Mountain House recently introduced their Wraps line of freeze dried meals which consists of chicken fajitas and chicken salad. In typical Mountain House fashion, these meals are easy to prepare, but require one additional ingredient: tortillas. After giving the chicken fajitas the Zagat treatment, I love this unique twist on backcountry gourmet.
About Mountain House Chicken Fajitas:
- Made with strips of chicken and fire roasted onion, red and green bell peppers with black beans
- Best with tortillas (you provide)
- Shipping Weight: 0.25 lbs
- Servings: 2 (240 calories each serving)
- MSRP: $7.25
Mountain House Chicken Fajita Wraps Review
Freeze dried food sure has come a long way in the past 25 years. My first encounters with it came as a young 12-year-old on a canoe trip down the Columbia River in Eastern Washington. While the directions seemed easy, the packet-within-a-packet design was always challenging and the taste was a mixed-bag at best. Unfortunately, I vividly recall my first taste of scrambled eggs with bacon bits. No matter how hungry I was, those eggs were awful.
Now, fast-forward to the present. Every variety of Mountain House freeze dried meal has been tasty and even easier to prepare. Obviously, technology has come a long way at providing high-quality foods in a package. But, in addition to the food quality, the packaging has also been improved.
These Chicken Fajita Wraps (like all Mountain House products) come inside a reflective, re-sealable pouch. No more flimsy double bag, just boil water, tear it open, remove the gel packet and seasonings (shown above) and pour the water inside. After a quick stir, all it takes is zipping the pouch closed and letting it sit for 8 min.
After the meal has been softened and is ready to eat, just drain the excess water, add the seasonings and stir or shake it up.
For this test, I made these in the comfort of my own home, but boiling water in the backcountry is simple — especially if you have a JetBoil. The only other thing you’ll have to haul along are tortillas. Luckily, they don’t take up much space in a backpack and are lightweight. For this meal, two medium-sized tortillas will do the trick.
As far as taste goes, I was impressed. The flavor was rich and tasty and after riding my bike for nearly 4 hours, my body needed it much in the same way I would have needed a meal after skiing or hiking all day. I also tossed in some avocado (because I had one handy) and you could add other things like cheese or rice, if you so desire.
The Good
- Very savory recipe
- Love the wrap line
- Packaging makes preparation a breeze
The Bad
- They say 2 servings, but after a long day in the backcountry, this is a one-man meal
Bottom Line: Mountain House Chicken Fajitas
These chicken fajita wraps are tasty and super-easy to prepare in a pinch. While the price isn’t cheap, the packability and easy preparation put these on a “must have” list for any backcountry enthusiast.
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