Enjoy the vibrant tastes of Spain even while camping with this campfire paella made in foil bowls, featuring spicy chorizo, tender chicken and a splash of crisp white wine.
When I travel, food is always the highlight. On past trips that meant meals at local restaurants, wine tastings or stops at farmers’ markets. For this outing I wanted a different challenge: cook every meal over an open flame without using a pan. We traveled by RV but I limited myself to foil and skewers so the campfire stayed central to the experience.
I planned the menu just before we left and prepped most of the work at home. Over the next few days I’ll share the rest of the recipes from the trip, starting with this easy, hands-on campfire paella.
My first tip is to prep everything before you leave
Do as much prep as possible at home. I pre-sliced and chopped vegetables and stored them in disposable containers so there was no need to pull out a cutting board at the campsite. I also brought pre-roasted shredded chicken instead of raw poultry to reduce food-safety risks when cooking outdoors. These small choices make camp cooking simpler and more enjoyable.
Our drive from Las Vegas to Zion National Park in Southern Utah is short—about three hours—so by the time we arrived the campsite was ready. While my husband settled the RV, I got the campfire going and started dinner right away.
Our first campfire meal was paella. I’ve grilled paella before, but this was my first time making it without a pan, using foil bowls placed near the campfire.
Here’s tip two
For dishes that include liquid, make a foil bowl rather than trying a flat packet. To form a bowl, lay a sheet of heavy-duty foil over an actual bowl and press the foil into the shape. This creates a stable cavity that holds liquid and ingredients safely while cooking near the fire.
Tip 3 for Campfire Paella
Use two layers of foil. On my first attempt the liquid started to boil out of single-layer packets. Doubling up the foil solved the problem and made the bowls more durable while they cooked.
Once the bowls are shaped, assemble them at the picnic table so everyone can customize their own portion. I offered raw Mexican chorizo, pre-roasted shredded chicken, chopped onion, minced garlic, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, saffron, salt and pepper. For starch I used arborio rice.
Top each foil bowl with equal parts arborio rice and white wine (or substitute chicken broth or water). Stir the contents gently to combine, bring the foil edges together, and seal each pouch so it traps steam. Place the pouches on the edge of the campfire—not directly in the flames—so they cook by radiant heat and hot coals.
Cooking time will vary with how close you position the pouches to heat. I rotated them every 10–15 minutes to ensure even cooking. After about an hour the rice was tender and the chorizo cooked through.
The finished paella had fluffy rice and a pleasant crust on the bottom—the socarrat that paella is known for—thanks to the close heat at the fire’s edge. The chorizo added smoky, spicy notes and the wine brought acidity that brightened the dish.
Campfire dinner number one was a hit. The next morning I tackled a different challenge—campfire flapjacks with blueberries—again without a pan.
Campfire Paella
Ingredients
- raw Mexican chorizo
- roasted chicken, shredded (no skin)
- onion, chopped
- garlic, minced
- bell pepper, chopped
- cherry tomatoes
- saffron, salt, pepper
- equal parts uncooked Arborio rice
- equal parts white wine (or chicken broth or water)
Instructions
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Make foil bowls using two sheets of heavy-duty, non-stick foil (dull sides in).
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Fill each bowl with chorizo, shredded chicken, onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomatoes and seasoning to taste.
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Add equal parts arborio rice and white wine (or chicken broth or water). Stir to combine.
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Bring the foil edges up and seal each pouch securely.
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Place the pouches at the edge of the campfire near, but not directly in, the open flame.
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Rotate the pouches every 10–15 minutes and cook for about an hour, or until the rice is tender and meat is heated through. Remove from heat and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.