Dutch Oven Chicken Stew Over Coals
This Dutch oven chicken stew is one of my favorite meals to make outside, and probably one of my favorite ways to cook in general.
It’s incredibly simple.
I toss potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic with seasonings, olive oil, and butter right in the bottom of my cast iron Dutch oven. Then I place chicken thighs on top, put on the lid, cover it with hot coals, and let everything cook together.
There’s no broth to add.
There’s no need to brown the chicken first.
And there’s really not much to do once it’s cooking.
The vegetables cook underneath the chicken and soak up all of the juices and flavor as it cooks. Meanwhile, the heat coming from the coals on top of the lid helps the chicken turn beautifully golden on top all on its own.
If you’re new to Dutch oven cooking over coals, this is such a good recipe to start with.
Why I Love This Dutch Oven Chicken Recipe
One of the things I love most about cooking over coals is how simple it can be.
You don’t need a long ingredient list or a complicated recipe.
For this meal, I basically prepare everything, pile it into my Dutch oven, and let it cook.
About halfway through, I open the lid and give the vegetables a good stir while leaving the chicken right on top.
That’s about it.
It’s the kind of meal that’s perfect for a cool evening when we’re already outside and don’t want to go back inside to make dinner.
And somehow, food cooked in cast iron over a fire just tastes better.
Why You’ll Love It
This has quickly become one of my favorite outdoor meals because it’s:
- Made completely in one Dutch oven
- Made with simple whole-food ingredients
- No broth needed
- No browning the chicken beforehand
- Easy enough for beginners
- Perfect for cooking over charcoal or campfire coals
- Easy to change depending on the vegetables you have
- Hearty enough to be an entire meal
And there’s very little cleanup afterward.
Ingredients
You don’t need much for this recipe.
6–8 chicken thighs
Boneless or bone-in both work.
4–5 potatoes
Cut into chunks.
3 carrots
Peeled and sliced into fairly thick pieces.
3 celery stalks
Chopped.
1 onion
Roughly chopped.
4 garlic cloves
Minced.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Cut into small pieces.
Salt and black pepper
Your favorite seasonings
Fresh rosemary or thyme are also delicious if you have them.
A Note About Seasonings
This is one of those recipes I rarely measure seasonings for.
I season the vegetables generously with salt, pepper, and whatever herbs or seasonings sound good that day.
You can keep it incredibly simple with salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
Or use your favorite poultry seasoning blend.
That’s part of what makes this such an easy meal to make again and again without it tasting exactly the same every time.
Equipment You’ll Need
For cooking directly over coals, I recommend using a camp-style cast iron Dutch oven with legs and a flanged lid.
The legs allow the Dutch oven to sit above the coals, while the rim around the lid keeps your hot coals in place.
You’ll also want:
- Charcoal briquettes or hot campfire coals
- Long-handled tongs
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Dutch oven lid lifter
- Wooden spoon
- Instant-read meat thermometer
I typically use a 12-inch Dutch oven for a meal like this.
How to Make Dutch Oven Chicken Stew Over Coals
This is where you’ll see just how simple this recipe really is.
Step 1: Prepare Your Coals
Start by getting your charcoal or campfire going.
You want to cook over hot coals rather than tall flames.
If you’re using charcoal briquettes, let them heat until they’re hot and beginning to ash over.
I like charcoal when I’m cooking with my Dutch oven because it’s a little easier to control than a wood fire, especially when you’re first learning.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
Cut your potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into pieces.
I don’t cut the potatoes or carrots too small because they’re going to have plenty of time to cook.
Place all of the prepared vegetables directly into the bottom of your Dutch oven.
Add the minced garlic.
Drizzle everything with olive oil and season generously with salt, pepper, and your seasonings.
Toss everything together until the vegetables are well coated.
Then scatter small pieces of butter throughout the vegetables.
Step 3: Place the Chicken on Top
Season your chicken thighs on both sides.
Then place them directly on top of the vegetables.
You can use either boneless or bone-in chicken thighs.
