Campfire One Pot Chili

A road recipe for any campsite — feeds a few hungry travelers and tastes even better the next day.

I don’t share every road recipe in full, but I wanted you to have this one because it’s real, simple, and perfect for your next trip. Thanks for being here.

Nothing fancy — just chili that’s better than takeout, wherever you park

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion and green pepper mix

• 1 lb ground turkey

• About 1/4 cup chili powder

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• Pinch of dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon canned green chilies

• About 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• About 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 large can whole or diced tomatoes

• 1 can white beans, drained

• 1 bag frozen sweet corn

How I Put It Together

I started with one of my favorite camping cheats: a store-bought mix of chopped onions and green peppers — about a cup, maybe a bit more. I could’ve doubled it if I’d had more, but what I had worked perfectly. I tossed that mix into the cast iron pot with a bit of olive oil and let it get soft and fragrant while Cade did me a favor: he grabbed the big can of whole tomatoes I’d brought from home and broke them up in a bowl. There’s nothing wrong with using whatever canned tomatoes you can get your hands on — roadside store, big box, or pantry leftovers. I just happened to have a good-quality brand with me, so that’s what I used.

Once the onions and peppers were nice and tender, I added about a pound of ground turkey straight into the pot and cooked it through. Then I went in with the spices: about 1/4 cup of chili powder, a generous tablespoon of smoked paprika, and a pinch of dried oregano. It’s good to add your spices while the meat is browning so they can bloom a bit in the heat — it makes all the difference in flavor.

After the spices had a minute to mingle, I stirred in about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. A little tip for home cooks: tomato paste needs a bit of time to cook before you add the liquid — that short step takes away any tinny taste and brings out its natural sweetness. Once the paste was smelling deep and rich, I poured in about a cup of leftover chicken broth we had from the night before. The paste and broth together gave the chili a thick, hearty base.

Then Cade’s tomatoes went in — juice and all — along with a spoonful of green chilies, a can of drained white beans (I love them for their thinner skins) and a bag of frozen sweet corn for a little pop of sweetness. I let it all simmer gently on low for about 30 minutes, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Sometimes that means more salt, more chili powder — you know your taste buds better than anyone.

The grocery store was out of pre-made cornbread that night, so we grabbed a cheap box mix and Cade made it in the cast iron pot earlier that evening. It turned out delicious — warm and just sweet enough to balance the chili. We ate the entire thing, along with most of the chili, right there by the fire.

We were camping in a quiet, more secluded spot than most, with a view of the lake and no one too close by. It was perfect. Good chili, warm cornbread, and just enough left over for lunch the next day — which always makes me feel like I’ve done something right.