Chris Nuttall-Smith's 'Choose-Your-Own-Adventure' Chicken Is Fun for Camping

Welcome to The Pioneer Woman Cookbook Club! This month, we're featuring Chris Nutall-Smith, food and restaurant writer, Top Chef Canada judge, and cookbook author of Cook It Wild. Read on to find out how to make outdoor cooking easy and try a super fun "choose-your-own-adventure" grilled chicken recipe that's tasty at home and in the wild.

Search for camping recipes online and you'll find a few fun ideas, some unrealistic projects, and plenty of burgers and hot dogs. There's no denying that the latter two are always tasty. But if you enjoy bold flavors at home, why can't you be equally adventurous when cooking in the wild? Because it's time-consuming, cooking supplies are limited, and there's no space to chop... right?

Chris Nuttall-Smith knows all these things about camping are true. Yet his new cookbook, Cook It Wild, proves that making a sensational meal in the great outdoors can also be incredibly easy. It just takes a bit of preparation and planning. As a food writer by trade and outdoors fanatic, he developed ideas from the principles of meal prep recipes.

Saucy, cider-y, shallot-y baked beans? That can be prepped ahead. Paella? It was invented as an outdoor meal for farm workers! Sizzling cumin lamb kebabs with chapati? Another easy prep-ahead meal! "No restaurant can replace that flavor and the feeling you get from cooking and eating over a fire," says the Top Chef Canada judge.

We're sharing Chris' "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" chicken grill-out recipe because it captures everything that makes his book so unique and useful. These ready-to-grill chicken thighs are simple to prep and quick to cook, yet have an impressive fire-licked crust. 

The marinade base is creamy, sunshiny, and full of familiar flavors with Dijon mustard, honey, and lemon. Chris brings the whole thing up a notch by giving you two seasoning options: do you want the fresh, herby mix? Or do you want a hint of warmth with North African harissa paste? "The harissa is pretty special," Chris says, unable to decide which version is his favorite. "It has a really beautiful floral heat to it."

As with many other dishes in the book, the chicken is prepped and frozen at home, and you throw it on the fire at camp. The recipe is optimized to save time and space, so you can return to enjoying the sunset or making sure no one falls in the lake. 

"When we go camping with our son, it's the only time of year when we're all 100% present and relaxed. These have always been our happiest times of the year," Chris says. "Camping has a way of drawing people closer, no matter their relationships. I want people to feel the joy and celebration that comes from breaking bread with friends outdoors." 

You might notice Cook It Wild is set up the way a camping trip is structured, beginning with drinks and small bites. "Most people end up rolling into camp after lunch," Chris explains. Naturally, cold summer cocktails and quick snacks are in order. For Chris, his wife, and their friends, that means a bag of salt and vinegar chips and vacuum-sealed Negronis. You need a cold drink to celebrate, of course!