I especially like thighs for this cooking method because they’re much more forgiving than chicken breasts and stay tender while everything cooks.
There’s no need to brown the chicken beforehand.
That’s one of my favorite things about this recipe.
The chicken goes into the Dutch oven raw and browns as it cooks from the heat coming down from the coals on the lid.
Step 4: Add the Coals
Place the lid securely on your Dutch oven.
Arrange hot coals underneath the Dutch oven and across the top of the lid.
You want more heat coming from the top than from underneath.
That’s important here because we want the vegetables to cook without scorching on the bottom while the chicken browns from the heat above.
For a 12-inch Dutch oven, a common starting point for roughly 350°F conditions is around 8 charcoal briquettes underneath and 16 on top.
But don’t treat those numbers like a rule.
Wind, outdoor temperature, the type of charcoal you’re using, and even your Dutch oven can change how quickly everything cooks.
Step 5: Cook for 30 Minutes
Now comes the easy part.
Leave it alone.
Let the chicken and vegetables cook covered for about 30 minutes.
During this time, the chicken will begin releasing its juices down into the vegetables.
Combined with the butter and olive oil, this creates plenty of moisture and flavor without needing to pour broth into the pot.
Step 6: Stir the Vegetables
After about 30 minutes, carefully remove the lid.
I like to check everything at this point and give the vegetables a good stir.
Leave the chicken on top.
You don’t need to bury it in the vegetables or turn it over.
Keeping the chicken on top allows the heat from the coals on the lid to continue cooking and browning the top of the chicken.
Check the potatoes and carrots while you’re in there.
Then replace the lid and replenish or rearrange your coals if needed.
Step 7: Continue Cooking Until Done
Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is completely cooked.
Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, the size of your vegetable pieces, the weather, and the heat of your coals, the total cooking time can vary.
Rather than relying only on time, check the chicken with a meat thermometer.
Chicken should reach at least 165°F in the thickest part before serving.
The potatoes and carrots should also be easily pierced with a fork.
The Best Part: The Chicken Browns on Its Own
This might be my favorite part of cooking this meal in a Dutch oven.
You don’t have to stand over a skillet browning chicken before dinner can even start.
Because we’re placing hot coals on the Dutch oven lid, there’s heat coming down onto the chicken from above.
The chicken sits on top of the vegetables while it cooks and naturally develops that beautiful golden-brown color.
Meanwhile, all of those juices drip down into the vegetables underneath.
The result is tender chicken on top and buttery, flavorful vegetables underneath.
It’s such a simple way to make dinner.
Do You Need Liquid in Dutch Oven Chicken Stew?
For this recipe, no.
I don’t add broth or water.
The vegetables release some moisture as they cook, and the chicken releases juices and fat directly into the vegetables underneath.
Combined with the olive oil and butter, it’s enough for the way I make this meal.
This also means the vegetables aren’t boiling in broth.
They’re cooking in all of those concentrated juices underneath the chicken, which is part of what makes them so good.
If your particular vegetables seem unusually dry during your halfway check, you can make an adjustment then, but I would make the recipe as written before automatically adding liquid.
Boneless vs. Bone-In Chicken Thighs
I’ve made this with both boneless and bone-in chicken thighs.
Either will work.
Bone-in thighs generally take a little longer to cook, while boneless thighs tend to cook faster.
That’s another reason I recommend checking the internal temperature rather than relying on an exact cooking time.
Whichever you choose, chicken thighs work especially well because they stay juicy during this type of cooking.
Charcoal Briquettes or Campfire Coals?
You can use either.
Charcoal Briquettes
If you’re just learning how to cook with a Dutch oven, I’d start here.
Briquettes are relatively uniform, so it’s easier to estimate your heat and make adjustments.
Wood Coals
If you already have a fire going, there’s no reason you can’t cook over the hot coals from it.
Let the wood burn down until you have a good bed of glowing coals.
Move some underneath the Dutch oven and place additional hot coals on the lid.
