Chicken that’s great at home, or on the trail
Growing up I was always one of those kids that loved to get outside with my family and hike, fish, ski, camp, the list goes on and on.
But there were some things like rock climbing or mountain biking that my dad wouldn’t do and I was too young to do alone.
So I was a little bit lost. I needed an outlet and some like-minded friends.
The answer came in Grade 8, in the form of an outdoor education class. We got to take part in amazing experiences such as winter camping where we had to make our own shelters and sleep in the snow!
I continued with those classes from Grade 8 to Grade 10. Out of all the life-changing adventures we went on, the most important thing I took away from it all was one of the best friendships I’ll ever have.
My friend Glenn Calderwood and I first met in Jr. High, and instantly hit it off. We thought alike, acted alike, and despite his big red afro, we even looked alike.
I had finally found that friend that was obsessed with everything outdoors. He honestly puts me to shame, but even though his skills exceed my own, he was never one to think any less of me. Instead, he was always one to offer a boost up the mountain.
Our friendship flourished throughout all the outdoor education classes we took together. I could always count on him to belay me and not let me fall.
One of the many assignments we did together was to create a dish that would be easy to make using a hiking stove.
I didn’t know what to make, but the next day Glenn came to school with a killer honey mustard chicken recipe. I loved it right away.
Needless to say, we made the dish for the class and aced the assignment.
Glenn is now living in Australia with his fiancée. We stay in touch, and we always get together whenever he’s back in town.
I made tons of memories with my good friend that I will never forget. It’s hard to forget hiking through soul-sucking mud and rain on multi-day treks where all you want is a shower that will never come.
Whenever I make Glenn’s amazing honey mustard chicken, those memories come rushing back.
I absolutely love this recipe, and I’m sure you will too. It’s amazing the day of, and it’s one of those recipes where it tastes fantastic as a leftover as well.
If you’re making it on the trail just remember to hang your leftovers high enough in the trees so bears won’t reach it. But if you’re at home, the fridge works fine as well.
Glenn’s amazing honey mustard chicken:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time On The Trail: 20 minutes
* If you’re planning on making this on the trail, follow the chicken cooking instructions and store in freezer bags that are strong and easy to pack. While on the trail you then just have to re-heat the chicken and sauce before eating.
Ingredients:
1. 6 chicken breasts
2. 1/3 cup of liquid honey
3. 1/2 cup of mustard
4. 1 teaspoon of yellow curry paste
5. Salt and pepper if desired
6. Rice
7. Soy sauce (for rice) if desired
Cooking Instructions:
1. Pre heat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Whisk sauce ingredients together in mixing bowl
3. Slice chicken into cubes (exact size is up to you)
4. Add chicken to oven-safe pan
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix together
6. Cook chicken for 45 minutes
7. While chicken cooks, make instant rice, or rice using a rice cooker (white rice goes best with this chicken)
8. When chicken and rice are done, make a bed of rice on your plate, and dish out the chicken and sauce on top of the rice.
9. Serve and enjoy
Trail Cooking Instructions:
1. Heat up your stove
2. Make instant rice (follow instructions on the box)
3. In another pan add the pre-cooked chicken and heat for 15 minutes or until desired warmth
4. Dish out rice, and top with the heated chicken
5. Enjoy
* As mentioned earlier, white rice goes best with this dish, but it’s your choice. Also, complimentary side dishes include: peas, broccoli, or a side salad.
We at the Calgary Journal encourage you to tell us your food related stories and share your favorite recipes. You can send them to our food blog editor, Clayton Goodwin, cgoodwin@cjournal.ca