Dutch Oven Calico Chicken

I was working over the weekend in Las Vegas. It was good, but I missed cooking Sunday dinner. So, when I got sick and stayed home yesterday and today, I thought I’d make dinner. I’d seen this one over at Byron’s site, and I tried it. Of course, I can’t leave it alone, so I modded it a bit for the ingredients I had on hand, and what I thought would taste great.

Dutch Oven Calico Chicken

12” Dutch Oven

8-9 coals below
16-18 coals above

• 2 lbs boneless chicken
• 1-2 cups corn flakes, crushed
• Liberal shakes of seasoning salt
• Liberal shakes of black pepper
• Liberal shakes of chili powder
• 1-2 eggs
• Cheddar cheese, some thinly sliced, some grated
• A can of corn
• A small can of diced green chilis
• A can of beans
• A can of sliced black olives
• More salt, pepper

I started with the chicken, some frozen chicken tenderloins. If you start with full chicken breasts, you’ll want to cut them into slices about as long and wide as chicken fingers you buy at McDonalds. I thawed them in some warm water in the sink, and gathered the ingredients. Then I lit up about 25 or so coals.

I cracked an egg into a bowl. I poured the crushed corn flakes and the seasonings onto a plate and mixed them up. All was ready!

Then, I took each piece of chicken and put it in between two pieces of waxed paper. I gently tapped it flat, to about an eighth to a quarter inch thick. I laid a few thin slices of cheddar over it and rolled it up along the length, then secured it with a toothpick. I took that chicken roll and covered it in egg in the bowl. Then I coated it in the corn flake mixture. You have to be very thorough to make sure that the seasonings don’t settle down to the bottom of the plate. You gotta keep mixing it up.

This went into a greased Dutch Oven, along with all of the other pieces (probably about 10-15 or so). I put that on about 9 coals, with about 16 or so on top. The chicken browned and cooked in about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, I opened each can of the veggies and drained them, then poured them into a bowl. I mixed them all up, and added some salt and pepper to taste.

When the chicken was close to done, I lifted them out of the dutch oven and onto a plate with some wooden spoons. I poured in the veggie mixture, then replaced the chickens on top. I put the lid back on with some refreshed coals and let it bake for about another 30 minutes. After about 15-20 minutes, I opened it up and layered the top with the grated cheddar.

The family were really impressed! I loved it, too. I’m not certain that the chicken has to be cooked first. You might be able to just put in the veggies, then put the uncooked chicken on top of that. But then, the chicken wouldn’t be as crisp, I think. I did like the crispness of it. You try it the other way and let me know what you think!