You’ll have to cook a little more by feel because wood coals aren’t as consistent as charcoal briquettes.
And that’s part of the fun.
Dutch Oven Cooking Tips for Beginners
Put More Heat on Top
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is putting too much heat underneath the Dutch oven.
For this recipe, we want plenty of heat coming from above so the chicken cooks and browns while the vegetables gently cook underneath.
Keep Extra Coals Ready
Your first batch of charcoal isn’t necessarily going to last through the entire cooking time.
Have another batch heating so you can replace coals as they burn down.
Don’t Cut Your Vegetables Too Small
The vegetables are going to be cooking underneath the chicken, so give them some size.
Especially the potatoes and carrots.
Stir Halfway Through
I find that checking everything around the 30-minute mark works well.
Stir the vegetables so they’re cooking evenly, but keep your chicken on top.
Rotate the Dutch Oven
Hot spots are normal.
You can periodically rotate the Dutch oven one direction and the lid the opposite direction to help distribute the heat more evenly.
Don’t Obsess Over the Exact Number of Coals
Coal charts are incredibly helpful when you’re learning.
But eventually, you’ll learn to watch the food.
If something is cooking too aggressively, remove heat.
If it’s barely cooking, add more.
That’s really what Dutch oven cooking is about.
Can I Cook This Over a Campfire?
Yes.
And you don’t want the Dutch oven sitting in roaring flames.
Let your fire burn down until you have a good supply of hot coals.
Then move those coals where you need them.
Some go underneath the Dutch oven.
More go on top.
Keep your fire going nearby so you have fresh hot coals available as the ones you’re cooking with begin to cool.
Can I Add Different Vegetables?
Absolutely.
That’s another reason this is such a good recipe to know.
I usually keep it simple with potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, but it’s easy to adapt based on what you have.
Just keep cooking times in mind.
Root vegetables can go in from the beginning.
Something more delicate may be better added when you stir the vegetables halfway through.
What to Serve With Dutch Oven Chicken and Vegetables
This is already a complete meal, so I don’t usually feel like it needs much.
But you certainly can’t go wrong with a loaf of homemade bread.
Sourdough bread, biscuits, cornbread, or even another Dutch oven bread would all be delicious alongside it.
And if we continue this Dutch oven series, I think bread cooked over coals needs to be one of the recipes we try next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does chicken take in a Dutch oven over coals?
Cooking time varies based on your chicken, Dutch oven, weather, and coal temperature. I check mine after about 30 minutes, stir the vegetables, and continue cooking until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and the vegetables are tender.
Do I need to brown chicken before putting it in the Dutch oven?
Not for this recipe.
I place the raw seasoned chicken directly on top of the vegetables. The heat coming from the coals on the lid cooks and browns the top of the chicken.
Do I need chicken broth?
No.
This recipe doesn’t use broth. The chicken and vegetables release moisture as they cook, and the butter and olive oil help create flavorful vegetables underneath.
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Yes. I make this with either boneless or bone-in chicken thighs. Boneless thighs may cook more quickly, so check their internal temperature.
Can I use chicken breasts?
You can, although I prefer thighs for this recipe because they tend to stay juicier during Dutch oven cooking.
How do I keep the vegetables from burning?
Don’t use too much bottom heat. Most of the heat for this recipe should come from the coals placed on the lid. I also stir the vegetables after about 30 minutes.
One of My Favorite Ways to Cook
There are plenty of faster ways I could make chicken and vegetables for dinner.
But that’s not really the point.
There’s something I love about getting a fire going, preparing a Dutch oven, piling in a handful of simple ingredients, and letting dinner slowly cook outside.
You lift the lid halfway through and stir the vegetables.
The chicken stays right on top.
Then you put the lid back on and let the coals do the rest.
By the time it’s finished, the chicken is golden on top and the vegetables underneath have cooked in the butter, olive oil, seasonings, and juices from the chicken.
It’s simple food made in a really simple way.
And that’s exactly why this Dutch oven chicken stew over coals has become one of my favorite meals.
