat from the top outside.
Step 7: Once the chicken is cooked through, add fresh basil and stew a few more minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Brown skin side first, and make sure the pan is nice and hot so the chicken releases easily.
- Brown both sides - and then when you add them back to the pot, don't forget all the juices on the plate as well.
- Cooking in coals/charcoal is a skill that you might need to experiment with! I highly recommend it though for how delicious you can make meals when out in the woods.
FAQs
Yup! See the recipe card below. This meal is great both in the oven or on the coals outside. If you're new to cooking outside you might make it inside first to get a feel for things, but then you'll be all set to cook when out!
I use a 6-quart dutch oven. Inside, in the oven, you can use your Lodge or Le Creuset. When you are getting into cooking over the fire, you definitely want more specialized equipment, both so it works well, and so you don't damage your nice things. A camping dutch oven will have a lid that works on both sides - one side is like the image above where you can nestle coals overtop of it to add heat.
Any side dish is great, whether that's pasta or something gluten-free. I like rice the best as I feel it soaks up all the gravy just great. Of course a rustic sourdough is amazing as well, and that's something sturdy you can pack to take to the camp and not worry about cooking a side dish.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Dutch Oven Recipes
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Dutch Oven Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 7 - 8 garlic cloves peeled (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 400 ml organic coconut milk 1 can
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Coals:
- Start your fire and make a nice bed of hot coals. You can also use charcoal (14) or a combination of both.
- Place Dutch Oven on bed of coals evenly dispersed underneath. Add fats/butter and heat until nicely melted.
- Combine all seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over chicken.
- Add to Dutch oven and cook on each side for 6-10 minutes or until browned.
- Place chicken on a plate using tongs.
- Add the garlic cloves to butter in Dutch oven and stir to cook for a few minutes.
- Add coconut milk to sauce and stir until melted and combined.
- Take Dutch oven off hot coals and using tongs replace coals on top of lid to broil, adding more to replace any that might have burned out, covering most of lid.
- Cook for about another hour, until thighs are tender and juicy.
- Add chopped basil on top and stir in, stewing for 5 more minutes.
- Serve over rice.
Oven:
- Preheat oven to "low broil."
- Set a Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove and melt butter/fat.
- Combine all seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over chicken.
- Add to Dutch oven and cook on each side for 6-10 minutes or until browned.
- Place chicken on a plate using tongs.
- Add the garlic cloves to butter in Dutch oven and stir to cook for a few minutes.
- Add coconut milk to sauce and stir until melted and combined.
- Return chicken to pot and cover with lid.
- Set pot in oven on light broil for 45-60 minutes, checking periodically that chicken is thoroughly cooked.
- Add chopped basil on top and stir in, stewing for 5 more minutes.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
- I love to use my fermented garlic in this recipe! If you don't have any just plain fresh garlic is great.
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