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Car Camping Cast-Iron Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice and Warm Naan

Name: Car Camping Cast-Iron Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice and Warm Naan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Indian

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Quick answer

Marinate cubed chicken thighs in spiced yogurt, then sear them in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over a medium-high camp stove or grate. Build a butter-tomato-cream sauce in the same pan, simmer the chicken until it hits 165°F, and serve over basmati rice cooked in a pot on the second burner with warmed naan. Plan on about 65 minutes total, plus marinating time.

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Butter chicken is a great fit for a car camping dinner. The sauce is rich, the spices are pantry staples, and everything cooks in one skillet and one pot. The yogurt marinade rides in the cooler and gets more tender while you set up camp.

The trick is cooking in order. Start the rice first so it can rest while you sear and simmer. Brown the chicken hard, build the sauce in the same pan, and add the cream last so it stays smooth. Bring a good cooler and you'll eat something that tastes like takeout, cooked under the trees.

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